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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  What a great car - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By mytime66 - June 24 - 3:09 pm

  While i was looking for a used car, i saw the ad for the 97 Toyota Camry, 46,190 miles. I went and looked at it as a little old lady kept it in her garage. It was great. I now have had it alittle over a year and has 47,650 miles on it. I couldnt have made a better choice in car and price.

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  231,000 Miles and Still Going! - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Patrick - June 24 - 2:38 pm

  Ive purchased my Camry in Jan. 2015, with about 196,000 miles on the odometer. I drive a lot and over the course of a year, Ive put on about 36,000 grueling miles of San Francisco-area traffic; a lot of city street driving, with a decent blend of highway commuting as well. Because I drive so much in heavy traffic and because of the already high miles on the car, I was a bit nervous that it might bite the dust before I could afford something newer and nicer. But in fact, its only left me stranded once - and that was only because of a bad battery. Now at 231,000 miles, its still running on the original 2.4L engine and original transmission. Its starting to shift harshly and it has a few electrical issues, but you cant say most cars will make it past 230,000 miles. Bulletproof reliability, even survived a bad accident I was involved in back in October. It needed a new control arm and has a few battle wounds from the incident, but still drives and handles like how some cars drive at 90,000 miles. This was my first Toyota and Im VERY satisfied! Definitely going to be a repeat Toyota customer!

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  Well done, Toyota - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By ccotie - June 24 - 10:39 am

  I bought my 2012 Camry CPO in 2013 w/ 41K miles on it. I consider myself a pickup truck guy, but as sedans go, this car has been a pleasure to own and to drive. It has the Sport package with the styled wheels, and draws a lot of compliments. I recommend the SE with the V6, they give the car some personality. Still, I would love to see some performance-enhancing features made available, like AWD or a turbocharger. Even with the upgraded engine, I regularly achieve 26mpg combined. Its no Challenger, but the handling response is sharp and the acceleration is surprisingly brisk. I have almost 100K on mine now, and all I ever do is regular maintenance.

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  My 2014 Camry vibrates makes me seasick - 2014 Toyota Camry
  By ukier - June 24 - 12:14 am

  Purchased new 2014.5 Camry SE automatic. Noticed vibration at light throttle upshifts. Toyota has acknowledged this problem in 2012-2014 Camry automatics and has issued an LSC Limited service campaign to fix software. Took my car back to dealer at 200, 500 and 1300 miles and I keep getting the "normal" story. Well, vibration at upshifts, and for several at low rpm when driving in the 40-50 mph range is not acceptable. Heading to arbitration as I hate driving the car. Be careful when purchasing, take a long test drive. Make sure low rpms doesnt shake test on a smooth stretch of road so you can tell its not just road bumps.

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  Good and bad - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By badbug2000 - June 23 - 10:00 am

  Everything looks OK except the headrests on font seats is too big and not comfortable. Also rear view point isnt good enough. Dont forget to get the one with back up camera if you decide to buy one later.

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  Thanks Toyota! - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By Shoman32 - June 22 - 9:50 pm

  My Camry has been great! Its extremely quiet, comfortable ride, handles well, but not harsh; Accord is too stiff for me...I take long trips. Initially I was concerned with power, having previously owned an SHO Taurus and a 3.8 Litre Sable, but the little four gets the job done, with no sense of being underpowered. It will run as fast as you want on the E-way, my usual is around 80 mph, and NEVER have a problem keeping it their...itll slide up to 90 if you dont watch it...and still gets 30-31 miles per gallon! With 74,000 miles Ive done nothing but routine maintenance, one change of brake pads about 50,000 miles. My one complaint is with the seats, (front) which arent cushy enough.

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  Best car in its class - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By camrylover - June 22 - 3:13 am

  Quiet, luxurious feel, top notch quality inside, classy exterior. My car has 6000 miles on it. Running great and giving me lots of pleasure and jealous looks from Honda owners

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  Surprising Performance - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Darren - June 19 - 6:53 pm

  I needed something with a little better gas mileage than my 98 Olds Bravada (18 MPG). I am sure there will be times when I will miss the SUV thing, but not yet! This thing is fun to drive. I cannot believe this is a 4 cylinder. I must be getting old. I found a great deal on the SE version and love the suspension. We bought an 04 Rav4 for my wife and I was always driving it. Now Id rather drive the car. I have had an SUV for so long I forgot how much fun a car can be.

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  Not Impressed - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By kern - June 19 - 3:40 pm

  I bought this car used with only 15k miles on it. Previous lease and all oil changes were done at the dealer. Still had the new car smell. My previous car was over 11 yrs old so I think I was just in awe of having something newer. But after 3 wks of ownership, I am a bit disappointed. I have not made my first payment yet and the car needs a complete brake job, rotors and all. That is pretty disturbing for only 16k miles. Dome light is no longer working for some reason and I also noticed the trans slip that everyone is talking about. I dismissed it because my last car was a 6 cy. Thought I just had to get used to a 4 again. Now I see its not me, its the car.

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  230K and counting - 1992 Toyota Camry
  By 61Lakewooder - June 19 - 2:00 am

  We bought this car for my teenage son for his first car with 217K miles on it. The lady we bought it from bought it new and put three teenage girls through it as their first car. She had all of the maintenace records and cried when we drove away. In the last year Ive put on brakes, struts, stabalizer links, etc. Nothing major and it just keeps on ticking.