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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  My First Car Purchase - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By mc - July 19 - 10:00 am

  My 2002 Toyota Camry was the first car I have ever purchased on my own. My previous auto had been selected by my former spouse and was very expensive to maintain. I chose the Camry based on its reputation for reliability and the recommendations of two family members who have both owned a Camry for more than 10 years. So far I have been pleased with my purchase. The exterior is very attractive. The interior is comfortable. Gas mileage is great. Acceleration on the highway is good and the braking ability is excellent. The cabin is also extremely quiet. I am very happy with this car and look forward to many years of quality driving.

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  My First Car Purchase - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By MC - July 19 - 10:00 am

  My 2002 Toyota Camry was the first car I have ever purchased on my own. My previous auto had been selected by my former spouse and was very expensive to maintain. I chose the Camry based on its reputation for reliability and the recommendations of two family members who have both owned a Camry for more than 10 years. So far I have been pleased with my purchase. The exterior is very attractive. The interior is comfortable. Gas mileage is great. Acceleration on the highway is good and the braking ability is excellent. The cabin is also extremely quiet. I am very happy with this car and look forward to many years of quality driving.

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  First Impressions - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By John - July 17 - 11:40 pm

  I traded in my 2002 Camry XLE with 162,000 miles on it. What a great car that was! Of course with such a great experience I had to consider the new Camry. It is much sleeker in design although it is still Rather bland. It is very quiet and smooth which is important to me as I do a lot of hwy driving. The seats are comfortable but not quite up to my 2002. Toyota did cut some corners with interior quality but overall it is still excellent. It is also a little smaller inside than my 2002 although they claim it is larger? I also am not a huge fan of the deep dash board and the fact that you sit a bit higher then the previous model. The stereo is good but not as crisp in sound as it could be.

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  I dont think this thing will ever die - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By Nathan - July 15 - 8:46 am

  I bought this car for $3600 July 2016 with 71k miles on it. I have the 4 cylinder automatic sedan. The 4 cylinder has plenty of power and I never feel wanting for the V6 which consumes more gas by a fair bit. The fuel mileage of this car in the city is rather poor (I get between 16-17 MPG and about 270-280 miles per tank in my regular driving which is all city driving) but the highway fuel mileage is much better. Ive driven 320 miles on the current tank, about 150 of those miles being freeway miles this time around. The car is heavy for the time and rolls around a lot. The brakes are lacking and even driving with overdrive off still results in a bit of a tough time stopping. When I drive other cars I find I end up braking too early. This car is incredibly reliable with the only thing having gone wrong in the lifetime of the car being the drivers door window regulator which Ive replaced 3 times in the last year. Im 18 years old and male and paid about $120 per month for insurance before turning 18 where I now pay about $90 with State Farm. Very easy to service yourself and parts are incredibly cheap. The car is super comfy. I drove 150 miles round trip yesterday and the nice cool A/C and quiet ride made for an easy time with 4 people in the car.

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  I dont think this thing will ever die - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By Nathan - July 15 - 8:46 am

  I bought this car for $3600 July 2016 with 71k miles on it. I have the 4 cylinder automatic sedan. The 4 cylinder has plenty of power and I never feel wanting for the V6 which consumes more gas by a fair bit. The fuel mileage of this car in the city is rather poor (I get between 16-17 MPG and about 270-280 miles per tank in my regular driving which is all city driving) but the highway fuel mileage is much better. Ive driven 320 miles on the current tank, about 150 of those miles being freeway miles this time around. The car is heavy for the time and rolls around a lot. The brakes are lacking and even driving with overdrive off still results in a bit of a tough time stopping. When I drive other cars I find I end up braking too early. This car is incredibly reliable with the only thing having gone wrong in the lifetime of the car being the drivers door window regulator which Ive replaced 3 times in the last year. Im 18 years old and male and paid about $120 per month for insurance before turning 18 where I now pay about $90 with State Farm. Very easy to service yourself and parts are incredibly cheap. The car is super comfy. I drove 150 miles round trip yesterday and the nice cool A/C and quiet ride made for an easy time with 4 people in the car.

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  2009 camry - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Izzy - July 14 - 2:46 am

  I purchased this car with 9500 miles on it and I love it. I compared several different cars before purchasing and basically boiled down to Accord & Camry (I tried the corolla but decided it was to small and as a result lest comfortable). The Camry is by far the most smooth and quiet. I love the ride. I was expecting better gas mileage but now I realize that I was mixing it up with the Corolla. I am getting between 25 - 28 mpg with mostly hwy driving. On a 450 mile drive that was almost ALL hwy I got 29 - 30 but the regular was between 25 - 28. (I would say that it is about 75% hwy 25% city) If you are looking for a really smooth ride and easy handle of a car, Camry is the way to go.

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  Real Deal on my Camry - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By andre - July 12 - 7:10 pm

  I believe ever since Toyoya started building cars in America, quality has gone down. I bought my Camry with 1000 miles already on it, but it was new since it had no title. Problems Ive had with my car are, the paint - no clearcoat and one layer of paint make it easy to get chips, I have MANY; dashboard - rattles; sunroof - leaks; front passenger speaker - rattles; engine - V6 is not responsive; and the front driver window - doesnt seal properly. The only problem that has been solved is the leaking sunroof. All other problems have been brought to MULTIPLE Toyota dealerships and ignorance has caused me to still have these problems to date. If you want a more reliable car, look elsewhere.

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  Love the car - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Wild person - July 12 - 11:40 am

  Love this car. Fun to ride in and nice looking. Just needs a light under the phone charger to see at night. Nice sound system. And service is great from Toyota. Good choice for long term car.

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  Great value, great car! - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Satisfied gal - July 10 - 7:00 pm

  We traded in our 2003 Tundra for the new 2009 Camry in order to get better gas mileage. The reliability of Toyota was what prompted us to buy a Camry. The Camry is fun to drive, has plenty of room and has a beautiful body style. We are extremely happy with our purchase.

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  Fun:Dependable - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By coolfool86 - July 6 - 2:00 am

  This car is the best I have ever owned it is now nine years old and still looks as good as new. It has 123,000 miles and runs the same as on the way home from the dealership.