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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  Camry versus Accord - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Vincent T. - April 28 - 10:00 am

  I own both a 2003 Accord EX V6 and a Camry SE V6. Both are very well built vehicles. I am more impressed with the Camry because it drives better and overall a better built car. For about 25k, the Accord has a lot more options like dual temperature control, heated seats, and passenger power seat.

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  Gotta love it - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By russ - April 27 - 11:46 pm

  Weve only had this car for a week . My wife absolutely loves it .By far a well improved car. The ride is wonderful and it handles great . If your looking for acceleration consider the v-6 . We have the 4 cylinder and its does good but its no speed demon .

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  Camry still living up to its reputation - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Chris - April 27 - 11:30 pm

  This is the second Camry I have owned, having previously driven a 1992 model. The Camry is built incredibly well, gets 30 mpg on the highway, and is large enough to comofrtably seat 5 people. The large trunk is also nice, and the many extra, basic features makes it great to drive. Id get the 6 cd changer, but thats my only complaint. That should tell you something.

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  Ugly but beautiful - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Mike - April 27 - 9:16 pm

  I always thought the 02 Camrys were ugly as sin, but I dont care about that when I buy cars anyway. In every other way this car is absolutely superb. Im at 112k miles with no significant problems. Only major expense so far was timing belt swap but that was a maintenance item not a repair. With the 4 cylinder engine the pickup is acceptable and the mileage is extremely good considering it is a pretty decent sized car. Im going to go to about 200k on this one and then buy another new Camry - I suppose Im due around 2011 or so. Engine light just went on last week and the code says its the catalytic - that will be a little expensive but cant complain at this mileage.

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  Second Camry - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By arizonaboy - April 26 - 4:51 pm

  I loved my 1988 Camry - cried when it got totaled out at 387K miles. Bought a 1999 Toyota Camry 6cyl - 5 speed (never owned an automatic). Love this car! It now has 266K miles on it - just regular maintenance - brakes/batteries (Arizona weather kills batteries), and tires. Had the timing belt changed every 75K. The car drives great, runs smooth, and Ive never had a problem. Drove it from Phoenix to LA at 85 mph - no issues, drove from Phoenix to Vegas - no issues. Would drive this car across country! It may be a little sun faded, but still looks great and drives fantastic. I know a stick isnt for everyone, but I love it.

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  My Camry - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By beautytouc - April 25 - 11:50 am

  I have had a lot of cars in my life, I am 52 years old. My Camry LE is the greatest car I ever had. As far a reliability I know when my wife has to drive somewhere by herself I know she is getting behind the wheel of a high quality car that she can depens on and be safe. Thank you Toyota for building a great product.

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  Bought this instead of Acura TL - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By GRS - April 25 - 6:46 am

  I was on the fence about getting "another Camry," even in my heart I knew that it was a great car and a great value. After test driving the 2007 XLE, my mind was made up. No need to get fancy with Acura or Lexus, or settle for a c-class Benz. This car looks great and has everything you would want in a car. I know this because Im in mine about 4 hours a day at a minimum. I bought the extended warranty for the first time with my a Camry, only because I was alarmed at all the electronics in this car. I hope they all hold up to the Camry standard.

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  Great car! - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Phil - April 24 - 4:06 am

  After two decades of driving SUVs I finally gave in to high gas prices and bought a vehicle with better mileage. I spent way too much time on the internet researching and then test driving different cars before choosing the Camry. After owning my Camry SE V6 for six momnths I have no regrets. I chose the SE because I liked the tighter sport suspension. The V6 provides very good power yet I get an average of 28 MPG with mostly highway driving. Another plus; Im over 6 feet tall and I fit comfortably in this car. I commute 60 miles round trip to work and truely enjoy driving this vehicle. I dont miss my SUV, if I need a larger vehicle for a day to haul more people or stuff Ill just rent one.

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  A Great Car to Own - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By kirk westrell - April 23 - 1:36 pm

  I bought the Toyota Camry for my Real Estate business. I have put on 30,000 miles in one year. The car is problem free and stands up to the highway. It is easy to drive and comfortable to ride in. The Camry is a great car for commuting or on the open highway. I only had to replace a tire which was ruined by a nail. The gas mileage has been usually 30-34mpg. On my first trip to Texas in the car, I actually got 37 mpg since I had the cruise control set. I have had the car serviced on time and have had no mechanical difficulties other than the flat tire. The 4 cyl engine packs a lot of power and the 5 speed transmission adds to the great performance of this car. It is a 10.

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  2010 Camry LE - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By JL Brown - April 23 - 11:26 am

  Bought the new 2010 Camry LE4, Gold w/sunroof and alloy wheels. Now have 2500 miles. This car has never exceeded 20/gal. I like the interior/exterior design and features. 16 inch wheels with Bridgestone tires. The tires sound like truck tires. Extremely noisy. Reflections of the top of the dash and back head rests onto the windows is unforgivable. This is my third Camry. I would rate it below average of the 3.