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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  Interior not up to Toyota standard - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By sue - July 18 - 9:56 am

  I currently own my second 2000 Camry and this is my fourth Camry. I love the security in knowing it is going to get me where I need to go and bring me home. However I have a complaint about the quality of the intereior devices, I have had to replace door handles, the motor for the rear window had to be replace and we do not use the window often at all. The seat is wobbly and the mirror cover on the visor is broken. On the door arm rest the part around the window buttons is coming away from it. I suggest if you have any problems go ahead to your dealer and maybe they can replace it for cheaper.

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  SE V-6 - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By nashvillenapa - July 17 - 11:30 pm

  Love the car! First thing that come to me off the top of my head is the transmission. It seems to hesitate and not know when to shift at times. Ive also had a minor problem with squeaks and rattles from the dash that should not be there. Other than that, I love the power, handling, quiet ride, and a great JBL sound system.

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  2007 Camry LE - Great Car - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By toyota_owner1 - July 17 - 4:53 am

  I purchased my 2007 Camry LE with 5000 miles. The car has now 57K. I have changed the oil and driven this car ever since I bought it and I am very happy with the purchase. The only problem that I have had was the check engine light came on at about 35k and there was an O2 sensor in the Charcoal Canister. This car is a very reliable car and requires very little maintenance if you treat it right. When you buy this car used with more than 50k, you take on the risk of having problems because you dont know how the previous owner(s) have treated this car, which is the only reason that I can think of about the negative reviews below. Overall, very happy with this car and would definitely buy again

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  Best used car Ive ever owned. - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By srichey - July 15 - 12:56 pm

  Great commuter car. I owned the car for four years and really took it through the paces and it never gave me any problems at all. Its not a Porsche but its dependable and the mileage is decent.

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  Loved My Camry - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By emilydfeist - July 14 - 11:53 am

  I loved my Camry! It was always reliable. I wrecked it this past saturday and i almost cried! I hit a deer but the car held up well! I had it for almost 3 years and the only problems it had was an oil leak..but it wasnt anything major..honestly i never fixed it because it never gave me any problems. I had to replace a few parts earlier this year but thats expected on a vehicle its age. Over all a wonderful car. Unfortunately the 2005 Toyota i was looking to buy has bad reveiws...maybe they should go to making it the way they used to.

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  Poor Quality - Sooo Slow - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By CAR REVIEW - July 14 - 4:33 am

  This car is so slow, it takes at least 15-20 seconds to get up to highway speeds of 55+. It is hard to merge into traffic, you can put the gas pedal to the floor and the motor makes loud sounds but the car barely moves forward. The gears shift very rough. The exterior and interior are nice. This is not the Toyota quality I was expecting. With less then 3,500 miles I am very disappointed and will be trading this car soon.

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  So nice I wish I had a longer commute - 2017 Toyota Camry
  By Mike Miranda - July 12 - 2:40 am

  Ive had two used Camrys prior to this one. This is my first brand new Camry and Im impressed with the quality of the car. I wanted something that was dependable and looked sharp. I will never understand those who say the Camry has a ho hum look when its obvious most of the other car makers copy the Camry style. The 4 cylinder engine is quiet and responsive. My only complaints are the SE ride is a lot firmer than the LE and too many Camrys only come with a base entertainment system. I had to really search for one with HD and satellite radio with connected navigation. All controls are laid out well and are easy to use. If youve had a Camry before youll feel right at home. The extra information on the info screen between the tach and speedometer is very handy.

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  Pretty Satisfied - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By mainecamrydriver - July 11 - 10:00 am

  All in all a great car. A few minor defects that the dealer has taken care of on warranty like roof molding loosening and "chrome" on the interior door latch peeling. Drives great and in completely reliable. Also feel very safe due to the larger size of the car and being surrounded by airbags. I think of it as a sporty version of a vanilla car.

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  No Regrets - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Dan - July 11 - 7:13 am

  I have owned my Camry for only 2 months; however, I have not had a single problem with it. As everyone says, the ride is very smooth and quiet. The car is truly a pleasure to drive. All of my friends and family compliment the car. My passengers are expecially happy with it and love the room, comfort, and adjustability. On longer trips, however, they have a tendency to fall asleep--which I think emphasizes how comfortable, smooth, and quiet it is. The car is also well loaded with features--many of which are adjustable. The 4 cylinder Camry has sufficient hp and acceleration for reasonable merging and passing; however, a bit more would go a long way.

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  Just a "Blah" Car... - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By LordJoeChi - July 10 - 12:46 pm

  We had a 1988 Toyota Camry that ran forever with no problems. This is our second Camry and to be honest, I am a little disappointed. I also had a 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier VL Coupe that had less power and was a "smaller" car yet had better pick-up and a LOT more interior room which for me, is a big deal because I am over 65" and the 1998 Camry just doesnt fit me well at all. Its SUPPOSED to have something like 80" of overall room but it doesnt seem to. Also, the seats, well, they are pure CRAP. No support for hips, thighs, back or anything. Yeah, they are soft but after a little while, it feels like sitting on concrete blocks. Otherwise, everything else about the car is just blah.