Toyota Camry Research & Reviews

Overview & Reviews

Average Score

4.36/5 Average
4,530 Total Reviews
Model Overview:

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:

Showing 3451 through 3460 of 4,530.00
  • Camry - 2002 Toyota Camry
    By -

    This is our 3rd Toyota and this one will be the last one. We are very disappointed about the Toyota company. This car run well and smooth, but I think that the quality reputation of Toyota is over evaluated (specialy for the price of the supposed quality). After 58000Km the left rear brake pads were fully used but the right ones were half used (normal!? according the dealer, went elsewere for the repair of course) One security problem is the liquid washer nozzles are not adjustables and spray the liquid only at the bottom of the windshield, and specialy during the winter time that is very dangerous when you cant see in front of you (dealer replace them, no improvement) Motor oil consuption

  • 2004 Toyota Camry Defective Engineering Design - 2004 Toyota Camry
    By -

    Bought this car from brother in law three years ago who followed all maintenance requirements, as did I. Had to replace sagging headliner and rear speaker covers. Added new tires, brakes, alternator, battery, frequent oil changes, transmission flushes, etc. Car ran great for three years. In 2015, my son and I noticed a sloshing sound behind the dash. Coolant in reservoir was low, even though we checked it regularly. Filled it and took to mechanic. He initially thought that it was the stripped head bolt problem. Coolant was leaking into the engine. Cracked head. Said that the car had been overheated, even though there was never any indication of overheating on instrument panel or smoking, etc. Mechanic stated that it was nothing that I did and that this was a very poorly designed engine and I would be wasting my money to replace the engine, as I would be getting another defective engine design. He stated that he had always believed Toyota to be great cars, but not after working on this one. Car had 126,000 miles on it. Interior quality was also very cheap. Flannel cloth doors! Not at all the same quality as my 1994 Camry in terms of longevity or quality. Gas mileage was good, but not so good now! What a complete waste of money for a car that had been so well maintained. Do not buy!

  • Air conditioner problem already - 2007 Toyota Camry
    By -

    At 48,000 miles the AC failed bad condenser. should have lasted much longer and it is expensive to replace, warranty period is over, I am extremely disappointed and i will never buy another Toyota

  • I Cant Wear It Out - No Excuse To Buy A New One - 2000 Toyota Camry
    By -

    The 2000 Camry is a legend at our house. Other cars come and go, and it soldiers on. You forget that things can go wrong, because nothing ever does. We do a good job of suggested maintenance, but I cant say enough about the reliability and comfort of this car. It wasnt fabulous in deep snow, and we live at the top of the hill, so I bought snow tires for it and that solved the problem. AT 150k miles, the only problem is that it does now look like an older car, because it is one. I think a new one would be good for my "image" but I dont know how to find a new one that will really measure up. Great job, Toyota!

  • ready for a new one - 1998 Toyota Camry
    By -

    I LOVED my Camry when I bought it, but now I HATE it. The drivers side door handle has broken off twice, the drivers window does not like to roll up once it goes down, and the clear coat has chipped off of the hood. The only good thing about this car which I guess is the part that matters the most is that I have not had any mechanical issues. I have only had to do scheduled maintenance work. With 220,000 miles, I guess I cant complain too much about that.

  • Camry SE - A great car! - 2003 Toyota Camry
    By -

    After driving a 86 Nova (Carrola really) and a 88 Camry my new Camry is a dream come true. I get many good comments on how good the car looks, black with upgraded Enkei rims. It drives very nice but I did add a K&N air filter and still plan to do a few more things to increase the horsepower. Only problems have the process buying the car with the dealership, a repeating nightmare of ineptness. Also, the transmission had to be completely rebuilt after the first two days because it would slip out of gear. We love the car though.

  • Boring - 2002 Toyota Camry
    By -

    I would have bought a Camry, test drove one but got the Nissan Maxima GLE instead. I just stopped by this site to read Camry owner reviews. Boring reviews, no one is that excited about anything with the car. Must be a boring car to get boring reviews. Check the Maxima reviews. Now that is one group of excited and impressed owners. Glad to say thatI am part of that group.

  • Camry XLE` - 2004 Toyota Camry
    By -

    Very good luxurious sedan

  • Excellent Car - 2002 Toyota Camry
    By -

    Couldnt be more boring, at a stop light you could be surrounded by 3 more of the same color as yours. But who cares. Its the best car I have ever owned. Drove it for over 7 years and it never failed me once. Went through brakes frequently and OEM tires failed at 25k. Stereo was great. Everything always worked all the time. Never had a single repair only maintenance. It had 111k, miles when I sold it for 7k in 09. Wanted a Sienna. It was fine but I should have held onto the Camry. Got great gas mileage. 28 in the city. Its nice that it doesnt have a timing belt, only a chain so no need for that service. Will be hunting for one with side airbags next time.

  • 2014.5 Toyota Camry SE Sport Below Average - 2014 Toyota Camry
    By -

    This is a honest review from an owner that recently purchased the Camry. My 14.5 Camry was purchased in December of 2015 and I regret buying this thing. I had a 13 Honda Accord with continuous variable transmission which was fine but the continuous variable transmission was getting awful to drive. I did my research and it was between a Mazda 6 or Camry. Did not want to go back to continuous variable transmission again. The Nissan Altima had continuous variable transmission too, I guess everyone is going to the continuous variable transmission transmission. The Camry still has the automatic 6 speed transmission so thats what sold me on it. The Mazda 6 interiors dash layout is horrible in my opinion. When I test drove the car it was fine but after a few months of owing it I hate it. The car is cheaply made and while driving you can hear every crack and rattle while hitting bumps. This annoys the hell out of me. The plastics are cheap and can be easy taken out with little force. Every time I hit a bump I hear my dashboard crack and rattle. I cant find wheres it coming from for a while now. Then when I back up I hear a grinding noise but only while I back up. People in the forums said its the brakes engaging but this did not happen in my old Accord. I tried to change oil and this car does not use a conventional filter. It uses a filter that you have to open then insert a paper filter into it. It was so hard to get out as well so I left it till next oil change since it was cold outside. Like someone mention the paint is so thin, you will see every little scratch even if you have a silver color like I do. Did I mention the seats make noise and cracks as well when you move around in your seat? Oh yeah, theres no transmission dip stick to check your transmission oil with the new engines. I guess the only way is to change the transmission oil when it time and put in the right amount of fluid. Overall, I feel this Camry is poorly built and cheaply made. Too much little issues for me to even like this slightly. Im already thinking to trade this in even though I know I will lose more money. This has been a big mistake purchase. I might go back to Honda and get a Accord V6 without the continuous variable transmission. Please beware Toyota is not the way it used to be anymore.

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