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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  Good solid Camry - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By bobbie bizarczek - November 21 - 4:17 pm

  I bought this after VW bought back my diesel. I have driven a Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra SE-R, BMW 320, and Passat TDI. The pickup is not the same as the other cars, but I now drive 25,000 miles/year, mainly on the highway. The 2015 LE Camry is very comfortable. I prefer the seats on the Camry very much to the other vehicles. The view is excellent, just a small blind spot on the rear view mirrors. I am very pleased, was able to get a 2015 with 18K miles for a very good price.

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  Good solid Camry - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By bobbie bizarczek - November 21 - 4:17 pm

  I bought this after VW bought back my diesel. I have driven a Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra SE-R, BMW 320, and Passat TDI. The pickup is not the same as the other cars, but I now drive 25,000 miles/year, mainly on the highway. The 2015 LE Camry is very comfortable. I prefer the seats on the Camry very much to the other vehicles. The view is excellent, just a small blind spot on the rear view mirrors. I am very pleased, was able to get a 2015 with 18K miles for a very good price.

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  Good solid Camry - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By bobbie bizarczek - November 21 - 4:17 pm

  I bought this after VW bought back my diesel. I have driven a Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra SE-R, BMW 320, and Passat TDI. The pickup is not the same as the other cars, but I now drive 25,000 miles/year, mainly on the highway. The 2015 LE Camry is very comfortable. I prefer the seats on the Camry very much to the other vehicles. The view is excellent, just a small blind spot on the rear view mirrors. I am very pleased, was able to get a 2015 with 18K miles for a very good price.

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  glide ride - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Ruthann - November 18 - 10:00 am

  This is the most comfortable car Ive ever driven. Its ride is so smooth that I had to train myself to go the speed limit again. Id be traveling at high speed and not realize it until looking at the speedometer. We took a long road trip with 3 older children and I really appreciated the spacious back seating and so did they.

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  Toyota SE V6 - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By George Ajtai - November 18 - 10:00 am

  Classy and fun to drive, Large car feeling. Feel safe while driving.

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  Old trusty - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By Dixie - November 16 - 10:00 am

  This car has been in the family since it was new. I have had it for the last eight years. Honestly, I neglect the poor thing mechanically. All I really do for it is change the oil. It has had a couple of $600.00+ repairs but is super-reliable even when neglected. Mine is over 160,000 right now and the engine is strong (even though some seals are a bit leaky). Kudos to Toyota for this model!

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  Best affordable car ever - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By EP - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car used from Thrifty Rental in 1996, it had about 25,000 miles. Fourteen years later it is above 160,000 miles but runs great. This is a no- hassle, no-worries car. Toyota needs to go back to the mid-90s when it made solid good-lucking cars. No problem with sudden acceleration because these older model use a mechanical accelerator, not a computer-controlled one. And I think the style still looks good.

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  Great Car for Great Money - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By bc21 - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I am replacing a 2010 LE that was totaled in a rear end crash. I am buying another Camry because no there were no injuries (not even a stiff neck). The SEs ride is firm compared to the floaty LE. I find the SE fun to drive on curvy roads and the leisurely drive on the highway. I drove the V6 and its a rocket, but the 4 cyl is no slouch. The 4 cyl meets all my needs plus puts an extra $1500.00 in my pocket. My company car is a malibu which is nice but not in the same league as the Toyota. Drive one and I am sure you will love it.

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  Mixed feelings - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By Jo - November 16 - 10:00 am

  Am I the only one that HATES gas mileage Im getting? Mostly hwy, also city and Im averaging 23-24 mpg. My 2003 Camry got better gas! Nice design, inside and out. They changed spot for moving side mirrors, more inconvenient as I have to feel around for it at night. 2003 had it on the door, much easier.

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  Good car, but terrible quality. - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By ToyotaTodd - November 16 - 5:26 am

  I love the way this car looks, drives and handles. However, the quality is absolutely terrible for a Toyota. It has major transmission issues, which I have had fixed twice. It has awful rattles and squeaks in the moonroof, dash, and rear deck. The dealer has tried to fix them, but the noises wont go away. I will keep this car, but I hope Toyota improves their quality to their older standards of the mid 90s.