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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  Just a little more interior style - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By DonW - November 14 - 10:00 am

  The 02 Camry is a great car, except two areas. The dash/console area and the exhaust system. To give the interior a more appealing look the gear shift console should be an extention of the dash. Also the exhaust system hangs to low. When veiwed form the rear the car appear to have a defect or damaged exhaust system, very unappealling.

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  Best car I have owned so far! - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Ron Mansfield - November 13 - 8:28 am

  Bought a loaded 2008 Camry XLE used a year ago and lm very pleased with my purchase. Roomy interior, smooth & quiet ride. The V-4 has plenty of power when needed. Love the JBL stereo, Bluetooth & moon roof. Failed the oil consumption test & Toyota replaced the pistons & rings at 180,000 miles. No other problems or complaints. Replaced the sun visors, added new Michelin Premier A/S tires & do regular maintenance. Very reliable vehicle with plenty of luxury features for the price I paid, overall its a great car.

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  2005 Camry with balky transmission - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By seaview7 - November 11 - 7:21 pm

  2005 Camry SE V6 engine. Only 36,000 miles. The electronic transmission has been awful since day one. It balks at low speeds, and hesitates and jumps, like it cant find the right gear. Dealer says there is nothing they can do to correct. Its in the computer. Gas mileage around town with the V6 engine is bad. I drive fairly slow, but only average about 16 mpg. I should have got 4 cyl. Had factory recall in 2012 for a bad camshaft pulley. Dealer claims they also found my valve covers leaking oil. Charged me $600. The only thing I like about my car is the interior room, and the solid feel. Much better than the new Camrys. The 2013 Camrys feels "cheap" and the interior is tight.

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  You should want one! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By new_to_toyota - November 11 - 10:43 am

  As soon as I saw it, I loved it. Ive been test driving new vehicles for a few months now and as soon as I drove my new SE I knew it was the one I had to have. It looks awesome, turns like its on rails, has a great sound system, and is just comfortable and fun to drive. The 268 hp V6 is great coupled with the sport manual shifting on the 6 speed automatic. The braking is great. The steering is very responsive. It rides very nice, and with body kit and TRD rims gets a lot of attention. Ive been nit-picking this car since I got it and cant find anything I dont like about it. Everyone whos seen it or ridden in it loves it just as much as I do. Toyota really did a great job on this one!

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  Camry Bye, Bye - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By MANDK - November 10 - 11:51 am

  We purchased our 2007 Camry LE new. We were so excited to purchase a "Toyota." Right from the start, we have had nothing but trouble, recalls, unsupported recalls (engine oil burning), and cruddy dealer care. Our car currently sits with the wonderful melting Toyota dashboard; weve been waiting for 8 months for the dealer to replace it (another recall). We think weve had 9-10 recalls. What a joke! Sinc e 75,000, the engine has been burning oil. At about 105,000, it started slurping 3 qts, every 5,000, and this continues to date. Toyota was ridiculous about the piston ring recall that was supposed to address the oil slurping. They put us and others through a bunch of junk and then deny the repair. That and the melting dashboard were the last straws for us. We take meticulous care of our vehicles and drive them very judiciously. In 45 years of car ownership, we have never owned a car with this much trouble and this level of lousy customer care. No more Toyota for us. We definitely got bamboozled on the Cam-Ray! In our estimation, it is a highly over-rated car. We cannot wait to get rid of it. We will hope for the best with another brand.

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  I Love my Camry - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Meg - November 10 - 11:46 am

  I love my new camry. My one and only complaint is do NOT have a sunroof installed after market. Only buy with a "Toyota" brand sunroof. Toyota installed a sunroof aftermarket for me and they cannot service it. Thats a problem I was not aware of when I bought my car.

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  Living on the Edge - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Allan - November 9 - 11:33 pm

  Over-all a good-looking and good riding car with ample room for a long- legged driver. Enjoying the leather seating and plenty of storage and ample head-room. The color is very pleasing to the eye (aloe green) with many compliments on the color and styling of the car. Rear seat head- rests in the XLE are over-sized (in my opinion) and as such found them to restrict viewing through rear window when backing up.

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  Almost at 200,000 miles! - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By Mike B - November 9 - 5:33 am

  I got this car in 2001 when it had ~106k miles. So, Ive driven it just about 90k miles in 5 years. The major items Ive replaced are as follows: struts, clutch, motor mounts, starter, harmonic balancer pulley, main engine seal, oil pan gasket, valve cover seal, spark plug o-rings (grommets), CV joints. Currently, the check engine light is on because the catalytic converter needs to be replaced ($1,200 at the dealer) and the rack-and-pinion steering system needs to be replaced ($700 at dealer) Overall, though, this car has been great! With the mileage it has, the seals and clutch repairs are not unexpected. However, the car is definitely starting to feel like a high-mileage ride..

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  some problems; overall great car - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By edmundsmikepla - November 8 - 4:41 am

  I bought this 1996 3 years ago. The problems Ive had: had to replace radiator- blew a hole in it, and got towed; replaced coolant temp. sensor gage- was reading faulty temperatures; replaced door handles, some inside and outside- were broken; some small vibration in the steering wheel, on and off. Overall very good reliability, maybe not pretty.

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  Loved it immediately - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Moondog452 - November 7 - 11:06 pm

  Great family car. My last 3 cars have been Toyotas and this one is every bit as good as the others and maybe more. The best car in this price range. It is a pleasure to drive and it has Toyota quality written all over it. If you are looking for a sedan in this price range dont buy until you try the 2007 Camry LE.