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 Value In America - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By M Digman - February 18 - 9:53 am

  This is a great car, beautifully equipped with all the creature comforts you can want. As for economy, Im beating the revised EPA MPG estimates by +4MPG in the city (25 vs. the 21 Estimate) and by +3 MPG on the highway, (34 actual vs. the EPA 31 estimate!). Beauty, styling, luxury and great gas mileage... I love this car!

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  Nice looking, runs terrible - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Jimmy462 - February 18 - 12:43 am

  I bought this car because I owned two Toyotas before (Avalon, Corolla). This car has been very disappointing. The squeaks and rattles are awful for a Toyota, feels more like a Chevy inside. The transmission doesnt shift correctly, and it has almost caused me to get into an accident twice. Except for the looks, this car is not making me very happy.

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  Dissappointing - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Mike - February 17 - 7:23 am

  I leased my 2009 Camry looking to possibly purchase at end of lease. The pick up is awful and I fear for my life going onto a highway. The acceleration is awful! Now I find out my tires are bad after 22k! (I rotate after every other oil change at 8k.) Toyota suggests after 5k which also points to too much required maintenance). I owned Fords before this and never had any of these problems. The tires went well into 40k. Also, the radio is terrible. Toyota offers nothing to keep me as a client. Ford I am coming back!

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  Great car - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Giff NY - February 16 - 6:50 pm

  We went from a Lexus to the Camry, you get a lot of car for the money. 10k less than an ES 350. We have 18k on it now and have been completely satisfied. Car is loaded with nav, etc. Would recommend with no question.

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  Great Car for these times!!! - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By firetem - February 16 - 4:06 pm

  This is my first Toyota. So far I havent been disappointed. Very roomy and gas mileage is great.

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  very nice and a good value too - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Harddrive9 - February 16 - 10:00 am

  Drives good, comfortable and quite at highway speeds. car feels classy but could use a little more convenience ergonamicly. fuel economy is decent. this car feels very safe to drive. I find visibility good too. trunk is big enough for good size luggage. Im looking forward to Toyotas reliability. I plan for a few road trips for the near future to really get a good feel for this car. I have only owned it for about a week now. Im glad I purchased this car. I feel comfortable and secure driving it. it does feel more expensive then it really is.

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  Awesome Car - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Felix - February 15 - 12:20 am

  This is the best car Ive ever purchased. Its suspension is smooth, the 2.4 I4 has nice acceleration to match its fuel economy. The Camrys interior is very refined (in the XLE), and the upgraded 440 watt stereo system is great. Exterior styling is nice, and the overall build quality is perfect.

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  camry from 9/12/01 - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By michaelg - February 13 - 2:00 am

  mine is japanese.seem to have less rattles than others.reliable except for a tracking problem on the highway especially in a cross wind;still working on this with the dealer. posible the cheap potenzas are at fault; theyre also noisy and wear poorly.

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  So far, so good with SE - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Mike S - February 13 - 12:56 am

  I bought this car for the nice looks (SE), roomy interior and trunk, and good fuel economy. So far, I like everything about it. It felt bigger than the Malibu and Fusion and includes all kinds of safety and sporty features in base SE form. Fuel Economy is about 26 mpg so far. This car is a keeper for me. It is handling my cravings for sporty looks, soft ride, and good fuel economy with plenty of room for the family, all for $23K!

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  First Year Blues? - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By John - February 12 - 11:16 am

  I have had problems with the transmission not shifting into overdrive when the temp gets below 32 degrees. Dealer says its "NORMAL"). Also the front passengers inside door handle broke in half!(It was fixed under warranty).