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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  Brand new Camry SE 2017 - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By EDMUND SERGE - February 15 - 11:35 pm

  It does not have a lot of power but it is ok. Breaks should be redesigned, it does not have sufficient boost to brake. A little bit of noise coming from outside when windows closed.

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  Brand new Camry SE 2017 - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By EDMUND SERGE - February 15 - 11:35 pm

  It does not have a lot of power but it is ok. Breaks should be redesigned, it does not have sufficient boost to brake. A little bit of noise coming from outside when windows closed.

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  Brand new Camry SE 2017 - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By EDMUND SERGE - February 15 - 11:35 pm

  It does not have a lot of power but it is ok. Breaks should be redesigned, it does not have sufficient boost to brake. A little bit of noise coming from outside when windows closed.

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  What a MISTAKE - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Jeff Noone - February 15 - 3:03 am

  I loved the looks of this car, but soon after buying it, I began to regret it. What a nightmare. This car does not shift correctly. It jerks and then hesitates. Sometimes it downshifts when it shouldnt, sometimes it flares up and accelerates. Very very dangerous!!!

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  Great car for the money - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By K.D. Keever - February 13 - 6:39 pm

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  Great Used Car - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By ClayFromCarlisle - February 13 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this car a little over a year ago, and it has been an absolute joy to drive. Right now, the odometer reads 124,000 miles, and it looks, rides, and drives like it has 50,000 miles. As far as problems, there have been none except for a bad speaker. All maintenance has been performed on time. By the way, the oil sludge problem is highly overrated. There is an 8 year / unlimited mile warranty on suspect engines. Toyota has gone out of their way to ensure customer satisfaction. As far as the whiners who submit reviews, GET OVER IT. Cars cost money to maintain. The Camry is no exception. However, it has cost less than most cars on the market.

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  JBL Premium Stereo System - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Sothipras - February 13 - 10:00 am

  Please do not fall for that "JBL Premium Stereo" which comes standard on the XLE model, and can be add as an option on the LE. They are the worse sound system you could find. Theres nothing premium about it. 8 Speakers that Toyota claims locate at 6 locations, funny I couldnt come up with 8 at all. They intentionally make this as a gimmicks. In conclusion: XLE HAS (VERY, VERY) BAD SOUND SYSTEM. IT DOES NOT WORTH YOUR MONEY. If you picked LE model, save money and go out and install a better sound system. DO NOT choose JBL Premium sound system. Youll be glad you did not chose. I guranteed it.

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  Former Accord Owner - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By westies01 - February 13 - 10:00 am

  Just got my car the other day and notice a big improvement over 2003 Honda Accord EXL. I purchased my Accord in 09/2002. I have had to have a strut replaced after 2 weeks of owning, new rotors, water leaking in the trunk and stains on the headliner. The headliner was replaced once and was staining again. No problems withis car and I think Toyota may have a better product.

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  Best of Breed - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Rick - February 12 - 2:26 pm

  Fit and finish sold us on the Camry. It is a very "classy" ride and best of all. It handles nicely in traffic and will "scoot" on the highway. Nice "gizmos & gadgets" without getting tacky.

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  OK....BUT!! - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Ed D - February 12 - 12:19 am

  A few things that I dont like about this car. 1) Oil filter change is a PIA. Toyota cheaped out on the reliable spin on oil filter and now use this large hard to get off type of plastic housing with a cheap paper filter. Sooner or later it will crack and the screw treads will wear down because they are plastic. 2) I cannot check my transmission fluid level, there is NO dipstick. Bad idea and design from Toyota. They are so-called "lifetime transmissions". I like to check and maintain my vehicles fluids. 3) A large useless MPG gauge and a very very small engine temperature gauge. I could give a hell about my MPG and I DO care about my engine temperature. The engine temperature gauge should be much larger. 4) This is the twenty-first century and my base model Camry allows me to LOCK my keys in the car!!!!! You got to be kidding me. If you shutoff the ignition and place the keys on the seat and forget them, you lock your keys in the car. This cost me two calls to AAA last year. There should be a chip to prevent this from happening. Real bad concept from Toyota. I probably would NOT by another Camry.