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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  Awesome Car-----JUNK TIRES - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Richard Sallinger - April 20 - 12:51 pm

  I have had my car three weeks. Love everything about it-----EXCEPT THE JUNK TIRES. Noticed a bounce at low speeds almost out the door of the dealer. Was in the shop at 375 miles on the odometer for 4 hrs to balance the tires. Car returned to me and the balance was worse than when I took it in. Back in the shop again at 560 miles for balancing. This time, two tires are replaced. The ride is a little smoother but still has a very noticeable tire balance problem--especially at city driving speeds. Speeds of 60 plus is still noticeable. These tires are the Turanza Bridgestone and have no business being on the market as a high value tire when it realistically is a cheap tire that has no business on a Luxury type Vehicle. Cant understand what Toyota was thinking when deciding to use these junk tires on their finest automobiles. It is almost a certainty I will be at the dealership weekly for balancing until they decide enough is enough and put some decent tires on the vehicle. If not for the tires, I would truly have a vehicle with a Luxury feel to it. Instead, I have a Luxury looking vehicle with a bounce in its get along.

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  90K and still chirpn into 3rd - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By WePlayCrazy - April 19 - 2:53 am

  I rock dark tints all around, even the windshield has a light tint, the cars white and I keep it clean. It looks like a Camry, it is what it is. I bought it because it has the best resale value and is dependable, what else do you buy a Camry for? You want to be bad, buy a Ducati.

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  Well Pleased - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By SteveR - April 19 - 2:00 am

  We bought this car to replace our 1997 Camry LE. While some interior finishing seemd to be inferior to the LE, the XLE overall is an excellent car - comfortable, reliable, and fun to drive. Recently we noticed some throbbing of the brake pedal and it appears that the rotors are warped and worn to the point of requiring replacement; brake pads and tires are worn out and require replacement at 62,000 km (38,000 miles). At least, that is what the dealer tells me; seems a bit soon to me. Windshield replacement is cheap.

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  Better Than Excellent - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Teresa A. Ahumada - April 17 - 3:36 pm

  This is about the 5th car our family has owned-weve had other car brands before. My daughter has had Toyotas always and has been extremely content with them. In her business she runs them very many miles. She is the person who encouraged me to purchase a Toyota. If the newer models turn out to be as reliable I shall again purchase Toyotas. Parts for this car are not expensive and, above all, the dealers service people who service my car are very professional and kind.

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  Toyota Camry LE - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By jazz - April 17 - 2:00 am

  The Camry is by far the best car I have ever owned. It handles like a dream, and it has plenty of get up and go, especially for a 4 cylinder engine. It is very comfortable to ride in on long trips. All of the controls are easy to get at. It gets good gas mileage and is visually a beautiful automobile. It is also known for its reliability. What more could a person ask for in a car. I test drove many cars before deciding on the Toyota and I think Im hooked.

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  Satisfied - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By lmid - April 17 - 2:00 am

  I tested the Altima 3.5- nice features like sound system, cruise & audio on steering wheel (Toyota could have added), and exterior design, but the interior looked cheap. The seats were uncomfortable. I tested the Lexus ES300, but the added Luxury does not justify not getting a V6 XLE. I bought the Camry for all I received for the money. I hope it lives up to its reliability reputation. One reviewer also mentioned a sulfur type smell. I experienced this for the first week, but not since.

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  Amazing car! - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By smooth operator - April 16 - 2:00 am

  I have been driving around in my new Camry LE 2011 and cant believe how smooth the drive is and how little road noise. My wife and I love this car.I was originally going to by the SE but decided to go with the less priced LE. It has pretty much everything the SE has but cheaper. I feel safe in this car where I never did in my Honda Civic...I still love Hondas. It has a sporty look and some pretty good power to back it up. And to top it off, pretty economical.

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  Good choice - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By Brent - April 16 - 2:00 am

  This is a solid choice of a car if you are looking for something practical. The fit and finish is solid and I enjoy driving it. The MPG for combined driving for me has been a lot lower than expected at 24.5 mpg. The bluetooth is ok but not nearly as easy to use without having navigation. It also seems to be really peppy, like almost too peppy when coming out of the garage.

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  My Car is very reliable - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By ravivar - April 14 - 6:03 pm

  I purchased 2007 Camry LE V6 new and enjoyed driving all these years.I put up 73,000 Miles and never had issues other than the normal wear and tear.The best part is the V6 Engine which is quick to accelerate and smooth.My car still rides like new.in one long trip i got 34mpg.Now a days its averaging 24 mgp/hwy.The interior looks good but not great.if you look closely the interior has gaps in the edges and finish is not good. The one think i dont like is the steering.Its bigger.. The seats are getting uncomfortable in the long drives.The cabin is quiet and the car rides smooth.

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  My 2007 Camry experience - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By atoyot1 - April 14 - 6:43 am

  I liked the looks of the car and it is fun to drive. There is however a dark side. Transmission was replaced by Toyota in the first year. Hope it lasts more than a year. Ongoing problems with excessive tire wear. Has factory installed low profile rims. Get on average 10000 to 13000 miles on the best tires like Michelin. Very disappointing. Toyota wont do anything about it.