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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  ??????????? - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Blob - October 21 - 7:26 am

  This is the best car I have ever owned it is so awsome ours is top notch it is an XLE V6 and I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  More good than bad - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By ellicott city - October 20 - 6:56 am

  Yes, there is a hesitation problem, usually not from a long stop but when you slow down to the lowest gears then try to accelerate quickly. So it jerks sometimes. But once up and going, the car is very smooth and quiet. The engine sounds bad or burdened when accelerated hard though. Even though its SE (V6), the ride is very comfortable even on the some bumps. I compared it with Honda accord (4-cyl). I felt that Accord has better transmission and build quality but the ride is terrible. I am getting 23.5 mpg on mostly highway usually traveling at 70 mph. It has a V6 punch and is somewhat fun to drive. The seat is comfy and it handles well.

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  A small bit of disappointment - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Mardamay - October 19 - 7:13 am

  I bought my Camry LE 3 months ago and love the comfort and smooth handling of it. I traded in a 95 Altima and find this much more comfortable and roomy. It definitely has the look and feel of a more expensive car, for a reasonable price, and ultimately the practicality and price won out for me. My sole disappointment is the MPG, I dont get the advertised 24/34, but more like 20/28, and I am no speed demon! Overall, a great car!

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  Jerky/Slow responding Camry - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By ramankgb - October 18 - 10:43 am

  The Camry gives impressive fuel economy for a V6. Reston, va to Erie, pa on a tank of gas. Very silent compared to my 2.4L Camry. The fit and finish are excellent and is the interior comfort. Excellent JBL stereo option. The only problems i noticed was, The transmission shifts back and forth at low speeds. It gets very annoying especially in rush hour traffic. I am assuming that to save on cost, the same tranny as the one used in 2.4L or 3.3L was mated to the 3.0L. Also, the Drive by wire system response is tragically slow, especially during accelaration for passing other cars, to the point that it can become a safety hazard, as the driver is unable to judge the passing time.

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  07 Camry a let-down - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By badmph - October 18 - 8:40 am

  We purchased our first Toyota product, an 07 Camry LE AT in October 2006, after months of consideration and test driving them as rental cars (averaging 30 mpg all around and 34 highway); it replaced a 1989 2WD V6 Nissan Pathfinder that averaged 21.5 mpg. What happened?! With 4000 miles, its been a disappointment, 24 mpg (mostly hi-way) and only 400 miles/tank! Each tank gets progressively fewer mpg. It seems to be a non-issue for Toyota who dismisses the complaint and makes excuses for winter driving, gas additives, etc. We expected much more from this car and are somewhat soured on Toyota already.

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  Toyotas are the best! - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By TP - October 18 - 5:30 am

  My 1997 Camry has over 200,000 miles on it and I love it. The only minor repair I had to do besides changing tires and brake pads, was replacing the timing belt and water pump back in 2001. But that repair was done at no cost because it was still under warranty. If you want a quality car, then look at Toyotas.

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  Fine Car overall - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By Frank S - October 18 - 1:13 am

  I waited a month to write my review after I purchased the car. Overall, the car is fine and rides nice. It’s a Toyota and we all know it will last forever. The Entune 3.0 system is adequate but could be better. Hopefully Toyota will have Apple Car Play or Android Auto soon. My biggest thing is how the car rides and how it looks. It is very smooth and feels solid. The new design is also very nice. I traded my 13 Accord for the 18 Camry and have not regretted my decision.

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  Not bad for the money - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By bschram - October 17 - 3:11 pm

  Ive only had it for three weeks but mileage has amazed me. There is a calculator in the trip meter that told me I averaged 24.2 but actual MPG came out to 25.8 all city. WIsh vehicle had a little more ground clearance and some of its plastic panels were a little more sustantial. Car has a fragile feel to it. Comfort, quiet, mileage and handling are very nice. Looked at the Sonata but Crest Hyundai scared me away with the paint, fabric and all the other add ons they wanted on top of the car price that you are always advised to stay away from. Toyota can thank Hyundai for me buying a Camry.

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  Love this car! Should have bought it sooner - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By sevn86 - October 17 - 3:53 am

  I purchased a 2011 Toyota Camry SE on Jan. 29th 2011. It has the white exterior with black leather seats. It also has a Sunroof, Push button start. Bluetooth, Rear Spoiler, Auto Dimming mirror w/ compass, DLX radio package, and sealant package. I am very pleased with this car. I traded in my 2000 Toyota camry and man im so glad I did. This car is very smooth and very responsive. Its a bit bouncy cuz it has the sport suspension but I love it! Over all the quality both inside and out is great. I paid $24,500+TTL which came out to $26,162 out the door but i also got $3,000 for my trade so my out the door price was $23,162.01. MSRP was $27,862. I also got 0% for 60 months. Is that a good deal?

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  The best car out there in its class - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By dd - October 15 - 10:13 pm

  From top to bottom, this car has got it all.