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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  Unreliable & Expensive to Fix - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By roadway1 - September 4 - 7:23 pm

  Everything brakes on a regular basis. Expensive to fix. Started falling apart at 115,000 miles. Avoid Toyota Camry. Too many problems to list. Easier to say almost nothing functions properly. I can say the floor mats are still working correctly, but that is about it.

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  They Crippled Entune 3.0 radio/infomation system. - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By JRH - September 4 - 7:10 pm

  They Crippled Entune 3.0 radio/infomation system in the name of safety. All 3 audio system models have been crippled in more than one way or another. Really love this car except for the entune 3.0 suite. It has been stripped of features. Will not display music grace-note album pics except in park - now feature is worthless. Toyota salesman said it was broken. Could not believe it was now blocked while moving. They specifically restricted pic from phone book except when stopped or in park. It has restricted receipts of emails and text while the car is moving. Now you must spend more time poking on the screen. If you had previous Camrys then you miss these features instantly. Bad move on Toyotas part. See lots of complaints on different boards. Have bought 12 Toyotas in the past 15 years. Now looking at Honda Accord. Toyota is trying to hide this info in its literature and responses to complaints with vague phrases like “some feature are restricted while vehicle is in motion”. The manuals is hard to read so it is hard to find where it states what will actually be “restricted.”

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  Nice Ride - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By SUV driver - September 2 - 10:00 am

  Compared Honda Accord and Camry side by side. Each has exactly the same gadgets, bells and whistles, etc, but ended up choosing the Camry. Honda is a sports car feel and drive, Camry is much more of a luxury car feel and style. although the drive is sporty. 4 cyl power is good, great handling, very responsive. Cant get over all the gadgets they put in the cars nowadays. Gas mileage @ 25-28 mpg, very comfortable feel and ride. Excellent price/value.

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  So far so good - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By SClerch - September 2 - 10:00 am

  Bought it certified used have to say that it beats all the American cars I have driven in the past. Ride quality is very good all around including a very quiet interior at freeway speeds. Probably not the best performer in its class, but more than adequate for everyday driving. Interior is very roomy, especially the rear and trunk areas and the quality of materials used as well as the look is very nice compared to the competition. Sound system sounds very good but the its high placement on the dash needs a little getting used to. Overall, Toyota has put its signature mark of quality they are known for in this car.

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  Good Value but a Little Disappointed - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Chris Nichols - September 2 - 10:00 am

  This was my first "grown-up" car. I loved the car at first sight. However, within one week I noticed that the rear bumper had been repainted and never disclosed to me. My salesman said that there was nothing indicating the car had been repainted. I believe him. Toyota repainted the bumper but nowI have a repainted bumper that is obvious. Also, I have an annoying rattle in the back of the car. I love the car and my whole family owns a toyota of some kind. But I expected better quality for my money.

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  Quality and Value Supreme - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By dekindy2 - September 2 - 10:00 am

  If you are looking for a quiet, comfortable family sedan with an emphasis on value over performance, it is tough to beat the Toyota Camry. I drive back and forth between Indianapolis and Cincinnati weekly. The first trip with the Camry seemed to take 1/2 long because of the comfortable, quiet ride.

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  Lemon Engine - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Mike - September 1 - 12:25 pm

  Got my 02 camry 2.4L on Aug 2013 from a bay area dealer, it did have 36K miles on it. I barely used it, it was my backup/weekend car and for 2 yrs I have the car, Ive only put in 18K on it. I had the water pump replaced on Feb 2015 by a Toyota tech that does outside job and I did replace the serpentine belt on Dec 2014. Decide to use this car to work one day and noticed my temperature gauge start hitting hot, park my car to safe area and check my coolant reservoir, it was empty. I remember checking it 2 days ago, it was full. As I remove my radiator cap, there was no coolant in the radiator, put water in it since I did not have any coolant with me and decide to take it to one of the mechanic I go to, it was close by to the area where I was at. I did check my oil and it was still fine, did not see any water oil mixture. As Ive mention the issue to the mechanic, he already knew the problem with this models. Strip head bolt and coolant is going through it or either leak back, recommended engine replacement. Took my car home and used my daily driver car, 92 camry with 279K (original engine). Same day, Ive contact the Toyota tech mechanic, he had mentioned to me that this has been an issue with this cars but usually its about 130K. I was aware of this issue a yr after I bought the car, google engine performance, I was hoping it would last me up to 130K. I would stay away from 2.4L Toyota engine from 2002-2010, bad engine engineering, either a strip head bold or piston ring issues, coming from the Toyota tech mechanic. I will have to replace my motor since I dont want another car payment, hoping it will last me at least 4-5 yrs just to get my money back. It will cost me about 4K with the Toyota tech doing the work.

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  Excellent choice - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Brandon & Kim - August 28 - 10:00 am

  I cant think of anything bad to say about this car. My parents have a 2001 Camry XLE, and it has been a faithful part of our family. I decided to buy the 2003 XLE because of the comfortable ride, elegant styling, and reliability of their model. Ours has turned out to be everything we hoped it would.

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  SE Packaging A Hit! - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By curly - August 28 - 10:00 am

  The SE lured me away from accord. Targeted to buyers like me who need family practicality but also need room and economy. Love the car, BUT, and this is very dissapointing - Clutch has developed a noise after 1000 miles, dash creaks, sun roof shade creaks in open position. Mine was manufactured 5/03 in Japan, so as far as Toyota fixing rattles for 03, dont believe it. Well see how dealer solves this. Stay tuned.

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  new toyota - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By indo - August 28 - 10:00 am

  runs smooth, quiet. comfortable. over all excellent vehicle