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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  VW to Toyota- Return to Toyota - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Ex-VW Pete Roch NY - July 11 - 2:00 am

  I moved up to this mid size from a 96 VW Golf. It is smooth, quiet, great on windy days on a bridge, with a spacious interior. Fit and finish are tops, as are features, even with the stripped down version I purchased. It is not as much fun to drive as my Golf-Steering is a bit light. To quote an elderly family member-" the colors and features are nice, but it just doesnt thrill me." Acceleration is very good- all weather tires in snow are just OK- will get snows next year. Mileage does not match specs. Others more impressed with it than I. After 13 years of VWs, my reaction is perhaps not surprising.

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  Fun and economical - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By monc - July 11 - 2:00 am

  I replaced my 90 Honda Prelude in Nov. 2003 with this brand new 4 door Salsa Red Pearl Toyota Camry LE Automatic and I have already racked up 4K miles due to the fun driving and comfort I have experienced with it. I highly recommend buying this with a budget of less than 20K.

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  BEST CAR EVER OWNED - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By CWILEY - July 9 - 10:00 am

  THE BEST HANDLING CAR IVE EVER OWNED

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  Great Car - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By JoseGarcia - July 9 - 10:00 am

  Classy for its price. Feels solid and great functions.

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  3RD generation sucess - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By camry lover - July 9 - 10:00 am

  I never considered anything else.No one has the rock solid reliabilty. Having a 96 and a 99 the improvements are great.Its like they fixed everything I did not like about the earlier models. Auto door locks,auto headlamps, modest power,little rear leg room, cheap sounding horn,uncomfortable seats and poor radio. The car is perfect.

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  2010 Camry SE - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Paul - July 8 - 10:10 am

  If you are buying this car based on Toyota quality,you are wasting your money! Look at the rear speakers in the trunk. You can not find a lesser quality car speaker.While in the trunk, lift up the carpet look at the piece of junk cardboard over the spare tire. Look at the paper thin plastic splash guard under the radiator and motor.Ive only had this car 2 months and this is what I discovered (not counting recalls)Dont buy this junk!

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  Lexus for a lot less... - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Scott in Chicago - July 6 - 2:43 pm

  We have a Lexus RX and this is very comparable. Excellent value for the dollar, nice ride, comfy. Shopped the Avalon (not worth $8k more, Ford/Mercury thing (500/Montego), Accord. Toyota reliability, solid feel and quiet triumphed. The Toyota just was an overall winner, and I expect it to be around a long long time. Looks nice in the silverish paint with grey leather, added a spoiler (like the additional brake light size) and it looks ok.

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  My new Camry broke down within 3 weeks - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By CJdong - July 6 - 10:00 am

  The car is good and runs smooth, however, my 3-week old camry broke down. The engine needs to be rebuilt, and the dealer takes a long time to order the part and unwilling to fix it in a timely manner. Servicepeople at the particular dealership have extremely bad attitudes. Its a big trouble. I cant say its reliable from my horrible experience with this particular car. But I can say its the worst new car I have ever bought.

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  Vanilla is Good - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By mohusker - July 4 - 7:30 pm

  "Bland, vanilla, appliance"...yup, and just the way we like it. The Camry LE provides excellent value, dependability, fit & finish and quality of soft-touch materials. It is quiet and roomy while delivering 500 miles per tankful. The highway ride is composed with an honest 32 highway miles per gallon from the responsive and sophisticated four- banger. Mid-level LE includes power drivers chair and outside temperature display. My only gripe is a recent dash rattle.

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  So far, so good - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By colashan - July 4 - 12:07 pm

  looking for something practical. all in class seemed to have negatives except the camry. sonata, fusion (styling), accord (ride, noise) impala was her co. car that she didnt really care for. the camry was above avg in most everything we thought. safety and quality seemed excellent. ride and comfort was good. styling was above avg. and the dealer made us a deal at 25100, for the XLE with nav, out the door.