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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  80K mi with a Camry 5 sp 2.2L - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Ted - January 25 - 9:13 pm

  I just traded the Camry Ive had for 8 years on a Lexus and cried when I said goodbye to it. I averaged 29mpg in 50/50 city/hwy driving and hit 33mpg on flat hwy. Incredibly reliable. The body style w/ spoiler and alloys still looks fresh. Interior was roomy and well designed. Theres a lot to this major-model Camry has been cost-reduced out of the newer ones. If youre on a budget and need stylish, reliable, spacious transportation, find a well-maintained 98-02 Camry.

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  Rock Soilid Dependability! - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By TonyVee - January 25 - 3:14 am

  Ive owned my 98 Camry for 12 years. Bought it with 54K as a between cars vehicle. This thing has been nothing shy of amazing and hands down the most dependable vehicle I have ever owned! Nothing fancy here, but everything works as it should and as long as the A/C and Cruise Control continue to work, Ill be hard pressed to sell it. Other than radiator, struts and routine maintenance, everything on this car is original and works great! Even the paint has held up well, every time I wash it, I feel like its 1998 all over again. Ive recently taken this vehicle on two long distance trips and it handled flawlessly. Cant go wrong with Toyota reliability.

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  Wish I woulda waited - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Eroc69 - January 24 - 2:33 pm

  Now I have almost 4500 miles on my 07 LE V-6. I am still not happy and I have a 1000 mile vacation coming up. Good things: roomy, quiet, good MPG for a V-6, engine is great. Bad things: more rattles than a 10 y.o. junker, my dashboard has a crack in it, the dash rattles in cold weather. Also starter buzzes weirdly on cold morning start up. The left side of the drivers seat is lower than the right side. It takes from 1-3 seconds after pushing the gas pedal for the tranny to downshift and accelerate. With a hard heavy downshift the car takes off, but on normal moderate accelerating, it is dangerous and frustrating. I will bring it in for service soon and see if these can be fixed.

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  2010 Camry LE 2.5 automatic - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By rji1 - January 24 - 12:45 pm

  I bought this with 14000 mi and have put on nearly 6k of mixed driving. Having owned everything from economy cars to muscle cars I was not sure how I would feel about what many look at as an old mans car. Being a modestly priced car I was pleasantly surprised at the fit and finish. The interior although well designed, uses what seems to be low quality materials. Silver painted plastic is the choice over brushed aluminum. I quickly corrected this with a wood grain overlay kit. Safety is a big plus with the Camry and shows with its safety rating. Front and side air bags, knee bag along and standard traction control and abs add to the security. This car exceeds my expectations.

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  The Good.. The Bad.. and The Boring.. - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By ToyFoyBoy - January 22 - 3:13 pm

  The Camry.. Its a cheap family car with high safety, low insurance, and bland styling.. But it really has always been this car, they have made a few hot ones over the years in very low numbers, but the formula has always been what it is. The 2016 camry is really a failed attempt at the most simple Camry formula.. Decent looks, good build quality, high quality parts, and Decent driver interaction.. This has been the simple formula going back to the camry Vx70 which was the original Celica Camry here in the USA.. Before it got its own US Platform.. The 85 Camry i owned, started life as my fathers and was handed down to me at 173K miles, it was silver, with a very supportive, ultra high quality interior fabric, the dash looked textured, and was a thick rubberized plastic, which actually felt expensive, and like a high quality car.. It was slow, at 90hp, but it was fun to drive, it handled well, and was very easy to see out of.. In 1991 another family member bought a new Camry LE v6 which was also another car with fantastic seats, great handling, and offered a competent comfortable ride.. I expected the same when i purchased my 2016 Camry SE.. I wanted the good sounds of the nakamichi stereos of the 80s, i wanted the adequate hp of the 91, and the handling, performance, and easy visibility that the older camry got.. What i ended up with though was a poor imitation of a buick.. The seats are hard, cheap, and the material feels like something they found at the dollar store, the dash rattles, the stereo is the entune which gets generic paper speakers, the handling is terrible, the ride is harsh for no reason, the electric power steering is slow, and cant keep up with spirited driving, you cant see out of it, and frankly the automatic transmission is just terrible.. The 2.5 is a gem of a 4cyl engine, but everything attached to it, just isnt up to par for a toyota.. I feel like the camry went from a BMW fighter for the middle class to something that only resembles the actual camry by nothing more than name.. This isnt my only toyota, but frankly it is my last new one.. I would rather put the time into repairing a 200+K mile early toyota than make payments on another appliance.. After all i already own a refrigerator.. I never thought i wanted to drive one..

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  Awesome Car!! - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Timothy - January 22 - 4:53 am

  I just purchased this car 3 days ago and already put on 500 miles in those days. Quiet ride, comfort, cruise control, these are all things that sold me on this car!

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  Missing some things - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Mjunda - January 19 - 10:50 pm

  Real good car. Great fuel economy. The orginal tires will only get 20K miles. Be careful putting in a carseat with a top strap. It you put it in like toyota tells you you may wind up with a permanent strap indentation on your rear headrest. The thing that is missing is the rear DOES NOT FOLD down on the SE model. I know it is for the sport tuning in the suspension, but I need more versitality in my cars. I should have bought the LE with the styling kit.

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  Good buy - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Driver1 - January 19 - 11:00 am

  My driving experience thus far with the Camry has been positive. It handles well and the engine performs great for a 4 cyl. The engine is quiet and it accelerates well. The seating is relatively comfortable. Although Im 62 tall and most sedans are not fun to get in and out of for me anyway. The only thing this car doesnt have is trunk space. If you have kids I would suggest a larger vehicle unless you intend on having only one child. Overall the car is fun to drive, its reliable, and is awesome on the freeway for those 2-3 hr trips.

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  The most fun Ive had driving - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Dee - January 19 - 6:40 am

  I traded up from a 2005 Corolla the best choice I have every made, donÂ’t get me wrong it was a great car but compared to my Camry it was just a baby. My Camry runs just as smooth as my momÂ’s Infiniti G35. The wheel mounted controls, blue tooth and speed/noise sensitive volume control, without a doubt make it the best full size sedan out there for the money. I know because I tried almost all of them the Madza6, Malibu, Altima, Sonata, Accord even a Hyundai Genesis and they all fail in comparison. Trust me.

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  Good Choice - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By broufam - January 19 - 4:57 am

  I purchased my 2011 Camry LE on Jan 6,2011. I Paid $20,500. I have the Bluetooth and Window tint and Aluminum wheels. I travel primary highway miles at 130 miles round trip per day. I have now filled up 3 times and as I average my fuel, it has been consistant with 31mpg highway. I do not do very much city driving. I drive 73Mph with cruise everyday to work. The car handles well, saying it has the 4cyl w/auto transmission. It is pretty comfortable to drive the distance I do to and from work. I have plenty of head room and the children in the back say they sit comfortable. My wfie sat in the back seat at the height of 55" and had no complaints. She really enjoys the car when she gets to driv