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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  Pretty reliable - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By chrisc - March 14 - 10:00 am

  The Camry is at the top in overall reliability. I love ours. We have had few problems with ours. I have replaced one CV joint and one CV boot, and probably should replace the oil pan gasket within the year. The car is not a sporty model, but is so reliable and pleasurable to drive that you dont mind.

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  My Fourth Camry - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By Suppo56 - March 14 - 10:00 am

  Have owned an 86,90,93(now owned by daughter w/153K miles) and now a 98.Im sold on Camrys!!Estimated total mileage on those cars is 400,000+ I could not ask for better reliability.I laugh to myself when I hear the "I buy only American cars!" crowd bemoan the failure of major components after low milege. Ive "sold" lots of folks on Camrys. Little known fact, the name comes from the Japanese words Kam Murri meaning "Crown" Bought 98 with 91K miles on it and have driven 25K trouble free miles in a year.

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  Good car for what you want it for - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Donut44 - March 10 - 1:30 am

  When it comes to just needing a quality car for a pretty good price, this is hard to beat. It has decent power when you need it, as long as that is "needing it" like once a day or less. The 4 cyl is built for comfort, mpgs and lasting ability. Cant speak for the latter yet, but the first two have been really good. About 28mpg on city travel, not sure on long distances yet.

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  Handles well, underpowered - 2013 Toyota Camry
  By sendme - March 9 - 11:48 pm

  6 months of use. Changed from Honda coupe (V6, manual 6) to 4dr, 4cyl Auto. Firm ride but power steering too strong for good tracking and feedback. City stop/go driving gets 35-30 mpg, interstate driving 33-36 mpg. 2 trips (1 hour, 4 hours) with more go than stopping and less than 65 mph gave over 40 mpg. With cruise control turned on and going uphill, the computer downshifts from 6th gear to 4th gear AND then figures out it only needs to be in 5th gear. Transmission logic needs adjustment. 4 cylinder is slightly underpowered but manual shifting helps.

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  Value for money - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By mosha - March 9 - 2:33 pm

  We bought a 2005 Corolla and inspired by its performance went for a 2006 Camry. The vehicle was involved in a serious accident but amazingly the driver walked out practically unscathed. No doubt we went for a 2007 Camry after extensively researching all aspects of the vehicle and its pricing. After driving it for a month we can say this is the best vehicle in its category for the price. Perhaps the best deal is all those fancy features which came as an option before have been made standard in the 2007 model including the all season tires. Another incredible thing is that we paid much less for the 2007 Camry than we did for the identical 2006 model. No wonder we love the car.

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  reliable but ... - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By young - March 9 - 2:40 am

  It is a reliable car, I guess, since I havent had any problem so far except that recently it is making some spueaking noise from one of the front suspension. However, the seats are extremely uncomfortable for its reputation(the best selling car?). In addition, the handling is far from precise. That makes its cornering highly dangerous sometimes. It gives no fun to drive. It is just a normal family car for people seaking no fun.

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  95 Camry - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By Ms Toyota USA - March 8 - 2:00 am

  Its only a 4 cylinder, but boy, does it have power. The gas mileage is great! The color.... it hides dirt very well!

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  Toyota Certified Means Nothing - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By remerson - March 8 - 2:00 am

  I recently purchased a Toyota Certified 2000 Camry. $300 worth of car trouble later, I am afraid to drive it anywhere. I cant figure out what they certifiy. I couldnt have been my car. Though the ride in more smooth then a corolla, seating in the back is still terrible.

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  The Rattler - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By LADYMAKEUP - March 8 - 2:00 am

  This is a wonderful car if you dont mind hearing noises every so often. The car drove great, but I took it back to the dealer 3 times and said somethings rattling and they told me I had sensitive ears. I had to have the rotors replaced after making 5 payments and Im not hard on my brakes. Its very roomy. I lived out of the trunk. I had a closet away from home. Like the fact that it had a full size tire, but the tires werent so good in wet conditions.

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  Also-ran - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Dissapointed - March 5 - 11:16 am

  I traded in a Chevy Malibu with over 100,000 miles for this car. I would gladly take it back. I had more issues with this car than in all the years I owned the malibu. The engine made a horrible knocking noise. The factory rep said that is normal for a four cylinder, and if I wanted better performance, I should have got the six. He also accused me of not changing the oil although I had all receipts. The seat is rock hard and not suitable for trips over 50 miles. The car is very harsh on bumps, and the glove box pops open from time to time on them! The car looks good on the outside in terms of design, but fit and finish are horrible. The deck lid almost touched the quarterpanel.