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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  poor - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Cindi - September 26 - 10:00 am

  brake problems starting at 8000 miles, car in shoe more then at home. replacing brakes every 8000 miles per Toyota is normal.

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  Awesome car! - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Nicoles02Cmry - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Ive had a lot of great luck with this car and plan on driving it until it stops running.

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  Excelle t - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Walter - September 26 - 10:00 am

  This is the best Camry yet. I love the ride, handle, the new look. Everything.

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  GoO CAR - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By ESTOYPISTIADO - September 26 - 10:00 am

  THE TOYOTA CAMRY IS VERY SPACIOUS. IM A 6 FOOT TALL PERSON AND THE PERSON THAT WOULD SIT BEHIND ME IS STILL COMFORTABLE!! I TOTALLY RECOMMEND IT

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  Best Car for me rated by Consumer Report - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By DAWN - September 26 - 10:00 am

  CUP HOLDER-TERRIBLE LOCATION WITH SHIFT. ASHTRAY IN BACK -FOR KIDS? MY WINDOWS SPECIAL TINT BUBBLED UP. MY GAS TANK LID BROKE OFF IN COLD WEATHER.

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  My Camry Experience - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By William Horn - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Actually the Camry sold me the first time. I was a hard core American Car only person.I drove a Camry just to see if what I heard was true. I couldnt believe how smooth, how quiet, how much fun to drive this car was. I went back to the dealer from the test drive, and bought it on the spot. I have purchased two more Camrys since that time. Ill be buying the Highlander before Christmas. Thanks Toyota.

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  Everything you could want in a car - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By James Pfirman - September 26 - 10:00 am

  This car has everything you could want in a car and more. We particularly like the navigational system. Unbelievable. We continually find new aspects of the car that we are completely sold on the Toyota and cannot imagine ever purchasing another make. It even has seat warmers.

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  Best choice no doubt - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By dsrice6602 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  When I decided to buy a new car I enlisted the help of a family member who is a car salesperson. I was given a Toyota Camry to drive for a day and the next day I was given another new car, different make. The other car was considerably less money since they had a great promotion going on. We are talking around three thousand less. The two days I drove these cars I asked ten different people their opinions and explained the deal I could get on each model. There was not one person that recommended the other vehicle. They all said"BUY THE TOYOTA"!!! I took their advise and have been nothing short of thrilled with my choice.

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  A good car at a good price. - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Ralph C Meola - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I owned a 1998Camry LE V6 and could not have been happier. My new 2004 Camry SE V6 is more luxurious, handles better at high speeds and is mavelously comfortable. The styling, while a repeat of last year is sleek and expensive looking. I own a car for transportation purposes, not because I like cars; however, this is one car I really like to drive.

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  Great value - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By drcelica - September 23 - 2:58 pm

  Ive own my 2010 Camry LE I4 for 2.5 yrs and have 51K mile on her. This car is perfect for what it is, a comfortable daily commuter thats easy to maintain. Ive taken lots of road trips in the Camry and its perfect for the open roads. Ive got as much as 36 mpg if I keep it at 70 mph but avg around 32 going 80. Neg. reviews about the trans keeps popping up but Ive never had a problem with mine since I drive the car gently to keep the wear and tear down. Reliability so far has been perfect. I havent gone to the dealer once for warranty repair. If you buy a Camry for what it is, a commuter car, youre going to be happy; just dont expect BMW handling.