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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  Plain looking but a great performer! - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By toshiko - August 12 - 2:00 am

  Plain Jane to look at but what a comfortable, smooth riding sedan! This is my second consecutive V6XLE (both are manufactured in Japan). On both cars, I never had to REPAIR anything yet. Always dependable in a extreme cold of NJ and heat of FL. If the performance and dependability are important to you, I recommend this model highly.

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  No Complaints - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By LesCT - August 12 - 2:00 am

  Bought car new in 99. Wife drives it now, I needed more speed got a used 98 MAX. Camry LE currently has 89,000 on it, had to change timing belt once, and regular oil changes, thats it. knock on wood...no problems as yet. Was thinking of trading it in but after reading a few posts I realized what we have. I think well drive it until it wont go anymore.

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  the bomb - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By kevin osborne - August 12 - 2:00 am

  If you had one car to drive before you die that would be afordable it should be the camry,this car is so smooth when i stopped at the light i thoutht the car cut off.I have drove hondas bmw mercedes maxima all the cars because i am a valet,I drive them all.The only car i could compare to this would be lexus,and you guess it thats right its also a toyota.

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  So Wrong! - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By teblhasa - August 11 - 6:53 pm

  I love this car! I traded my 95 Celica for one last fall, and there is not one regret! Its fast, fun, sporty, and it is so cavernous! So what if it doesnt get 40mpg - if you want that, get a Prius! I agree with 2% of the ratings out there as far as the odd tranny shifting & paint scratches, but thats it. If you want a solidly built, safe & reliable car that is fun to drive in every condition, get a Camry.

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  Reliable and Safe - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Silvercam - August 11 - 8:03 am

  Just purchased my new Camry about 3wks ago. Seems to be a very nice, comfortable, and a well built car all around. I traded from a midsize suv to this, and so far the slightly smaller space has not been a problem. The 4 cyl seems to have a lot of power, 158 hp is what it says, and thats pretty decent considering my suv was a V6 and only had 165 hp. This is my first Toyota, and I hope it lasts as long as they say they do. Go check one out if your considering a new car, its very nice, and its no wonder you see so many on the road!

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  Best Buy for the Money - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By ehw - August 10 - 4:50 am

  I own the 03 Camry SE. It has been an excellent car in all regards. Over the past 25 years, I have owned at least 8 new toyotas, so I am inclined to favor these autos. I find plenty of power in the 4cyl. If you want to improve your handling on the SE put a set of 17" rims matched with medium to low profile high performance tires and buckle up. I felt a substantial improvement over the stock tire/rim combo. The car felt like it could turn square corners and remain flat in curves even at speeds in excess of recommended limits.

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  Should have kept my 2006 Toyota Camry - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Fran S. - August 8 - 3:59 am

  It has a hard, noisy ride. I actually took it back inside of 30 days and only was told "let some air out of the tires". Car is "windy" you hear too much road noise and highway fumes easily penetrate. Features I find unacceptable, hard ride, poor seat adjustment, navigation panel cannot be seen with any amount of sunlight due to its position, front side posts block some of view-bad safety issue, rear window poor design-it is sloped to where any amount of dust or build up rain does not drain off-it must be car washed or hand washed, rear camera at times occluded by rain. It does not have the pep as my 2006 4 cly. And yes, I am writing to complain about the design features and my dissatisfaction, to me this car has design impairments that become safety hazards. I got a good price on the car as it was an XLE loaner, but I am now stuck with it. I am seriously considering selling it to CarMax and getting an older car. Very sad state of affair, the old toyotas were made much better.

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  All good except rear window defroster - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Farshid - August 4 - 6:50 pm

  It is a Toyota so it is quite, comfortable and has low maintenance cost. The only negative thing that I found is the rear window defroster. It is not as powerful as it should be (even in compare to my previous car, Prizm 99) for Michigan weather to melt frozen water on rear window quickly. By the MPG in city is about 21 not 24.

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  2011 Camry Rocks. - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By Milo - August 3 - 6:19 pm

  Owned since new. 162,000 mile and still runs like new.

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  WOW - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By smprescott2010 - August 3 - 3:13 pm

  This is my first used car in over 13 years. The economy killed me and didnt have a choice in getting a used car. I found a 1999 with 266,000 miles on it (2,300) and pampered its entire life. The car looks really nice and has had everything replaced and maintained. It cruises PERFECTLY like a brand new car at 80mph. All power options and AC work perfectly. I was worried I would be driving a beater... NOT THE CASE! Nice car!