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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  Absolutely blown away! - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By gexproguy - November 16 - 2:19 pm

  After shopping and testing about a dozen good-gas-mileage sedans (Altima, Accord, Prius, Venza, etc.) I (almost accidentally) sat in the Camry SE at a Hertz lot in Roseville. I was afraid to admit it felt super comfortable (I drive an average of 5-6 hours a day) because I really didnt want to buy a Camry (thought of it more as a girls car). I decided to take it for a spin and WOW! It was really a fun car! Took some hi-G curves, whomped on the accel, smoked the tires and and broke hard. Decided right then to buy it. I bought it for $16K as a rental return with 38K mi. I thought I might have buyers remorse but every day I drive it I love it more!

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  Camry dream machine - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By camryhappy11 - November 16 - 7:59 am

  My Camry drives as well as my BMW did, it handles like a dream. It looks like a sports car

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  2006 Camry review - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By Tom - November 15 - 9:26 pm

  I have driven this car now for almost two years and have not had a single problem with it. Nothing more need be said.

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  Fanastic - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By jeff nicosia - November 13 - 7:38 pm

  Great car just looking for a new one

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  Excellent Car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By asdfbrian - November 13 - 9:00 am

  Bought it used with 30000 miles on it. Looks extremely nice. HUGE trunk. Great interior. No problems yet. Just a reliable car thats enjoyable to drive. Plently of features too. Roomy interior. Very smooth and quiet engine. I would recommend this car new or used to anyone.

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  Where do I start ? - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By yoheyfla - November 13 - 4:50 am

  My Le gets 20mpg c+h up from inaugural 15mpg - touchscreen am/fm radio dangerous - must take eyes off road to touch screen exactly - monochrome style screen has no guis, no gps, no digital radio, no satellite radio, no rearview camera, no BLIS, no Entune, no valet trunk lock (a Camry icon), no voice command, no internet connect, no tire specific inflation values, no fog lamps (corners are very dark), no wireless connect to car features, no sound proofing on underside of car, no sound proofing from gas tank pressurization noises, no rear seat ac vents, no adequate map pockets, no Led accents, no paddle shifters, insufficient ground clearance between front air dam and parking space bumpers...

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  A Great Car for the Money ! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By GHMERRY - November 12 - 3:56 pm

  I finally got rid of my gas-guzzler SUV and bought a Toyota XLE with V6. The sticker said it would get 28 MPG. Being somewhat skeptical, I took it on a 1000 mile trip just after I purchased it. Guess what, it got 28 MPG on the nose! The V6 has plenty of power when needed, it is very comfortable and quiet. I am pleased with the ride for a small sedan and the quality of workmanship is terriffic !

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  Steering Issues - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By GSG - November 11 - 11:10 pm

  I miss the driving experience of my 2006 Camry SE which I traded for the 2009 Camry LE. The 09 body style and interior features are far superior to my 06 Camry but that takes a back seat to the less responsive steering. Soon after delivery it was evident that the car pulled to the left, whether it be interstate or back roads. It had a front end alignment at 5,000, soon after experienced the same issues. I wonder if others have experienced similar problems.

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  great reliability - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By chasmarti - November 10 - 10:00 am

  Great car to drive

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  Great family sedan - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Steve - November 8 - 9:06 am

  Bought this car used with 25K miles on it, but Ive had no problems. This isnt very flashy, just your typical Toyota Camry. It lacks the superior interior of the Accord, in fact the Camrys interior is quite pedestrian with a mediocre dash and cheap plastic coverings. However it is a very smooth ride, quiet engine. Not very sporty, but a reliable people mover.