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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  Awesome Car!! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By S. M. M. - January 22 - 6:10 pm

  I love my new Camry! Its fast, fun and eye catching! I chose the SE model over the XLE because I love the sporty look that the other models dont have. Its also very roomy for those with families and plenty of safety features! Dont hesitate, go get yours today!!

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  2007 Toyota Camry - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Rob - January 22 - 4:06 am

  I bought my 2007 Camry LE about 1 year ago, and put 23,000 miles on it. I loved every minute of driving this car! I have had no transmission issues or rattling, the comfort and ride of this vehicle felt to me much more high end then what I had paid. I loved the car so much that I traded it in already to buy the SE 2.4 liter version of the car, and boy I love this car even more! The interior feels that of a Lexus or BMW and the exterior is an eye catcher. I have owned it for a week and have already been complimented on the car a half dozen times on its looks.

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  Excellent Car & Fun 2 drive - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Toy2me - January 22 - 2:00 am

  Fun car to drive, lots of room, Bought the 2.4L LE with automatic and ABC. My Camry is very smooth and its really something to get such good gas mileage out of a full size car.

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  Sorry Chevrolet.... - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By D Stewart - January 21 - 10:00 am

  For $26,000 I got a lexus ES 300 without the Lexus price. This car is big! Really big. My boss has a Chysler 300M and it is nearly Identical in size. I drive 45k to 50k miles a year. I know that Ill get 200k out of this car. I looked at the Impala LS and for a few dollars more I got a Camry SE V6 loaded.

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  Toyota Camry - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By MrChips - January 21 - 10:00 am

  Classy style with pep!

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  Beats having a car payment! - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By Average Joe - January 20 - 8:48 am

  Update: Five days later, the thieves stole all the parking marker lights, the taillights, the headlights, the drive shifter and my dashcam, and other parts to make the car not street legal. This is the first and LAST time I buy a Toyota product for that very reason. I buy the car to drive, not to have a roving parts store in front of my job and apartment. The Camry is too high on the most-stolen list and I should have known better, but now my faith in humanity is very low and I will TRUST NO ONE. DO NOT BUY A USED CAMRY, YOU ARE ASKING TO HAVE IT STRIPPED OR STOLEN. ------------------------------------------ What a great car this 1994 Camry is. Once the lease was up on my new car, I decided to make a clean break and start over with a well running, older car without all the bells and whistles, without all the distracting gadgets. I encountered a really nice, white 1994 Toyota Camry with a fair amount of miles on it, but the price was fair for the condition and it drove beautifully. Unlike my other (new) car, visibility improved by 50%. No huge pillars blocking the side view. No sharp angle on the rear window blocking the rear view. Overall, the car is just that--a car--unremarkable, plain, simple and elegant in its uncomplication. It goes from A to B in all kinds of weather, I can see everything, so it feels like a well-insulated go-cart. Rain, cold, snow and ice are no problem, and unlike a new car, I can put snow cables on my Camry and chew up the snow and ice like butter, because the clearance is there between the wheel and the strut. 14" wheels mean I wont have to take out a loan to buy tires. Not much else to say, except that I love it, being just another Joe on the road with another cookie cutter car, humble, no expectations, no need to see if anyone is looking as I drive by, ego free. Perfect. And cheap!

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  Camry - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Sam - January 18 - 11:13 pm

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  My Disappointing Camry - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Camry or Not - January 16 - 6:20 pm

  I had always heard that Toyota had the best quality cars. Wrong. Not this time, not this year. My Camry is seriously underpowered, seriously noisy, and rattles as it goes down the road. Instead of being one of the best cars I have owned, it is one of the worst. I hear every stone, every pebble and every bit of rock salt as it pings off the bottom of the car. The trunk and doors are hollow and they sound like it with a slight reverberation when you close them. No sound absorption here. Oh, and the brakes squeal. I cant wait to trade it in.

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  Could be better - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By its ok - January 13 - 2:50 am

  We bought our 1998 Toyota Camry LE with 100,000 miles; currently have 116,000. Have had a couple of sensors replaced, but is mostly reliable. Have never gotten more than 30 MPG. Everything is just average, nothing exciting, in fact it is very boring. Not much room up front, and the cupholders in the back are terrible. Seats are moderately comfy, but the legroom in back is great. Wish there were a button on the remote for the trunk, and the buttons are not labeled for lock/unlock.

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  Great Car - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By arpy - January 12 - 11:33 am

  I bought this car new and have put 190,000 trouble free miles on it. It does not even burn any oil between changes. I have done just the routine maintenance and replaced wear and tear items as needed. A few signs of age have cropped up lately, notably bad valve stem seals and front upper strut plates, but who can complain after nearly 200,000 miles? Get that kind of service from an American car? Doubt it.