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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  BEST Car for your $ $ ! But BE Sensible! - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By chasms - April 20 - 9:20 am

  This is my second Camry and so far its just as impressive as my 2006 Camry Solara was. Only now its been improved upon since then. IMO, there is little reason to spend money on a Cadillac when the XLE is as close as youll get for a fraction of the cost. BUT...a person cant expect V8 performance from a 4 banger, and still expect good MPG. The car is as perfect as I can expect for the money - and a whole lot better than that! To all of those who do love the car, please hit your glass against mine!

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  Love it!! - 1992 Toyota Camry
  By amsgram - April 20 - 2:56 am

  I knew the original owner, so I knew how well the car had been taken care of. I love it. The only problem I have had is an oil smell in the engine compartment. It doesnt use oil that I know of, I have it changed every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Runs great. Im hoping to get 400,000. Im so spoiled Im afraid to have to get a new car, besides theyre all ugly.

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  GREAT CAR! Toyota did GREAT! - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By lynchmob557 - April 18 - 11:46 pm

  perfect

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  piece of junk - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By lawrence wood - April 18 - 10:00 am

  Shift from 1st to 2nd gear floats; shift from 2nd to 3rd gear is a hard double jerk. Just maintaining speed at 1200-1400 rpm and just over 40 mph, engine/transmission pulsates as though transmission cant figure out what to do. Toyota wont fix transmission; they say hard shift is a characteristic, not a fault. Cant hear stereo at highway speeds due to road noise. Seats uncomfortable after 30 minutes, no thigh support. Cant see out the rear window. Lower part of rear fenders loose and will move 1/4 inch. $30,000 piece of junk. Trade-in value of 7 month old car is only 60% of new car price.

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  Family Car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Jeanette - April 18 - 2:20 am

  Well built and fun to drive. Fits 3 car seats accross the back seat. A great alternative to the minivan. Large truck fits toys and strollers with room for grocerys. We love it and would buy again.

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  Piece of Toyota Junk - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By J - April 17 - 8:30 am

  This car is the worst piece of junk Ive ever owned...and I had an 87 Ford Escort. The check engine light is on every other week, the car began burning oil at 40K miles (after regularly changing the oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles). The car has also had a leftward pull while driving since day one. The Toyota dealers I contacted all state that this is normal! Check the internet and youll see numerous complaints about the same leftward pull. Add to this the fact that the car is severely underpowered and handles like a go cart. What a waste. To call it a piece of junk assumes that the car has a purpose and is an insult to junk everywhere!

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  LOVE IT - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Marlyn Wilcox - April 15 - 6:50 pm

  We havent owned a Toyota since our 1977 FJ40 purchase, one of the best vehicles we ever owned( we still have it). After the research we chose the 2005 Camry LE & have enjoyed it very much. The only problem is the speedometer is about 4 MPH off,it is 3 MPH off at lower speeds & escalates the faster you drive to as much as +5 MPH at 75 MPH. Toyota will not fix it because it is still within their specs. We feel that this is unacceptable & are trying to resolve it at this time. It doesnt look good for us at this time. Next time we buy we will take the GPS unit with us & check the speedometer before we buy.

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  Great Car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Lisa - April 15 - 5:06 am

  I traded my Grand Am for a Camry. That was the best decision I ever made. There is more room, comfort, and better gas mileage. The body style is wonderful...simple yet elegant.

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  Great Car ! Great Value! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Richard Gutkowski - April 14 - 1:06 pm

  Well I have the car now for 24 hours it is really hot got lots of compliments on the car. V-6 very powerful and pretty nimble. The only real bad thing about this new camry is the radio and its controls they got cheap dont look like it belongs in the car!!! Aside from that sound quality is great and push to start is great! The only feature I dont have is navigation!

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  Low cost, low maintenance - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Jean - April 13 - 2:36 pm

  I always keep my cars 100k and longer. This is the first Toyota Ive bought and the first time to own a car that is low cost to maintain. Very little goes wrong. With the energy crunch, Ive lowered my speed to 60-65 and my mileage has gone from 30mpg on the hwy to 35mpg hwy. It has always maintained 24-25mpg in town. My only complaints are: the headlights; Ive changed the relay a few times but their light intensity is still weak; 2. Seating comfort: Im tall and thin and I feel like Im sitting on a park bench. Compared to an American car, the comfort level is inferior. Maybe the newer models are better with this. The low maint. and repair cost outweigh this issue.