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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  93 Camry wagon - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By Jared - December 13 - 10:50 am

  This car is great always reliable. Very comfortable and very powerful. Anyone who owns one or purchases one is lucky to own one of these rare cars.

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  My 3rd Camry - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By James - December 12 - 2:16 pm

  As of today, Ive had my Barcelona Red Metallic SE for one week, and I LOVE it! The ride is superb, and the looks turn heads --- not only because of the outside styling, but also the interior. The OptiTron gauges are beautiful, and really add to the aesthetics. Though only an i4, the car handles impressively --- LOVE the round-abouts! ;) I previously had a 94 Camry Coupe, and traded in my 04 LE for the 09. I have noticed the fit/finish is not quite as crisp/clean as in my prior Camrys, but IMO still very good. In fact, my 09 fit/finish appears to be improved over the 07/08 models. Great car, beautiful looks, nice handling, quiet ride, and overall a great car!

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  Best car in the world - 1992 Toyota Camry
  By ps3gamer - December 12 - 1:14 pm

  I bought this car over a year ago for $2,500, and it has been the best car I have ever owned. It had 113,000 miles on it when I bought it. Now it has about 135,000 miles on it, and it is still going strong. I have driven it all the way to Texas and back (from Alabama), and I would trust it to take me anywhere. I have only had to replace the front struts and an O2 sensor. Other than that, Ive only had to perform routine maintenance on it. Total amount of money spent on maintenance is less than $500. Ill take that over a monthly car payment any day. Rides great, is super comfortable, and I wouldnt trade it for most anything. And no, its not for sale. :)

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  Boring though solid and reliable 76k miles later - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By bennychase - December 11 - 12:05 pm

  I have struggled with the way the 06 Camry looks inside and out. The exterior design looks like a granny car and the interior is boring and moderately comfortable at best. However the car does feel solid and has been extremely reliable even with 76k miles on it. My Camry suffers from some of the quirks mentioned by other owners (lurching transmission when at a stop, sluggish acceleration response on highway etc.) but I have had no major issues and have not sunk any money on repairs outside of normal maintenance. I test drove a 2006 Hyundai Sonata and a 2003 Infinity Q35 and they felt cheap compared to the quality of the Camry. Though, the G35 and Sonata do look so much better!

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  2004 camry xle 4cyl - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By rgpharmd - December 11 - 2:00 am

  quiet, comfortable ride, easy to turn, very roomy inside, everything standard

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  Keeps on going - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By scott - December 9 - 5:16 pm

  We bought our 96 LE Sedan ( basic LE, no additional options ) in 1999 with about 34K on it. Still own it and drive it every day, one of the best cars Ive ever owned. Had to replace an AC sensor a few years back and solenoid contacts last year, but other than that noting but oil changes and routine maintenance. Still gets 30mpg plus on the highway too. Boring to look at and drive, but very economical, reliable and an all around great car.

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  A Must Have! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Neno8403 - December 9 - 8:33 am

  I traded-in my 2002 Camry LE for this baby. I miss my 02 but the 07 is worlds better. There are so many interior improvements and well as engineering improvements. I am in-love with my moonroof, 440 watt 6-disc stereo system, and the interior gauges that illuminates in blue is probably my favorite. The automatic headlights are extremely convenient and the bluetooth speakerphone system has been the blessing of all blessings. The calls are loud and clear and no one can even tell that I am talking on a true "car phone". Great pick and the car IMO is worth that thousands extra over the Hyundai Sonata.

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  Going Downhill! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Sylvester - December 6 - 11:26 pm

  I purchased my SE Camry two months ago and already Im seeing significant issues. First off, this car is slug and sometimes hesitates 1-3 seconds before moving. Second, the cruise control is horrible and virtually unusable due to the constant downshifting if the road is not completely flat. Third, the engine is very noisy and the dealership told me that all 4 cyl. Camrys sound that way. Going in a drive-thru at McDonalds is almost embarrassing with the knocking noise bouncing off the wall. The car has only 3,000 miles on it and it sounds as though Im driving a 10-year old vehicle. Looks are great and interior is comfortable, but itÂ’s not worth buying given the quality issues.

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  Excessive problems - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By NIki - December 6 - 10:00 am

  I cant believe that this vehicle has the reputation that it does! My vehicle has been in the dealership for 7 separate warranty problems. I have wasted too much of my own time in the dealership waiting for my car to be repaired. I have asked the dealer to make arrangements for appointments or a loaner to accomodate me for excessive problems with my vehicle and they are not willing to help. I will not buy another Toyota product.

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  Camry 2004 - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By docbarok - December 6 - 10:00 am

  Very smooth drive, I feel confident driving on the interstate. Safety ratings are a plus.