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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  Check the Reviews BEFORE you purchase!! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Nancy L - September 1 - 8:36 pm

  I have to agree with BCQVETTE, HUGE Mistake. I purchased my used 2007 a couple of months ago and have become increasingly disappointed. After driving it a few days, the interior squeaking and rubbing noises increased so much that I drove to Toyota and had the body shop manager check to see if it had been in a major accident. He didnt feel that it had. The squeaking has progressed to actually being very annoying and now the front end makes strange noises. I also had the leaking roof and the Toyota service dept. charged over $200 to clean the "drain tubing" around the sun roof that became clogged. They attribute this to the previous owner parking under trees. Excessive Paint chipping.

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  253000 miles - 1992 Toyota Camry
  By rboyda - September 1 - 10:00 am

  Bought the car new,it is a 4 cyl. Changed the oil every 3000 miles, timing belt every 100k and usual maintenance items. Still has the original engine, trans, etc. Has always been reliable, passed this to my son. Wife has a 96 with 110k, again no problems. Recently bought a 2000, hope to get 200k+ miles from this one.

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  98 Camry LE 4-Cyl - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By Steve in Ohio - September 1 - 10:00 am

  Usual Toyota good build quality. Car is comfortable and quiet. Engine needs more punch but is surprisingly responsive. Steering is a bit light but car sticks to road on curves. Suspension is tight so that small bumps are felt but car keeps its cool on uneven roads. Interior is bland but seating is comfortable. Trunk is good for small car.

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  I love this vehicle - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By AMAZING CAR - August 31 - 8:56 pm

  Bought this car last year, with 130K on it. I love this car, I wish cars were still made this well and felt this stable. With Shell Vpower, I can get 34 MPG with 40% city 60% highway. Never needs anything but oil changes, and they are a snap to do yourself. It is not the most fun to drive, but with the manual trans it is better than most camrys.

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  Great Vehicle! - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By thinklingsbird - August 30 - 1:10 pm

  I bought this 13 months ago from a friend of mine for a mere $1,500. It had about 148K on it and Ive put probably 15K on it since. Within the past year Ive had to change a battery, replace a cooling fan, and thats about it. Nothing major. It starts up every time and runs great. I get roughly 30mpg on the highway and 20-something around town. Its not a beauty, but its certainly a great car for its utility.

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  Poor quality Camry - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Johnwar - August 30 - 12:20 pm

  I purchased my 2009 Camry LE 4cyl, believing that it would be a good value and quality for the money I am putting in. After bringing it home and made a better look at it, I found out that the carpets were not even tacked to the floor. The rug seams were not even sewn together, and is hidden under the chairs. Looking under, I found the drive shaft were rusting badly and looks as if it is made of cheap steel. It may rust out in another year. I felt I bought a defective merchandise. THEN CAME THE RECALL..

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  Last Toyota Ill buy. - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Debbie E - August 28 - 9:40 pm

  The engine, ride and gas mileage is great. No problem. But the rest of the car is cheaply made. The paint on the bumper started to peel. Dealer had to replace the bumper. The hood has a ring where the paint is so thin it looks silver color. Dealer said they didnt see anything. I have been looking around at other Camrys in the parking lots and notice they have a lot of scratches from thin clear coat and everyone else has funky bumpers. Take a good look at some of them and see what you think. The blue tooth is crap and it cuts out. When I talked to the dealer they said it was my Verizon service and maybe the phone. I have purchased two different phones and it still does it. A big mistake getting it.

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  Entune and Rattles Overshadow Positives - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Eric - August 28 - 10:49 am

  Entune is absolutely terrible: Navigation is horrible, voice recognition is so frustrating I often feel like its the 80s and people have a difficult time hearing me when phone is connected to Bluetooth - microphone is too far away. Interior started rattling around 6,000 miles and is getting worse with time. I suspect car will be very reliable but aforementioned issues overshadow all positives.....seriously.

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  Good all round functional family vehicle. - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By francho - August 27 - 9:12 pm

  Decent Japanese built vehicle which does everything a family requires from a vehicle well. Doesnt really impress me greatly in any aspect but never seems to disappoint either. I just purchased it with low miles 60k and it gets real world 28/23 mpg hwy/city. Not too impressive highway mileage but great city economy for a vehicle its size. Drivers seat not really up to American comfort standards. 2.2l 4 cyl. lacks a little power off the line but has plenty for uphill pulls on the highway.

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  2006 XLE V6 Toyota - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By Sharon, Maryland - August 26 - 5:26 pm

  My top-of-the-line XLE- V-6 Toyota Camry looks great, its reliable, affordable, and has the bells and whistles of a Mercedes-Benz. Toyota repairs are easily accessible if needed. I love it!!