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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  The Best Car I Have Ever Owned - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By T Jensen - September 15 - 2:36 am

  What a great vehicle. The Camry has a ton of style and lots of interior room without being to bulky on the outside. I wasnt looking to buy a Camry. The previous models lacked style, but this year it is modern. The gas milage is great. I have even reached 39 miles per gallon on long road trips.

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  airbag failed - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By seeitgo - September 11 - 10:00 am

  My daughter had a side impact collision in our 99 Camry. The car held up very well and I credit the exterior design for saving my husbands life. However, I am disapointed with the side airbags. The air bags did not open all the way. The air bag looked like a cloth bag only partialy out. If the air bag would have opened, up my husband would not have been hurt.

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  Gas Mileage Not as said in the Sticker! - 2013 Toyota Camry
  By david555 - September 10 - 10:14 am

  Cheap looking "stick on" middle dashboard: (Where the radio/gps and the cd area), The upper deck interior/roof looks cheap and noise(hollow inside) and built from a cheap material (Compare to my Japanese built in 2003 4runner..which solid and looks classy). Interior/Door sides again looks cheap, Back mid-console box looks cheap and no ventilation goes out to the rear passengers. Overall texture of the interior looks down graded to all of my Toyota that I have owned in the past! Disappointed! GAS MILEAGE: Not as what it said in the sticker (25/35..combined 28mpg)..So far only 22.4MPG!!

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  Overall the best value in its segment - 2013 Toyota Camry
  By zramil - September 9 - 10:37 pm

  Over 3,000km (1,875mi) so far and very happy with my choice. Not a perfect car but it does everything well for its segment at a great price. Tighter handling, better interior materials and dashboard design would be nice but this is a mid-sized family sedan for value minded customers, not BMW 5 series and Toyota did a good job with this generation. I havent had popping roof noise, AC odor and rattling dashboard issues that some drivers complained about. V6 has a very generous amount of power and most people would be perfectly fine with I4. Transmission shifts smoothly. Cabin is very quiet on Michelin tires. Ride comfort is great. I highly recommend the SE trim.

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  2nd Time Around - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By THEAL - September 9 - 2:53 pm

  This is my 2nd Camry. My first was a 2002 which I love and still have. My 2005 is even better. I love the steering wheel mounted radio controls, the extra cog in the tranny, and the slight bump in HP and fuel economy. This car is smooth as can be. Great car for long trips. Interior materials are better quality than the 07 redesign. I love the fact that all I have to do is general maintenance. I have no troubles with this car or my 02 (which now has 140,000 miles). Have not had to see a mechanic not even once. As far as sportiness, there is none to be had here, look elsewhere. But if you are looking for a good car, that is smooth, quiet and reliable, then look no further than the Camry.

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  Best car of the 7 weve owned - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Nancy - September 8 - 6:00 pm

  We purchased this new, and after 7 years, I have had only one repair, other than routine maintenance. The breaks needed to be replaced after 85,000. The car is extremely quiet, which I really like. It now has 93000 miles, and I expect to have it another 7 years!

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  Paint peeling off front bumper - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Jill - September 8 - 7:20 am

  Went to dealership. Said rock chip caused peeling, wont cover repair. I have had Toyotas before, under the same driving conditions for 4 yrs without this problem. Also, 1st gear is geared too high, have to rev engine or slip clutch to take off. Also, console storage and cup holders are not as usable as my 04 Corolla. Gear shifter hits cup in cupholder when shifting into 2nd, 4th or reverse.

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  Still going strong - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By toyota - September 7 - 2:00 am

  I bought my camry new in 97. The V6 is smooth and still very strong with over 130k miles. Its been in the shop once in 6 years for a small repair. This car handles great in the snow, the traction control helps.

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  Lived up to its rep, so far - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By John - September 6 - 5:43 am

  After 86k miles, my Camry is still trucking along with no problems, no unusual expense. The worst Ive had is tires that wore prematurely (Potenza) -- nice performance tires but wore out at 35k. On the good side, no need for brake job til 60k! Aside from that, only 1 regret that it did not come with much tinting! making it hot in summer. Otherwise a fantastic car and the only comfortable seat Ive ever owned.

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  Sexy car - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By Keena - September 5 - 6:18 pm

  You have several choices and packages for the 2018 Camry. I had a 06 previously. After seeing the re-designed 2018s. I knew I had to have one. The Rav 4 was up for the running. But my SE is soo sleek and sexy, I got it off the show room floor. I wanted a sunroof but didnt want the price. But this one works good for my needs. It sits low kinda between a sedan and a sports car. Acceleration is great it has S for the sports mode gearshift. Audio is great, also lane assist, auto high beam lights. I love my new car.