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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  Car salesmans review - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By bruce - May 6 - 10:00 am

  After 27 years in the car business, I have the pleasure to own & drive one of the finest built mid-size sedans made. I bought the car with 77000 miles, replaced the timing belt,water pump, drive belts and tires, and have thorughly enjoyed the car. I consistently average over 30+ mpg. The suspension could be a little firmer,but a very nice touring car.

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  Cant Lose - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By Quinton - May 6 - 10:00 am

  The Camry LE V6 is an outstanding vehicle because it does everything very, very well. Reliability is outstanding, servicing cost is reasonable and the car is a joy to drive. Interior is absolutely functional with clear,easy to read dials, knobs and controls. The most satisfying car purchase I have ever made. Cant say enough good things about the vehicle.

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  fabulous - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By cgn49 - May 6 - 10:00 am

  after suffering in a ford taurus; i finally bought a real car.

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  Great Car!! Highly Recommand.. - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Nokia-Samsung - May 4 - 4:20 pm

  Hi Friends,Ive been driving this car about a 1yrnow..Great Car, very quite, V-4 stillruns like v-6, great gas milage, I useit mostly for long travel, roughly about32.5 mpg, Its very comfy, I used totavel same distance in my old HondaCivic it was horrible by the time Ireach my destination I was so tired, nowin this car, I dont feel thing when Idrive 125 mile in the morning..Justgreat overall car..I love it..

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  Poor Performance - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Chris - May 4 - 1:03 am

  Bought the 2007 Camry in April 2007, the carÂ’s acceleration is poor to say the least. I took the Camry to the car dealership and they told me the car is performing the way it should. I disagree with their opinion so I called Toyota customer service department and they in turn told me there are no problems with this vehicle. I feel the slow acceleration and hesitation is a major safety issue and something needs to be done to correct this major deficiency right away.

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  Im Loving It!!! - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By linlil - May 3 - 6:16 am

  Traded in my 2010 Hyundai Accent GLS, which I bought new in 2010, for a 2012 Toyota Camry SE in December 2011. I was highly disappointed with the Accent and the terrible quality/ driving experience. After researching the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and the Sonata, decided none could compare to the overall value of the 2012 Camry. Especially, with the great ENTUNE system, silent engine/ driving experience and great MPG (29.7) avg (I have a gas heavy foot). Accelaration is quick and I only have the 4 cyl. What can I say, Im in love with my 2012 Camry. P.S with all the leather trim on the dash and in the car, I dont know what cheap plastic others have complained about.

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  Disappointed - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By nick - May 3 - 6:06 am

  I bought the car based on everything I had read and was almost immediately disappointed. Handling on the base model was very sloppy, Steering was non responsive. It floated all over the lane at highway speed. Brakes were poor. I traded it in at 10,000 miles.

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  Reliable as a Camry - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By gochi - May 2 - 8:10 am

  Bought a new 2009 Camry LE and am very satisfied with the purchase. The drive is smooth,gas mileage is great(getting around 29-30 on highway), roomy cabin, decent interior features like 8 way power drivers seat, ABS & Vehicle Stabilty Control, mp3/wma audio player and aux port. More than everything else I got this vehicle for its reliability and good resale value.

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  Fast, quiet, and very comfortable - 2013 Toyota Camry
  By Deep Value - May 1 - 9:19 am

  I traded in a 2011 Mini Cooper S Clubman with a manual transmission for this car, as I wanted something more comfortable, with rear doors, that shifted its own gears and didnt break as much. Im into cars, and painfully picky, so I drove the 2013 Lexus ES 350 (a little cramped and a lot expensive), the 2016 Honda Accord V6 (uncomfortable seats), a 2013 Toyota Avalon XLE Touring (excellent car, but couldnt justify the premium vs. the Camry) a 2015 Ford Fusion SE with the 2.0 turbo (a little sluggish, wild variation in noise, vibration and harshness from car to car). I ended up buying a 2013 XLE V6, certified used with 16,700 miles, for $20k. Its a luxury car in terms of performance and comfort: Its electric car-quiet around town, the V6 is ridiculously powerful and fast, and the seats are EXCELLENT, with lots of adjustments and terrific lumbar support. I can get into a great driving position in about 10 seconds after someone else has driven the car. The tires I got were Bridgestone Turanza EL400s and theyre just awful - get the Michelins if you can. The Bridgestones are bumpy for the first few miles after sitting overnight (I think because they develop flat spots), they dont have much grip, and theyre noisy. That said, the cars handling isnt bad... its not the Mini, but its predictable and the steering has good feedback, with no numb spot on center - its easy to drive quickly. It understeers into sharp corners, and you can hear the tires complain, but it works. I knew that going in and dont mind; Im middle-aged and I dont race around corners anymore (plus, thats not why you buy a Camry)... but I do like to go from 0-speed limit in a hurry and this V6 engine is one of the greats for that. On a related note that nobody talks about, you can shift the auto transmission manually, and it works really well. Put it in 2 on an entrance ramp, get the revs up to 3,000 and stomp on it, and youd better be holding on tightly. Seriously. Other "useful in the real world" stuff: The back seat is huge and comfortable, theres lots of storage and plenty of 12-volt power outlets, the keyless entry and ignition is one of those things you cant give up once you have it (if you have the car for 5 years, youll get to skip pulling your keys out of your purse or pocket at least 3,600+ times), and the backup camera has those alignment lines that help you hit a parking space dead center. Ill get less than the 25 MPG combined, and I dont care. The rush of the V6 is well worth it. My plan is to replace the terrible tires with Michelin Primacys, drive this thing until its tired, then give it to my kid so she can drive it another 150,000 miles. I think the cars just an amazing value. In short, the Camry is the best-selling car in the world, and the V6 XLE is the best Camry. Update: I asked the dealer, Acton Toyota of Acton, MA, to swap the Bridgestones for Michelin Premier A/S and they did! They didnt charge me for the tires, just the labor for mounting and balancing... this dealer is truly excellent. The tires make an enormous difference in the ride: theyre quiet, smooth, and handle much better.

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  Nice, reliable car - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By lynn321 - April 30 - 12:56 am

  I have owned this car for 9 years and did not have ANY problems with it until it was 12 years old. The car has been extremely reliable and I would recommend it to anyone without hesitation. The only things that has gone wrong with this car during the 9 years that I have owned it was a power steering leak, a problem with the air conditioning and 2 broken rear seat belts. The car drives like it did when new even though it is now 13 years old.