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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  Why Buy a Lexus? - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By minerjp - October 9 - 2:10 pm

  When you can own this snappy automobile. We shopped for an Avalon, saw this 2007 Camry version, and jumped at it. It looks good, feels good, and has enough bells and whistles to keep you occupied for several hours perusing the owners manual. Havent a good reading on mileage yet, since just zipping around town for now. This car is powerful, responsive, and an attention-getter.

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  Reliable and smooth - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By Suz & Joe - October 9 - 10:00 am

  Weve had our Camry for 17 months. It starts up and purrs every day exactly the same. It handles nicely, holds the road in turns and pulls easily in and out of parking spaces. The engine is smooth and acceleration is great. In fact, the engine is so quiet that at stop lights my daughter thought I had turned the car off! Weve yet to have a single problem with the engine or drive train of this car.

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  200,000 mile+ keep going and going - 1992 Toyota Camry
  By FC7737 - October 9 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my brand new Camry in 1992. Now it has 200K mi on it and still running great. No major problem at all, just normal wear and tear (tires, tune-up...). Mine is a V6 model: very strong engine, good gas mileage. I installed a tow hitch in the back and tow a uhual box. I can move my 2 bdrm apartment without spenting lots of $$. Ive seen bad condition Camry before, those are the one that got rebuilded from accident car thats why quality is so bad. So if anyone is looking for a good car, avoid those accident car (salvaged title car)

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  Camry SE V6 wins in very tough segment - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By kwap - October 9 - 3:40 am

  Fantastic motor, it feels effortless and with a combined(city and highway) reduction of only 3 mpg it was a no-brainer decision to get the SE V6. Another factor which pushed me to the SE V6 were some of the other features that are standard with the V6 but are costly options on the 4cy SE like the display audio with Nav/entune, smart key system, SofTex powered driver’s seat with lumbar, acoustic windshield and also the great 18” wheels which are only available with the V6. The redesigned interior is very nice, a huge improvement over the previous model and nicer than the competition. After considering the Kia Optima(nicest looking), Hyundai Sonata(ghastly looking), Passat TDI(very intriguing), and Fusion(too bad I was not getting a car next year) I found that the Camry SE V6 provided the best of the bunch.

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  Too many issues - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Lady Jen - October 8 - 6:26 pm

  I leased this car and had to buy 4 new tires at 16K mi., had the seatbelt holder repaired after two months of driving, and the transmission seems to not want to shift down properly. Added to all those joys, the recalls. This car is garbage and I cant wait until next year to move over to Honda.

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  A Great Wagon Toyota should make again! - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By autophile - October 8 - 2:00 am

  I bought my wagon a year ago (3/01) from a local dealer. It was in great shape with 79K miles. The 4-cylinder is peppy, reliable, and smooth. It gets good mileage too and ride comfortably. I put a bike rack up on top of the luggage carrier and it hauls 2 bikes very well. This wagon handles like a car, almost a luxury ride, and Ive experienced no mechanical problems save the power antenna (that locked in the up position). I now have 95,000 miles and it runs just like new. I would highly recommend either version of the 1992-1996 Camry Wagon. My 1995 model runs and looks great. Consider the Toyota Camry if you can find one. They are solid, reliable, and comfortable.

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  Excellent Car!! - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By splash2013 - October 7 - 3:40 pm

  I purchased my 2011 Camry a little over a year ago and I currently have 37k miles on it. This car has been amazing. Great gas mileage, quiet interior-no road noise, rides smooth, very roomy on the inside. I love this car!!! This is my second Toyota-had a Rav 4 previously.

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  Great standard transportation. - 2014 Toyota Camry
  By doug aitken - October 6 - 7:56 pm

  Does what they advertise.....great gas mileage, smooth ride, and good handling.

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  Thumping Transmission Worrisome - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By JeffG - October 6 - 6:13 am

  We have about 30000 miles on this car. It gets great gas mileage (around 24 city and 31 hwy). The seats are a bit short under the thigh and the ergonomics dont fit the average American as best they could. The car has become rather sloppy in the corners with pronounced body roll, taking several notches off the fun to drive category. It is a shame too, since that engine is smooth and provides fantastic power for a car this size. Biggest drawback...when accelerating we sometimes get a hard thump. Two Toyota dealers say that is a problem with the drive by wire system...and there is not anything they can or will do. Not sure this car is going to make it 10 years. Trading it in on a Honda.

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  I Love My 05 Cam - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Philly2k - October 6 - 12:10 am

  I recently traded my 97 Infiniti J30 for an 05 Camry. I was honestly expecting there to be a dramatic transition, but the Camry is great. The Camry LE had most of the features my Infiniti had (less of course leather, moonroof seatheaters V6). However the benifits of the Camry far outweigh them. The manual transmission was enough to pacify my desire for raw power. Not to mention the Camry rides better and quieter than my Infiniti did. Dont get me wrong the J30 was 7 years old with 140,000 miles, but it had a good ride too. When my lease is up Im definitely getting a maxxed out Camry SE next time.