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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  almost perfect - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By thunter - January 3 - 3:23 pm

  I test drove a Camry LE, 4 cyl. automatic and a Camry SE V6 automatic. I fell in love with the Camry LE, 4 cyl. and purchased it in early February. It has plenty of power to merge on to freeways here and more than enough oomph to manuvere around traffic so I felt the V6 didnt add that much to the performance. I also preferred the Camry LEs traditionally tasteful interior to the SEs more metallic tones. So far, its been almost perfect.

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  Great car - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By LAE9 - January 3 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Toyota, I purchased after extensive research. I was discouraged with repair costs and quality of previous cars. I have put 80K plus in 3.5 years on this Camry. Not one problem, regular oil changes etc. only. Yes, it could have more power, but well worth living without considering all the other good things. I will always buy Toyota based on my past experiences with other cars. Toyota has more recommended used car models than any other make, and I know why. My kids are tired of me saying "BUY A TOYOTA" !!!

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  Wish I kept my 2000 Camry - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By JULIE - January 2 - 2:13 pm

  The car is beautiful to look at but that new computerized acceleration is for the birds! The car hesitates too much then kicks in with a jerk. Only two interior colors to choose from.

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  No more Tire Pressue display? - 2013 Toyota Camry
  By nlwalden - January 1 - 3:59 pm

  I bought a 2012 SE for my daughter. I liked it well enough to buy a 2013 for myself. The only differences between this years and last years models Ive noticed are two: 1) 2013 has the lane-changer blinker function. On the highway, flick the blinker arm and the blinker blinks three times without having to hold the arm down. Nice feature. 2) This is really annoying. On the 2012, you got two options when you pressed the Car button: Fuel Consumption and Tire Pressure. On the 2013, theyve somehow gotten rid of the Tire Pressure display. Now the only way to check tire pressure is the old fashioned way. Unless it didnt work well, I cans see why they got rid of that function.

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  another review - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Rickem - January 1 - 10:23 am

  This is my very first car. Like alot of people, it was either the Camry or Accord for me. The $1000 price differance sealed the deal for me. Extremely quiet car. Be warned, the acceleration is tepid compared to the Accord. I would have gone with the V6 if gas prices werent so high. Camrys look great in black!

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  Good Car for the Money - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By fatvette - January 1 - 1:01 am

  Bought car new and currently has 82000 miles on it. Overall this has been an exceptional car for the money. Average around 25 mpg. It is the base model so it lacks some of the more refined features. With that said there are some annoyances. The slight steering shutter at highway speeds. You press the accelerator but there is a short delay then the car takes off. Uses around a 1/2 qt of oil between changes (5000 miles with Mobil 1). Blind spots. Base model is a little noisy at highway speeds. Original tires were awful. New GoodyearÂ’s are much better.

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  I Cant Believe its a Camry! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By pepdoc - December 30 - 11:13 pm

  I really love this car. I wanted something that handled well, went fast and was sporty, with cool stuff. This car is cool. The engine is sweet, it accelerates beautifully, and it is smooth and quiet. I often dont know it is running. I have a bad back and was worried about comfort in the seats. It is just great. I LOVE this car.

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  Never Considered But Glad I did - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Stephanie - December 30 - 5:16 pm

  The V6 is a must buy in the sport package. Power is not an issue as it has all the power you need. Very good sport suspension on this model. Would recommend spending the extra 2000 to 2500 upgrade from a I4 to the V6 if possible. The ride is smooth, the design with the spoiler is beautiful.Toyota is making great choices with its model changes! Gas mileage is great on this model especially the 6. No hestitation, comfort is great in front in back. Only thing would like to see is that the interior be made more available in the darker (black) in the SE. Was told they dont even make it! OR offer. I asked if its on the website then why dont they?

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  Wish I kept my Acura - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Harry L - December 30 - 1:23 am

  I previously owned an Acura TL, but was disappointed in the new body style. I bought the Camry strictly because I loved the looks better than the new Acura TL. Well what a mistake that was. Even though this car has excellent acceleration, the cheap plastic parts inside are terrible quality causing squeaks and rattles everywhere.

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  My car, totaled, but I walked away - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Charles Finley - December 28 - 11:38 pm

  First, the Camry is very comfortable and very reliable. Other than the regular maintenance, I have never had to have anything fixed. I was just in a major car accident, the Camry saved my life! A minivan pulled out in front of me, I didnt even have time to go for the brakes. BAHM! 60 mph! The car did exactly what it was built to do, all of the airbags deployed, The engine compartment collapsed and the engine dropped down. The passenger compartment was undamaged. I walked away with only a small cut on my finger and some heavy bruises from the seatbelt! The Camry is totaled, but Im okay!