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 2009 Camry - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By My 2009 Camry - October 4 - 10:00 am

  I ordered a new 09 Camry and went to get it on a cloudy day after it came in to the Kingsport,Tn. dealership. Then I drove it home and parked it inside of my garage. Got my new Camry back out on a sunny nice day; thats when I noticed the paint had marks all over the car. I drove it straight back to the Kingsport dealer with only appx. 50 miles on it and the dealer agreed the paint was messed-up. After 3 meetings with factory Toyota reps., which agreed with me on the paint, Toyota rep. laughed , told me the warranty didnt cover it and they werent going to do anything about it. I explained to them I had always been a Toyota man.Still got a bad paint job. Buyer, BEWARE!

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  Great car bad headrest design - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By cl - October 4 - 4:33 am

  Great car leased a Camry se v6 with every package. Love everything about the car with the exception of the headrest which pushes my head to far forward. Outstanding dealership power Toyota of Irvine ca. Great price and very helpful.

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  Awesome - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By mopra - October 4 - 4:29 am

  I wanted to buy sonata or altima then decided to have a test drive of camry2012 , I was surprised by the handling of the car on curves and its smooth drive a notch above its older version.I bought the car same day and it is 1 1/2 months I am loving it every day.I get 30mpg in city.love the Comfy seats, we had 6 inches snow today , it drove through snow with exceptional handling .

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  ACCELERATING IN REVERSE/ BRAKES LOCKING - 2017 Toyota Camry
  By t Graham - October 2 - 9:51 am

  Has any one else experienced acceleration while baking up and having the brakes lock. I have owned my Camry for 11 days. The first 10 days and 300 miles were fine. At around 330 miles while backing out of my driveway the care accelerated and the brakes did not engage. My car ended up on the other wside of the street feet away from an apartment complex swimming pool. goinbg to dealer tomorrow. Will update.

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  Love it~ - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By CmryLvr2004 - October 1 - 3:33 pm

  I have had my Camry for over a year now and I love it. It drives great and is an extremly comfortable car. I had a 2004 Honda Civic and traded it in to buy this car. The Camry is far superior to the Civic. It drives better, is more comfortable and reliable. I had many problems with my brand new Civic and none with my Camry over the same time period. I would definitely recommend this car to anyone in the market for a stylish, reliable and fun to drive.

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  1994 Camry XLE - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By Allen Swedin - September 29 - 10:00 am

  Reliability is the best of any car we have ever owned. Performance is good and gas mileage is fantastic for a car of this size. Ride and handling are great. The interior is easy to live with. The conrtrols are all easy to reach and use.

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  PLEASED - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By nutmeg - September 29 - 10:00 am

  Bought the SE 4-Cylinder in October 2001 when they were first available. Weve been very pleased overall with a few minor complaints but of course were very hard to please when it comes to spending 25 grand on a car! Test drove the Honda Accord & Nissan Altima & neither compared to the comfort & smooth ride of the re-designed Camry. For as much time as we spend in the car we decided that the Camry was definately worth the extra money.

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  "Youre Gonna Want One!" How True... - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By RWJ - September 29 - 10:00 am

  I went to a Toyota/Nissan dealership intending to give the new Altima a test drive but ended up test driving the Camary instead. The overall quality of the Camary is on a much higher level. When I closed the doors, for example, it was a solid sound not the rather "tinny" sound I heard from the Altima. The interior is well thought out and rather "handsome" for lack of a better description. The Camary drives and rides like a dream. Good pick up with the four cylinder and good milage too. I would highly recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for a top quality mid-sized sedan. Drive it and youll want one.

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  Tested by Vehicle Designer - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Automible Scientist - September 29 - 10:00 am

  Money wise is American. Overall this Toyota Camry is the best in its class. Even some would say its over price. However, reliable is saving consumers money in the future and build up strongly resale value.

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  Best car ever..!! - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By honey - September 29 - 10:00 am

  This is the best car that i have ever driven. The drive is very smooth, and it looks and feels great... It sure is THE BEST SELLING CAR in the country..!!