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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  All Around Great Car! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Ryan Close - November 20 - 11:06 am

  I compared this car to the Altima, Accord and Mazda 6. The overall quality of the car puts these other cars several notches back! The Camry is not a flashy as the others but I want the best of the best from my cars now! If you are in the market for one of these cars I would suggest you try them all to form your own opinion, but youll find yourself going back to the Camry!

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  Disappointment on Camry - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By allura - November 19 - 2:20 pm

  I purchased this camry, three weeks ago, acceleration is a major problem, just not like the older models of camry, was in a accident, hit on the front right side, right fender, car was considered total loss, not fixable, I would not purchase another camry disappointed is this 2007 camry, gas mileage is not as good as prior years, i had to purchase another vehicle, it was not a camry, made in ky, it was a solid 2007 toyota RAV4 made in japan. I was a dedicated toyota customer for years. what happen to the camry this year. shame, shame, shame

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  CE 4cyl 5spd - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By bearcrkrd - November 19 - 10:00 am

  Bought new at the end of July, 01. Live in Seattle area, park outside, with some evergreens in the area. Keep car washed and waxed, and havent burned out on that, yet! Drive alone most of the time, 70% freeway, some stop and go. Had one cold start sputter a few months after purchase, which lasted about 15 seconds. No repeats since. Have had no mechanical problems with car. Is basically same as the day it came off the showroom floor. If I had a garage, it would be just like new. It is not a sports car, and if I drove it like one, I may not be as happy as I am.

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  goooooooooood - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By ayman - November 19 - 10:00 am

  the best car i had ever seen

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  Pretty nice car - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Chris - November 18 - 7:23 pm

  So far so good. This is my first camry and so far its great. The cloth interior is great and the 4 cylinder has tons of power for such a small engine.

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  Great Car... But - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By eveyy - November 16 - 3:36 pm

  In June 2009, I purchased a 2010 Camry LE with leather seat option. I traded in my 12 yr. old Buick Century for my first Toyota and I miss the smooth ride on long trips. Its roomy, has great pick-up for a 4 cyl. and is easy to handle. I have automatic transmission and notice a definite bothersome downshift when slowing down. Averaged 32 mpg on a 6 hour road trip with mostly interstate driving. Very pleased about that. Not so pleased about comfort of the car and seats on the long trip. I had to purchase a donut cushion to sit on for the return. Unlike my Century, on bumpy patches of highway, I felt every bump & vibration. Road noise was also high and had to turn the radio way up.

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  Very over rated!!!! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Poncho - November 15 - 9:40 pm

  The 07 Camry is over rated! Its automatic transmission is jerky and sometimes hesitant about changing gears. Engine is pretty quiet overall but doesnt feel any faster than older models. Trunk space is mediocre with intrusive hinges and reliabilty has fallen off from past versions. The front end styling needs improvement. The interior is fairly pleasant but suffers from too much hard plastic and some poor fits!

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  Beautiful Car with one Exception! - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By Jacqueline Ayadi - November 15 - 1:37 am

  This is a beautiful shiny 2012 black Toyota Camry. It is such a smooth ride except for the squealing brakes. When I first took it for a trial run the week before I bought it, I did not notice squealing brakes. I bought the car because it is a newer model which was at a good price. I bought the car on Friday Feb 19th, heard the squealing brakes and took it back to the SD Toyota Service Center on Monday Feb 22. I was told the brakes are in good condition, they probably got amerol on them. I was told the squealing should stop after I drive it some. After giving their explanation some consideration, that answer didnt seem right. Additionally the squealing continues. In my past experience of driving cars, usually when the brakes squeal something is wrong! I am very disappointed with my purchase as I believed it was the right car for me!

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  Best car for the money!! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Sandra Dobbins - November 15 - 1:20 am

  Absolutely love it! Drives and rides extremely well. No problems at all with exceleration. Great gas mileage. Hope this Toyota is as good as the last one I owned. shopped for weeks before I choose the Camry. Others were not even in the race after driving one. You will love it!

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  2017 Camry le - 2017 Toyota Camry
  By Steven R - November 14 - 10:03 pm

  The Camry le has all the items I wanted. Long wheel base at 109.3" for smooth ride. 2.5l 4cyl for good mph Im getting 28.7 in my first 3 fills. 6 speed auto trans. not a cvt . Disc brakes front and rear, easy to replace. bluetooth music and phone. steering wheel controls. Nice interior trim, fabric seats cool in Arizona heat. Manual a/c rather than dual zone (less or not control failure issues) like my Audi. Overall a really nice car.