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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  1997 TOYOTA CAMRY LE - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By DIXON - December 22 - 10:00 am

  have had excellent reliability from the use of this vehicle. have performed periodic maintenance per the recommendations of the toyota manual ie. oil changes, replaced tires (6000 miles on new set), brakes replaced recently, battery replaced recently, paint on car is in good condition. has a couple of small dents on body. interior is in good condition - not worn looking. this car will provide very reliable service.

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  18000 miles of satisfaction - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By navycommander - December 22 - 10:00 am

  We bought an XLE V-6 (the mid-year newer engine w/ 5 speed) with every option, specifically for an everyday commuter car for the two of us. The best $27K (out the door) Ive spent in a while. Front cabin is roomy, visibility is great, trunk is huge, avg 26 mpg composite, comfortable ride, adequate stereo (usually we replace a cars stereo with $2K of premium gear, but the XLEs JBL is good enough). Only problem was the accessory drive belt shredded after 18000 miles. Dealer replaced it in one day with a loaner (3 yr warranty). Overall, this car beats the Accord EX -- we test drove those 3x before buying the XLE after our first drive, and havent regretted it.

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  Great car - Highly Recommended - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By Sean in Atlanta - December 20 - 2:00 am

  Purchased this vehicle as a certified used Toyota with 32K miles. Have had only minor problems with the car: Brakes - Feel of brakes is not very solid, and will squeal without the right pads. Dont believe the dealership about Toyota pads, I had 2 sets of them and finally replaced them all with AutoZone pads, which worked beautifully - noise free! Other than that, this car is a JEWEL. The ride is super smooth, the car has a solid feel to it, and the suspension gives a very comfy ride.

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  2007 Toyota Camry CE - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By CamV6SE - December 18 - 2:23 pm

  The interior is very luxurious and comfortable, however the car feels slower than my 2002 Camry LE. Ride is smooth. Improved brake feel. The CE is more fun to drive.

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  Dont hesitate-buy a Camry - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By John - December 17 - 12:53 pm

  This is our third Toyota. You can feel the quality when you drive a Camry especially this fully loaded XLE V6.

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  Toyota Quality. Hmmmm. - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By New2Toyota - December 14 - 8:53 pm

  I have had my 2008 V6 LE since end of December 07. LOVED it as soon as I test drove it on the highway. Comfortable, well designed, best car I have owned to date. In February I noticed the transmission not shifting appropriately - seems to have a delay when I need to start off from a dead stop, also has trouble regulating itself right afterward, shifting late. Dealership says they see nothing wrong. The radio reception disintegrates when the rear window defroster is turned on. Crossed wires?

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  One hell of a car - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By Irwin (Irv) Weinberg - December 14 - 10:53 am

  In the years that I have owned this car the most problem I have had is a computer problem with a dash light, fixed in 1/2 hour at the dealer, a tiny bulb replacement and a battery replacement. It is dependable, comfortable and I am still driving it and not yet ready to replace it, and now knowing that it was probably built in the states makes me feel even better. Thank you Mr. Toyota

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  my camry - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Silverpisces_2004 - December 14 - 10:00 am

  This is an OK car for its value. The engine isnt that powerful. I havent had any major problems with my car so far. The handeling is good. The acceleration is ok, but when there are 4 people on board you can feel that the car is "working very hard" to run. The braking doesnt feel so well. The OE tires suck. The front bumber is too close to the ground; I always hit the curve when I park. The suspention is too soft. The interior is simple and cheap. The back seats are comfortable. The engine bay is ugly.

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  Awesome vehicle - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By RAFFY - December 13 - 7:43 pm

  Im writing this review for all the people who are debating on getting a Camry. Hey, dont mess around and wind up with a piece of junk that youll hate driving and paying an arm and a leg for it. Go buy a Camry, they are reasonably priced, they ride so smooth and they are fun to drive. I bought two, one for me and one for my wife... Ive made a smart move when I purchased the Camry(s).

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  I like the SE! - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By pure_hp - December 12 - 10:30 am

  Its not the sportiest of the midsize vehicles but I do like the ground effects package on it with the 5 spoke alloys. Im constantly stuck in Atlanta traffic, yet, fairly comfortable with enough acceleration to keep up and pass whenever I feel the urge or get the chance. Just sitting in traffic isnt so bad either as the base sound system is above average. The car soaks up bumps well also. Its not an exhilirating vehicle but certainly a safe pick with a hint of "entertainment" with the SE model