Overview & Reviews

The Toyota Camry quietly debuted late in the 1983 model year, when Toyota replaced its old rear-wheel-drive Corona with the front-wheel-drive Camry, a car aimed specifically at the U.S. market. From these humble beginnings, the Camry would go on to dominate the midsize family sedan segment for virtually all of the next quarter-century, as consumers immediately embraced it for its high build quality, comfortable ride and impressive durability.

New or used, the Camry comes pretty highly recommended. As the Camry sells in such high numbers, finding one that matches your criteria should be pretty easy. It is worth noting that the family segment has improved greatly in more recent years. Many competing sedans have matched or outpaced the Camry in terms of quality and desirability, particularly in comparison to the sixth-generation model. The latest version of the Camry, however, has largely shored up the car's reputation as a go-to choice.

Current Toyota Camry
The five-passenger Toyota Camry is offered in L, LE, SE, SE Sport and XLE trim levels with a choice of two engines. The base 2.5-liter four-cylinder produces 178 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque, while the available (depending on trim) 3.5-liter V6 makes 268 hp and 248 lb-ft. A six-speed automatic is the only transmission offered, and sends power to the front wheels.

The Camry L's feature highlights include air-conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, Bluetooth, a touchscreen display and a six-speaker sound system with a USB interface. Stepping up to the LE gets you a few more features, while the SE spices things up with a sport-tuned suspension and sporty styling treatments. The SE Sport features bigger wheels, a sunroof and a power driver seat. The luxurious XLE reverts to a softer suspension and adds a sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, power front seats and leather upholstery (V6). A premium audio system with a larger touchscreen and upgraded navigation system can be added to XLE models.

It should be noted that halfway into the 2014 model year, the Camry's standard equipment was revised. As such, the rearview camera became standard across the board, the upper trims picked up some enhanced audio features and the Entune name was expanded to cover all of the car's infotainment systems (not just the one with smartphone integration).

In reviews, we've praised this Toyota Camry's interior, which provides roomy seating, admirable outward visibility and well-placed controls. What the cabin design lacks in cohesiveness, it makes up for with generally good materials quality, especially the handsome stitching on the dash and door panels of upper trims. Toyota's Entune system is also praiseworthy in the way it easily adds enhanced audio, information and navigation features, although the touchscreen's virtual buttons can be a little frustrating to use at times.

Overall, this Camry provides the comfort and the quiet and smooth ride that should please a wide swath of midsize sedan shoppers. Power and fuel economy are excellent with either engine as well. The only major downside is the car's handling, which isn't as lively or engaging as that of other top family sedans, such as the Honda Accord or Nissan Altima.

Used Toyota Camry Models
The latest (seventh) generation Toyota Camry debuted for 2012 and has a number of significant improvements over the previous one. The interior is significantly nicer than before, and the four-cylinder engine is more powerful. Yet the car is still unmistakably a Camry, with a focus on pragmatic appeal and convenience. Changes since have been minimal. For 2014, the SE Sport trim level joined the lineup, while halfway through that model year saw some minor equipment shuffling that included the rearview camera becoming standard across the board.

The previous sixth-generation Camry was produced for the 2007-'11 model years. In reviews, we commented favorably about the Camry's spacious cabin, powerful and fuel-efficient optional V6, plush ride quality and top crash test scores. Unlike older Camrys, though, this one was let down by disappointing interior plastics, inconsistent fit and finish and uninspiring driving dynamics for non-SE models. It's a respectable choice for a used family sedan, but we thought more highly of competing models, such as the Ford Fusion and Nissan Altima.

For most of its production run, the Camry was offered in LE, SE and XLE trim levels. The entry-level model was labeled as the CE trim, but only for the first year. Base and LE models came fairly well equipped, while the SE brought with it a sport-tuned suspension. The softer-sprung XLE included items such as a premium sound system, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power passenger seat, reclining rear seats and leather upholstery (V6). Most of the features on the higher-trimmed models were offered on supporting trims as options. Other major options included a sunroof and a navigation system.

This Camry was offered with either a four- or six-cylinder engine, with improvements made over the years. The initial base engine was a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that produced 158 horsepower and 161 pound-feet of torque (slightly lower in California and other states). A five-speed manual or five-speed automatic was available, though four-cylinder XLEs were automatic only. The 3.5-liter V6 produced 268 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque and was paired to a six-speed automatic only.

In 2010, the base engine was increased to 2.5 liters and power output was boosted to 169 hp. The SE was further pushed to 179 hp. Both manual and automatic transmissions were also upgraded to six speeds. Other 2010 changes included a restyled grille and taillights, and standard stability control, satellite radio and Bluetooth for all models.

Previous to this was the fifth-generation car that was produced from 2002-'06. As expected, it was a comfortable sedan that offered a roomy cabin, a choice of inline-4 or V6 power and, depending on trim level and optional equipment, most of the latest safety features such as stability control and side curtain airbags. However, prior to 2005, the base Camry did not come standard with antilock brakes. As with other Camrys, we generally found this generation to be very good in terms of room, comfort and feature content.

Three engines were available for this generation. The first was a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that made 154 hp (145 with PZEV emissions controls). It was mated to either a five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission (four-speed prior to '05) and should be powerful enough for the majority of buyers. A 3.0-liter V6 that generated 190 hp was also available (18 hp less prior to '04) on the LE and XLE trim levels, while a 210-hp, 3.3-liter V6 (introduced for 2004) was available on the SE model only. These six-cylinder Camrys came with the automatic only. In previous years, these power numbers were higher because of a change in measurement that occurred in 2006, although actual output never changed.

Like the more recent versions, the 1997-2001 Toyota Camry sedan offered a quiet, stress-free driving experience. Many desirable modern features were also available, including side airbags and antilock brakes (which became standard on all trim levels except the base CE). It, too, was offered with four- and six-cylinder powertrains.

Although a Camry older than 1997 is likely to have quite a few miles on it, it is still something to consider for folks on a tight budget. Provided it has been faithfully maintained, a 1992-'96 Camry (which was available in coupe, sedan and wagon body styles) should be able to spin its odometer to nearly 200,000 miles without major problems. It's this final trait, more than any other, that has kept the Toyota Camry popular with buyers over the last two decades.

User Reviews:

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  Hindsight is 20/20 - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Kim - October 29 - 5:20 pm

  I hate the hesitation that happens when you need to take off quickly. I was told that this is only a second hesitation and that it seems longer than it really is that it has something to do with the way the engines are made now. I hate the crazy blind blind spots. Not very roomy inside. Really scary and the tight space causes angst. Constant vibration in steering as though the wheels are out of balance (Toyota always says its the road) they "balance" it for $$$ and send me down the road - - still vibrating. Was told that they retain their value, but so far this is WAY wrong. Owe at this point $19K and highest offer has been $10K!! Never, never again.

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  More than happy with my first Camry - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By B. Forrester - October 29 - 2:03 pm

  I formerly drove a Nissan Maxima which I purchased used. Loved the car, but it had occasional problems. I traded it for my 05 Camry. I now have 48,000 miles on it, and have only spent money on oil changes, air filter, cabin filter, and front brake pads (not rotors. I live in the Adirondacks High Peaks region on a private road. Only this year did I decide to put snow tires on. Ive never had any problem with this car, the mileage is good, and Ive never had any acceleration problems. Going from a 6 cyl. Maxima to a 4 cyl. was really no problem. I love the car and features, and will buy another. Its quiet and comfortable.

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  A Very Good Car - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By gejr - October 29 - 10:00 am

  Have only had my LE-V6 for a couple of weeks but my last was a Saturn LW300 and you cant compare the two. This is my 5th Toyota and they have all been good, dependable autos. This latest Camry is smooth, powerful enough, quiet, comfortable and very easy to drive. My wife feels the same way about the car. So far no regrets. Dealer was great and worked the Edmunds figures perfectly. A very easy buy since I was well prepared to deal.

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  best car ever biult - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By killer xx - October 29 - 10:00 am

  i always love camry

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  GREAT CAR - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By CMG - October 23 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car and like the others said it doesnt look like a regular Camry it is so sporty with the spoiler and 17" wheels. There are not a lot around so that makes them so much more unique. I have the one with the Navigation which is AWESOME. The leather is really nice and not so tight like in most cars...there is more give to it in my opinion which makes it more comfortable. This car drives so nice that on the first test drive we knew this was what we were going to get. We didnt really have an idea what to get but we knew on the first test drive this was it.

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  Great car! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By hotmamma - October 23 - 10:00 am

  I have owned this 2005 Camry LE for a month and am extremely happy with it. It is very beautiful (super white). The interior is efficient and pretty. It is very quiet. The ride is super smooth. Love the four headlights on each side. It is even a head turner! Cant think of anything bad to say. Awesome stereo, maybe a bit heavy on the base. Got it (automatic) for $18,000 at Palm Beach Toyota.

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  Two fatal flaws on a great car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By William2005 - October 23 - 10:00 am

  Extremely Quiet and Smooth. Corners and brakes much better than expected. Steering wheel is too close to dash and RUINS the seating comfort for tall passengers. Mileage is nowhere near Canadian brochure estimates. Extremely gentle first 1200miles, 80% on highway... 23MPG (US).

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  WOW!! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By jay lenn - October 23 - 10:00 am

  Great car, excellent handling, less road noise, great value

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  6 yrs old and flawless - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Graco Guy - October 21 - 9:43 pm

  Bought this new in 2002 and it has been fine. Not a high performance vehicle with the 4cyl, but great road car and commuter. Have had not one single problem in 68,000 miles. Get about 32 mpg on the highway, and close to that on my commute mix. Very solid car, but not exciting to drive for me. Im thinking Acura TSX or RL next time.

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  Outstanding car - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By dewey - October 21 - 2:20 pm

  Bought car new, just put first set of brakes at 75000 miles. Put an oxygen sensor in at 72000. No other repairs as yet, just normal service intervals and one set of tires, uses no oil. Well run it forever. Ive owned 8 Toyotas and this is one of the best manufactured; also have now a 2006 Avalon.