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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  My Best Car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Alex - January 15 - 6:43 pm

  I like big sedans with comfortable driving without any extreme with good fuel economy, I found it, its Camry XLE 4 cyl. It has all features I ever needed (except navigation), riding is very comfortable, though it makes me a little sleepy, but at the end I never want to go out of the car. And I dont need acceleration of 6 cyl 3.0 engine, 4 cyl just enough for me, just a few times I wanted it to be a little faster. I like that its just like sitting on the sofa watching TV, something like this, easy. It doesnt make you to think, the car just does its job perfectly almost without your help (on cruise control Im forgetting who is driver). Its perfect family car.

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  Oh Yea Baby! - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By n40798 - January 15 - 10:00 am

  oh yea this car is definately a keeper!! i use it any where and every where i go and proud of it

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  Great midsized sedan! - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By Pete Stephenson - January 13 - 3:20 pm

  After my 1992 Mercedes 300D turbodiesel got totalled, I was in the market for a reliable, spacious midsized sedan. After much research and test-driving, I settled on the 2006 Camry LE. Ive been impressed by how quiet and smoothly it drives -- it gets eerie sometimes as it seems like youre floating rather than driving. Acceleration and pep from the 4-cylinder engine is more than adequate for my driving needs. Cloth interior feels far more luxurious than I expected. Fit, finish, and quality of all parts is excellent, as is the comfort and roominess. My familys owned Toyotas before, and weve been impressed by their durability, reliability, and safety. The 2006 Camry is no exception.

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  Super Sweet 07 Camry SE V6 - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Shawyn - January 13 - 7:46 am

  I was super lucky to come across a 2007 in Super White. My Camry has the optional sunroof but doesnt have the optional JBL stereo system which looking back is definitely an option to have because of Bluetooth. I have a really long commute and the ride is awesome even with the Stiffer Sport Shocks and springs. Braking cam be improved with changing the pads and rotors, diy project coming soon. Overall this is a great purchase at $9,000 -$10,000 with 100,000 miles. The details are in the options so take great care in choosing correctly.

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  Love this car - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By bugslab - January 12 - 7:13 pm

  Wow. This car is wonderful. I cannot believe what they have done to 2007 Camry. The new look has gotten rid of the family "Grandma" look. Its fun to drive and I feel safe driving it. If you have not driven one yet.....it time you do!

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  2008 Toyota Camry SE - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Tim - January 12 - 11:16 am

  First of all it is the 4 cyl/SE model so it looks great, (I was driving an Infiniti fx35 before this and was never so happy to spend 50 bucks less a week on gas). I have 2000 miles on it so far and it is more quiet than the fx, more roomy (it is hard to believe but the fx is small inside) better features, 2 perfectly placed car adapters. 17 inch rims make ride a bit higher so I am not hitting curbs when parking. I never wanted to buy a camry before, they looked like your parents car, now they look like MY racing car.

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  Excellent! - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By Pat_Camry - January 11 - 2:00 am

  I have a 91 camry and it is at 302,000 and still running great. My other car is a 2000 camry and Im hoping that it will treat me the same as the 91!! A great car to count on!!

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  My new XSE - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Harry Winters - January 11 - 1:32 am

  This is my second Camry. I have always owned Fords prior to my first Camry and will probably never go back. My first Camry was an XLE and my wife loved it. I wanted one a little more sporty so got the XSE model and it delivers. I looks great and handles like a dream. The V6 is powerful enough to get you out of any situation you may encounter. I love the new instrumentation. It is better then the XLE I had. The XM radio is as good as any I have ever had. The fuel economy is within reason of other cars in its class. The only thing I can say I dont like is the road noise on the interstate at 70-80mph. It seems a little loud in the cabin when trying to listen to the radio or have a conversation. It is within reason though because I drove a Cadillac before getting the XSE and the Caddy was just as noisy and a lot more money. The seats in the XSE are a little more restrictive then the previous XLE but I chalked that up to the sport package. I also chauffer two grand children around and the back seat room is great for them. All in all the Camry is a good deal for the money.

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  Erratic behavior - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Robert Borden - January 11 - 1:20 am

  Toyota may have computerized the engine and transmission to get better gas mileage but the very best I can get is 25 mpg on the highway. My 1999 Camry got 30 mpg on the highway. While in cruise control and going up a slight incline the transmission is constantly shifting and the rpm goes up and down by as much as 1500 rpm. While driving on a straight and level road at about 40 mph the transmission is changing gears. I have been to the dealer a number of times and the response is "that is the way it was designed". I feel uncomfortable driving this car and will get rid of it.

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  Blizzard Pearl XLE 4 - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By VLJ - January 9 - 2:16 pm

  Very happy with the XLE performance and the safety features. I did test drive the LE model--- not as much umph on acceleration and interior siding and seat upholstery seemed of a lesser quality to me than with prior models. 20 yr+ Camry customer.