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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  93 Camry - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By JoeMerc - July 8 - 2:00 am

  Excellent value. Highly reliable vehicle. Most reliable Ive ever owned.

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  Excellent Car at Low Price - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By didi - July 8 - 2:00 am

  Bought the 2.4L LE car with automatic over the weekend. Toyota is offering $1000 cash back. With weakening dollar, Camry has 25% of parts made in Japan. Consumers are really getting bargain for the car. Horse power is sufficient more than enough for daily transportation, unless you desire more sporty. It gets best mileage among the class. This saves your money over the long run, plus you get better overall performance and safety. Some small cars do have even better gas mileage, but they are too light, lack of performance and safety.

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  Top Notch - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By Susie - July 7 - 3:33 pm

  Vehicle was inherited from a family member in 2005 with about 35,000 miles on it then. It has performed extremely well and have put another 36500 on since then. The Camry is used mostly for driving within a 45 mile radius but has been driven on several 4000 mile trips over the last couple of years. It is not garaged since it is a third car, but the finish still looks good. Had to replace the catalytic converter a few months ago and the drivers window sometimes has a problem staying on track. Interior is flawless. Other than that nothing but normal maintenance.

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  Camry 2006. - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By kss - July 7 - 7:36 am

  Smooth ride, roomy interiors. All in all a perfect mid size car with a good value for money.

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  Love My 2003 Camry SE - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Love my Camry - July 7 - 12:20 am

  I have owned the car from 2003 until 2009. I have put about 80000 miles on the car. It is fun to drive and can boogey after an initial realization pause. The only complaint I have is that the tires and suspension are a bit of a worry because it causes the steering column to shake if tires arent perfectly inflated and the weight on the axles isnt great; itll cause you to almost wreck. The car also has a very loose suspension, causing it to "scratch." Most of the time I felt very safe in my Camry... when it was being stubborn, possibly due to a bad mechanic at the dealership.

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  Too many little things. - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By mookie - July 6 - 2:50 pm

  Ok, this is going to sound nitpicky, but bear with me. Youve got to know about this before you buy. First off: The car looks great, drives great, handles great, build is great. BUT There are so many annoyances that I feel like Im losing my mind. 1). Cannot get comfortable: always reaching for the wheel. 2). Blinkers are always on - because they dont click loud enough to remind me to shut them. 3). Speedometer is stupid. It is marked 20,40,60,80 etc. To see 55 or 45mph youve got to mentally interpolate. 4). A BIGGY: Gas mileage not what they tell you. It is billed as 24/34 - Ive never gotten over 23mpg. This is basically bait an switch! Sounds petty, but small things really add up!

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  Reliable Work Horse - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By Larry Cass - July 5 - 8:20 pm

  I bought the car used with more than 70,000 miles, and has been a very reliable, and trouble free car. The powerful V6 engine delivers a lot of power even when climbing hills and mountains--lots of torque.

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  New Toyota Camry Transmission Problem - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Marc - July 4 - 7:30 am

  This car came with a defect in the software governing the transmission. The glitch causes a 3 - 4 second delay when rapid acceleration is needed. This is a safety hazard, and is the reason I strongly advise people to consider a different car manufacturer. Toyota has done nothing to address this issue, which I noticed immediately after driving off the new car lot. I did not test drive this car before signing the paperwork, but instead drove a test model "just like it" which did not have the glitch. The dealership and corporate office have shown an utter indifference, and deny that this is a safety concern. It IS a safety concern, so please consider a different manufacturer.

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  Some problems early, but very nice now - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By firstblood10 - July 3 - 10:00 am

  When my Camry was less than a year old, it was in the shop for a 59 day stretch when a defective part had to be replaced. I got a free loaner (Corolla ...) and they paid my two payments, plus gave me the platinum warranty. Since then, its been a pleasure. I for one think there is plenty of power in it considering it is a 4 cylinder. I never have to merge below freeway speeds. Thats good enough for me. The brakes have never been as good as they should be. They work fine, but they shutter and ocassionally grind, and nothing theyve ever done has fixed this. The suspension rattles in the city, and is a bit loose.

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  DESPISE MY CAMRY - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By jowho - July 3 - 2:06 am

  1st day I drove it home I felt alignment problem. After 6 visits, no fix. 4th set of front tires. Toyota reps were RUDE and told me to turn up radio & ignore pulling!! Cust. svc. was NO help. Went to arbitration, waste of time. Rain pours in if window opened a crack. ABS kicks in ALL the time. Seatbelt locks up when I stretch to look for cars coming.Cant see cars coming when I turn my head. Chips EASY. I am more than disappointed. I thought Toyota had an excellent rep., and Ive been ONLY disgusted with dealership, customer service, and still having alignment problem!