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:

• 

  After a Year Good Overall Except in Snow - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By dan_o - October 28 - 3:25 am

  After a year and 15,000 miles, I am happy overall with my purchase. The interior is very comfortable on long drives, the fuel economy of a four cylinder is great compared to a V6, handling in curves is decent for a family sedan, the exterior is stylish and I like knowing it has good crash test scores. The major complaint I have are: (1) Trans still hunts at times, though is much better than when new and (2) Traction Control and ABS braking do not work well in snow. TC is very grabby when starting up from a stop, and ABS brakes chatter a lot when stopping in snow.

• 

  I like it - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By LittleMaster - October 27 - 10:06 pm

  I never liked toyota before, but this car is great.

• 

  My first Toyota - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By bl78 - October 27 - 4:43 pm

  I have been in the Honda / Acura family for years. Currently own 07 Acura MDX but traded my 06 Honda Civic with 77k miles. Civic was good in many ways but it was small, too much wind noise and lacked power which was not fun to drive on a long road trip. I didnt want to purchase a new Honda or Acura for other reason. Im not a fan of the Accord exterior design and didnt want to pay extra $$$ for the Acura TSX V6. I chose the Camry for many reasons. Its not luxurious like an Acura or BMW but its satisfactory with the exterior design, space and the comfort of the V6 drive. Some people may differ depending on what vehicle they used to drive but I enjoy the ride of the V6 Camry SE.

• 

  My first car - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By anesidora916 - October 26 - 9:40 am

  I love my Camry! This was my first car, I got it at 161k 2 years ago. We have put way more than the car is worth in repairs, but all are reasonable considering the car is 17 years old and now has 204k on it. The distributor went out in May. The oil leak has been repaired numerous time and still persists; once leaked on the rotor and caused car to die. With a V4 its not very fast. Ive kept up with all maintenance but I inherited the car with some electrical problems; reverse lights dont work. I think my transmissions about to go. Car barley passed smog this year because the timing is off, engine needs a tune up. Regardless of the problems its been an awesome first car!

• 

  A great purchase - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By tappan01 - October 25 - 9:56 pm

  After 12 years of GM cars, this Camry is a breath of fresh air! I love the way the car rides, handles (plenty of power with the 6cyl). Im not crazy about the "smart Start" button stop/start - would like to feel those keys in my hand. The only problems I find with this car are minor design changes I would like to see: Poor "visibility" when backing the car up (cant see around the headrest. Trunk should lock in place when open. Seat belt placement is to low on seat - difficult to clasp. Cannot read printout on radio during day. All in all this is a great car for the money. Exactly the same as the Lexus ES350 except for some of the refinements.

• 

  Camry vs Accord - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By DK - October 25 - 1:00 pm

  I purchased a Lunar Mist 2006 Camry SE 6cyl auto. I have previously owned 4 new Accords (90,94,98,03) but this is my first Camry. I chose the Camry because it is much quieter, roomier, and smoother on the road than the Accord. The dash layout is better (even the steering wheel audio controls are lighted). The 03 Accord quality was not up to my expectations. The Camry SE is sportier and handles much better. Both V6s have plenty of power, and the Accord did get a MPG or so better, but the Camry more than makes up for that in everyday driving pleasure... very easy to live with.

• 

  Great... again! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Our 5th Camry - October 25 - 12:30 pm

  This is our 5th Camry. Our first Camry was an 89. Its still in the family as I gave it to my 72 yo Mom about 8 years ago. We had 2 - 94s (mine and my wifes). We replaced my 94 with the 02 Camry 3 years ago (running great), and just 3 months ago we replace my wifes 94 with the 05 Camry. Having driven my 02 Camry for 3 years, I was surprised by the even smoother ride of the 05 Camry. ABS brakes are now standard & we opted for the side-impact-air-bag option so we feel safer.

• 

  Cheap Plastic - Rear Speaker Covers - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By philip - October 24 - 8:10 pm

  Cosmetic and annoying. Plastic rear speaker covers in the LE crumble after 4 years and fall into the speakers. Toyota refuses to reimburse for replacement covers. Poor design choice and a hassle to owners.

• 

  Cant beat a Toyota - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Javi - October 24 - 7:18 pm

  My review is based on the 4cyl Se 2016 Camry. I have owned the vehicle for a while and by far beats my friends BMW same year. I have never had to take it to the dealer just for its normal check ups which include oils changes,tire rotation etc etc. I use this car as a daily driver and drive about 35 miles per day and about 60 on weekend days. Its comfortable. Quiet. Sound system is great. You cannot expect for the car to be fast when its a 4cyl none turbo. But the cars performance is great and its great on gas. Im not willing to get less miles per gallon for more horse power. It fits great if you drive it everyday and its very spacious. Great back seat space and huge trunk. My neighbor has a Toyota Camry 1999 and has over 200k miles. Toyota is the way to go in my opinion. I highly recommend it.

• 

  Cant beat a Toyota - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Javi - October 24 - 7:18 pm

  My review is based on the 4cyl Se 2016 Camry. I have owned the vehicle for a while and by far beats my friends BMW same year. I have never had to take it to the dealer just for its normal check ups which include oils changes,tire rotation etc etc. I use this car as a daily driver and drive about 35 miles per day and about 60 on weekend days. Its comfortable. Quiet. Sound system is great. You cannot expect for the car to be fast when its a 4cyl none turbo. But the cars performance is great and its great on gas. Im not willing to get less miles per gallon for more horse power. It fits great if you drive it everyday and its very spacious. Great back seat space and huge trunk. My neighbor has a Toyota Camry 1999 and has over 200k miles. Toyota is the way to go in my opinion. I highly recommend it.