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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  Amazing Car - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By Jakeb E - August 8 - 4:23 pm

  My grandma had this car since 1999 she gave it to me when she got a new one. She NEVER had any problems with it. It has always been really reliable.

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  Excellent! - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By fred158 - August 8 - 9:20 am

  I bough it when it has 224K on it. The price was so low that I could afford, but, this car has never disappointed me. I have replaced starter, battery, some shafts, now engines get turned on in a second in winter. 4 wheel ABS works perfectly and I had never been troubled by it. Shocks make sound over humps and bumps but its ok, Im using it in a small town with speed limit<45., so, no problem! Even replacing the whole shock and strut for one wheel would not be more than 400$. Its a great car that I got for a great price!

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  Great family sedan - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Don - August 5 - 8:20 pm

  Roomy, fun to drive, good acceleration, lots of little conveniences, 5 speeds make a difference, love the "autolights" feature, mpg as listed.

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  Tranny is a Granny - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Bucksman - August 5 - 5:26 am

  Nice car...except for the auto tranny. It seems to hesitate around 2K RPMs, and the acceleration sort of stumbles. Very annoying in slow stop and go traffic in the beautiful New Jersey. I would consider a manual or move up to the v76 engine auto tranny combination

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  I LOVE "MY CAR" - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Rhonda Champagne - August 2 - 4:26 pm

  We recently traded in my Grand Am, looking for something more fuel efficient. We had looked at several other cars and read up on each of them, and the Camry caught my attention and kept it! I love the design of this car, it has a classy look and a smooth quiet ride. Not only did we get a nice looking car we got the fuel efficiency we were looking for. I also wanted plenty of room and comfort and the Camry came through on that as well. I love the controls right there at my fingertips,and the in dash lighting makes everything clear to see. The Camry sits high enough to where its easy to get in and out of (not too low). Weve recommended this car to everyone!

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  Dream car! - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By vamp6006 - July 31 - 10:00 am

  This is my third Toyota and Ill never buy anything else. It is a good looking car and very comfortable--bought it with 150000 miles and now has 183000. No problems-regular maintainence, good gas mileage. Im sold!!!

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  I love my car - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By klammca - July 31 - 2:00 am

  The 2000 Camry is a great car. It looks nice without costing a bundle, rarely gets "sick," has quick handling for a family sedan, is comfortable and stylish, and has an attractive dashboard setup. It looks good on both men and women. The ride is smooth, not choppy like some Japanese cars, and the visibility is good. I also like the spacious trunk.

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  Fun to drive - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By lisaw243 - July 29 - 10:18 pm

  bought with 100,000 miles, very clean car, few months later front rotors went bad, was told this was last time they could be turned, few months later, a top motor mount, now the transmossion mount, $ 114 just for the part , backs struts are having thumping noise issues going over bumps very slowly, rack and pinion boot is shredded for some reason, headliner is starting to come loose in the back, the car has been well taken care of before and during the year and half I have owned it. Interior is great, fantastic console, very comfortable, mine has 8 airbags, so i have the extra safety feeling on the road, not sure if i should keep fixing things or trade it off? fun to drive, great on gas

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  Six Months Out - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Camry Times 2 - July 26 - 10:00 am

  Waited 6 months to provide feedback on my new Camry so as to give a balanced appraisal. Without a doubt there have been No problems, No suprises. This is a solid, reliable and quiet "appliance". This is my second Camry (bought a used 97 a year ago and liked it so much I bought a new Camry). I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good car that will go the distance.

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  Such Endurance... - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By proxity - July 26 - 6:34 am

  Ive done very little maintenance on my LE due to little time and money. This was a 3-year period... the car refuses to die. Im impressed. --- The only complaint I have is the cheap plastic on the door handles, both, inside and out. Be careful not to open the doors too hard. Its a minor issue, but can be considerably annoying at times.