COSTA MESA, Calif. — NADAguides named the 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE as the Car of the Month for September. The vehicle features a newly redesigned interior, improvements in handling and performance, and class-leading safety, according to NADAguides.

"We're thrilled that just two weeks after publicly introducing the all-new, reinvented 2012 Camry, it has already earned NADAguides' Car of the Month award,” said Bob Carter, Toyota Division general manager and group vice president.

NADAguides analysts also noted the vehicle’s improved fuel economy, lower price and Entune, Toyota's new multimedia system, as factors that differentiated it from the competition. The company’s analysts also noted the large growth in consumer interest for the 2011 Camry, with consumer searches for the vehicle increasing 67 percent from February to March.

The consumer interest growth continued from March through July for the 2011 Toyota Camry on NADAguides.com, increasing 10 percent on a month-over-month basis, according to the company.

"While behind the wheel of the 2012 Camry XLE Hybrid, I had to actually remind myself that it was a hybrid — the usual motor change and braking feel that comes with hybrid models disappears in the 2012 model,” said Troy Snyder, director of product development at NADAguides. “This is definitely a vehicle that hybrid consumers need to drive."