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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  Update after 6 months - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Marya - March 3 - 8:13 am

  I first posted on Nov. 5 and was lukewarm on the car. Since then Ive gotten used to it and feel better about it. Ive adjusted my driving to deal with the acceleration hesitation, altho I see now there is a fix for it. But I do want to say it performs really well in bad weather, of which there is plenty in NYS. Its much more stable than my 1996 Explorer on snow, in freezing rain, slush, even ice, and so far I havent had any repair issues (fingers crossed).

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  Best Driving Camry Period! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By HUDSON TANNIS - March 2 - 3:50 pm

  I have the 2007 SE 2.4 with stability control, bluetooth and the upgraded JBL system. First let me say that the engine performance of my car relates directly to the brand of gas used, not all gasoline is created equal. The engine and transmission works flawlessly when a particular brand (not grade) of fuel is used and I am absolutely sure I am correct. The other features of this car especially the JBL system are winners. The car is a winner.

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  Hubcap noise detracts from an otherwise great car - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By craig4d - February 27 - 9:58 pm

  We loved the 2011 Camry LE when first purchased here in Cleveland. Multiple Toyota family. Owners 2d. Soon, though, a very annoying whirring noise arose from the front left wheel/hubcap. After some delay, the Dealer confessed to being aware of a problem or at least reports, but Toyota had no solution. Noise went away for a while, but is back and is VERY ANNOYING, detracting from the pleasure of owning this car. This caused another family member to look past Toyota and get a Nissan. The issue is spreading out to the public ear...Why doesnt Toyota just replace the hubcap if that is the problem??? We got it for my 20-something daughter.

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  Toyota GPS is worthless - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By DonH - February 27 - 5:46 pm

  I am generally happy with my Camry, but the GPS is frustrating and almost worthless. The necessity to press ok to a disclaimer before each use is ridiculous. You have to pull off of the road and stop in order to the GPS, and the passenger can not reprogram the unit while the car is moving. I would not have bought the car if I had known how frustrating the GPS is. I will not buy another Toyota unless the GPS system is changed.

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  Camry - Expect Less and Be Happy - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By red8xle - February 27 - 10:00 am

  Mine is fully factory loaded XLE V6 with even a manual rear shade. I own three Germans (E320, Audi A4, BMW X3), and I expected Camry to be equal or better quality. The rattles inside the dash are too much even at slow speeds along with dealer runaround. The smart key isnt always as smart as its supposed to be. And, the GPS - save your money, buy a Nuvi, Magellan or even a cheap one at the Shack. The GPS directions cannot be modified unless you come to a complete stop, not even by the passenger. Thats one $1200 annoyance. Overall interior finish appears and feels cheap. Passenger power seat stays too low and short persons dont like riding in it. A good road car, not for city driving.

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  Camry - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By fedy cenatus - February 26 - 11:36 pm

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  Might last long but not a good car - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Bruinmaster - February 26 - 7:43 pm

  I bought this car because it had been the best selling car for many years. But I dont see why it is so now. When I first bought it, the engine sound was very quiet but now after 3 years, it makes loud noise. Also, I am very dissatisfied with their warranty. 3 years or 30000 mileage whichever is sooner, u can assume it basically has no warranty. Also, the bottom of front bumper gets taken off so easily, I take it to mechanic every month. Above all, it has a very low MPG.

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  djnreview - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By djn210 - February 23 - 2:00 am

  Great Car! Extremely Reliable. Best performance for someone who puts alot of miles on car. Now have 75,000 miles on car with no major repairs. Put new brakes, tires and shocks/struts on car recently. Rides and performs great.

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  Reliable, comfortable car - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By toyowner - February 23 - 2:00 am

  Ive had this car for 4 years and have never had a problem...only routine maintenance such as changing tires and oil changes. Ive got 26,000 miles on it so far.

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  Camry SE - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By kcole - February 23 - 2:00 am

  Going from a Chevy Tahoe to my new camry has been a pleasure! I thought I would miss the size of the Tahoe, but the roomy interior of the Camry is great! I just laugh and laugh when I pass the gas pumps now!