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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  Typical Toyota - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By KC Boy - July 24 - 10:00 am

  Typical Toyota- not incredibly exciting, but well built and cheap to maintain. This is our 2nd Toyota and we plan on a 3rd (lease ending soon). I cant imagine buying another American make after the terrific experience weve had with this Toyota.

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  Awesome Camry! - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Happy Customer - July 22 - 12:53 pm

  We bought the 2009 Camry to replace our truck for gas mileage reasons. Boy did it deliver we just got 32 mpg on the last tank. It was great to drive this car for 2 whole weeks and still have 1/4 tank of gas left! We bought the LE because it comes with everything you need plus a lot of safety features. The only option we got was the Vehicle Stability Control. Insurance wasnt that much a month more either. The 158 hp has ample power. You have more than enough get up and go. Its smooth, quiet, beautiful and fun to drive. We are driving it on vacation and Im looking forward to great gas mileage and a comfortable ride. Plus well have plenty of room in the mighty Camry.

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  2005 XLE Toyota Camry 4 dr - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Rick - July 21 - 3:40 pm

  I just bought this car 3 months ago and I was looking at 2007 nissans and toyotas. The only reason I bought this one was that it only had 12,000 miles on it. Now I only have one complaint about this car and that is when you step on the gas it boggs down and it feels like Im towing a boat. Then once I get going its fine. The dealer told me it was a wire and they would reset the memory so the car would learn my driving habits. Im not convinced that this reset of THE WIRE really was it or that is just the way 05 camrys are. It really ticks me off but other than that I love the car. Is it me or do these 05 camrys have this problem? Making me wish I went with a 07 Altima.

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  one reliable car - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By Paul K - July 21 - 10:00 am

  We had bought this car brand new yet even after about 85000 miles, it seems nearly the same. It is very comfortable and has just the right amount of acceleration. Never had any problems with the car.

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  ms review - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By cmpfs11 - July 21 - 10:00 am

  Outstanding value. Car is attractive, quiet, fuel efficient, practical. Great price for such a well build car.

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  Noise from seatbelts? driving me crazy! - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By beetlemom_2000 - July 21 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Camry for 5 months. The noise from inside the car is very annoying. Two trips back to the dealer havent solved the problem. Also have a fan belt noise when the heater/air conditioner is on and you start the car. They were not able to duplicate this in the shop. Other than those two things, the car seems to be fine.

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  Good Car - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By Gabriel - July 21 - 2:40 am

  My dad passed his 2000 Camry down to me, and the whole time we have owned it there have been no problems outside normal maintenance. It now has 144,000 miles with the 2.2l 4 and runs perfectly, never has issues starting. It gets good mileage even when driven hard. it also has a great interior that still looks like new. The 4 cylinder offers adequate power for most driving but lacks low end and passing power. Also has surprising grip in the snow and though the handling isnt sharp its very safe. Overall its a great car, giving you the reliability and fuel economy of a much smaller car with the comfort of a much larger car.

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  Great car for moms - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Sherri - July 19 - 10:06 pm

  I traded in a bulky BMW X5 for this car - wanted something nice, with power, easy on the eyes - and this is it. I love the navigation, the leather is beautiful, stereo is great. This car is fun to drive and easy on gas, and sporty enough to make being the carpool mom FUN!

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  Most Reliable Car Ever Built - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By Steve - July 19 - 4:30 pm

  Having purchased five Hondas, and as good as Hondas are, I must say that I certainly dont feel that the Camry gives up anything in the way of handling to my 2004 Accord Coupe, but I have gained a much smoother and quieter Lexus-like ride. This car is just so easy to drive and the ergonomics are tops. Best car for the money in my opinion. I should also mention that since Ive owned the Camry (April 2001), I have not had one single problem. Put the superb Nokian all season tires on this car and the Camry sticks to the ground like glue in rain or snow. The 2001 four cylinder feels somewhat underpowered around town (especially after driving the 6-cylinder 2004 Accord Coupe with 245hp), but once you get moving, especially on the highway, the refinement of the engine really shows. 90 miles per hour on the highway and this engine is as smooth as silk.

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  Good car, but not perfect... - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By tra_2883 - July 19 - 10:00 am

  My 1995 Camry LE 4-cylinder has almost 82,000 miles but you wouldnt know it. The car still acts like a brand new one. Ive had this car since December of 2001, and it had 69,000 miles on it then and all my friends thought I got a brand new car. The car is underpowered with the 4-cylinder engine. In order to keep the car moving, you need to keep pretty heavy on the gas so fuel economy was not what I was hoping to get from such a small engine. Also, the suspension is very soft, which makes for a nice ride, but take it easy in the turns. Also, because of this, I cant tell you how many times Ive bottomed out on a dip in the road.