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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  A little overrated in reliability - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By Jesse - October 10 - 7:20 am

  This car handled wonderfully, and drove extremely quiet. I never changed the transmission fluid, coolent, got a tune-up, or had to replace a belt...all I ever did was routinely change the oil about every 5-7k. Guess what failed? The piston rings. The oil pump conked out and destroyed the rings. Now, it is hardly worth fixing at a $2000 bill. If anything, I thought the transmission would have gone, not the thing I actually did take care of. Made it to 158,000 miles, though.

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  noise of 2015 Camry LE - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By 21john - October 9 - 2:20 pm

  purchased Toyota Camry LE 2015, brand new, in the end of May 2015. The only problem is noise.I can hear repetitive noise when the windows are open. The noise is more frequent when speed increases. Dealer said it is the noise of tires. My previous 10 years old car did not have this kind of problems, how could a brand new car have the problem.

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  SINCE 1990 - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Anthony pa - October 7 - 4:12 pm

  Ive owned eleven Camrys since 1990. My Family and Friends ask me all the time, why another Camry? Dont you want something different? My answer is always the same. The car fits my lifestyle in looks reliability and in value. Its simply the best. I also must say my new 2016 Camry SE is one of my all time favorites. So while some people might think I am a bit boring and predictable, i think i am very very wise.

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  Take time and compare... - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By un_delighted - October 6 - 6:26 am

  LE w/ 4 cylinder is equipped with adequate power plant. Handling and cornering slightly improved from 2003-6 model. Transmission shifting (hunting for a right gear) not much improved - especially on even small incline. With my 6 it is no way to get acceptable visibility looking backward, and what is worse than 2003-6 models, I cant see front of the sedan too. So parking in busy places may be tricky. In my feeling driver was stripped from elbow space due to oversized center storage compartment. I am not to impressed with all the controls made of cheap plastic formed in unattractive way. Trunk space is noticeably smaller too.

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  Camry is good but not Toyota - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By Bhaskar - October 6 - 5:05 am

  I have to say, Camry is good with updated dashboard and stylish outlook. But the toyota guys are not helpful once you purchased the car. They will come up with irrelevant reason for every issue. I had to call the Toyota since the Pre-collision system is not working in my new Toyota Camry 2018 SE which resulted in an accident, however they are not helpful and come up with some reason that Pre-collision system will not work in some scenarios which were not mentioned anywhere. Wont suggest any one to go for Toyota with this bad experience.

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  Performance - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By leng Vang - October 6 - 2:00 am

  Great performance. Just put oil in and they will run FOREVER! Have never spent a single dollar on maintance except the basics such as tires, oil change, etc...

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  Quick little Car! - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By p.rickey - October 6 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car as my first vehicle, and it has been nothing but absolutely perfect! You like never feel the car shift in between gears, the gas pedal is so smooth, and the pick up is awesome. The SE V6 Coupe is like the early model of the Camry Solara. My model has every feature available at the time. All the features work in perfect condition, no questions asked!

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  Ho Hum for a Camry - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By Car Mom - October 6 - 2:00 am

  This car has been a let down. The Camry,s before and after seem better. The brakes are peculiar and feel almost unreliable, the interior is downright unattractive and very prone to dirt, there is tremendous roll in the turns, the air and heat almost stop working unless the car is moving. Not up to Camry standards

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  Not that Camry any more - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Morn - October 6 - 2:00 am

  I have a 2002 Camry LE, 4 cyl, bought May 2002. After several months driving, I have to say that this car, although still called the same name, does not deserve the same good words people used to have. The acceloration is always abrupt and make the ride very uncomfortable during stop-and-go driving. The transmission was truely retarded, does not know when to shift and what gear it should select under different road conditions. Also the squeaking sound from the brakes always drove me crazy. My next car is not going to a Camry for sure.

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  New Purchase - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Rob - October 2 - 9:10 pm

  This is an exceptional vehicle, and if you are looking for options on the LE, you get more standard with the XLE. I was impressed by the fact that for only about 1000 more, I got everything I wanted in the LE and much much more.