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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  Everything you would expect from Toyota - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By BC - April 6 - 9:13 am

  I drove the Sonata, Accord, and Malibu before choosing the Camry. I enjoyed all the cars except for the Honda. When 0% interest hit I took the Camry out for a spin. This vehicle is smooth, quiet, and surprisingly peppy. I have read the reviews about the interior and I feel that it is very adequate. I also enjoy the ride and like the steering feel. As a commuter or family vehicle you cant go wrong with the Camry. This is my first Toyota and I am impressed thus far.

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  Love My Camry - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By Holly - April 6 - 1:00 am

  I have had my Camry for 10 years and have loved it. It has needed minimal repairs: new brake pads after 5 yrs, new battery after 10 years and a couple mufflers. It is fun and extremely comfortable to drive, and in fact is the only vehicle seat that doesnt aggravate my back condition. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

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  Lots of Noise - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Rex Higgins - April 5 - 10:00 am

  Lots of noise with this new car. 1st the windows. Dealer replaced window regulator & slider but only help a little. Still got window rattle noise. 2nd noise is an odd ticking or snapping noise coming from the rear center dash area. It sounds as if there something like plastic that is rubbing against each other. It happens sporadically, but is really annoying. The dealer cant fix it and the dealer called Toyota for a fix, but Toyota says no fix. Anyone riding in the car remarks about the noise and surprised seeing thats its in a almost new car.

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  Lexus Wannabe - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Thomas Corcoran - April 4 - 11:21 pm

  I bought this car because it had the same drivetrain as the Lexus ES that year, except the Camry was lighter (therefore quicker) and $7K cheaper. I enjoyed the car all the way, and am only selling it after 138,000 miles because now I can afford a Lexus ES.

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  camry rating - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By rcfuccillo - April 4 - 3:06 am

  Visibility to rear not so good. Reflections on rear windshield interferes with visibility especially at night. Accleration is just adequate, could be better.

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  I only sat in the 2018 SE - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By Alan D. - April 3 - 2:47 pm

  I have long legs. I sat in a 2018 SE and was pleased to find a little more front legroom than in my 2015 SE. Take it for a test drive on a coarse road to determine if road noise is considerably quieter than in the previous model. Be aware that new tires are quieter than tires with 30k miles on them. My 2015 SE is a little noisy on coarse roads, but not as bad as an Accord or Mazda 6. I dont really mind that, but have been in vehicles with a little less road noise. Other than that, if the 2015-2017 SE handles well enough for you, you may want to consider the 2018 LE for its smoother, quieter ride. You may prefer its lighter steering if you found the steering a bit heavier than preferred in the 2015-2017 SE. If you prefer better handling and a heavier steering feel, the SE and XSE may be your cup of tea. Of course, looks, standard features, and available options will matter.

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  Great Everyday Car - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By Lance - April 3 - 11:01 am

  We purchased this vehicle in September this year which just happened so randomly since we are only at the dealership for my wifes 2013 Corolla maintenance service, we saw the car and fell in love with it. Toyota did a very good job with this car compare to previous Camry models, very comfortable ride and the 4-cylinder actually very powerful for me, great handling on tight corners, cabin noise is minimal but it can be a little loud when speeding on the freeway. Toyota App is very annoying it will ask you to connect to your cellphone every single time you start the car, very poor Bluetooth connection and registration to every single music app is required dont not why it keeps on logging me off, cant use Pandora directly from the app, instead ill use the app from my phone. Toyotas GPS app full function is required to be connected thru USB port which is very inconvenient for users and feels archaic. Center console material used is a dust magnet and looks very cheap, I have OCD and I have to wipe it off every single time to keep it from dust and smudges. As of this moment the car is in the dealership to check my moon roof that keeps on squeaking that can be very destructive when driving.

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  Camry fails my expectation!! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By ToHo - April 3 - 10:50 am

  I bought my Camry March 07, its at 4000 miles. Overall the car did not fulfill my expectation. It failed! The car hesitates as many already pointed out. The brake doesnt respond promptly, sometimes it jerks forward when you step on brake, after almost a second it slows down and the brake is very very soft! The fuel efficiency never gets the number that Toyota advertises. After 3000 miles, highway only gets 28~29 mpg. City, awful, < 22. After one week, I found a rusted conjunction block, which mounts the transmission. I dont know how and why? I sent the car to dealer, they have not decided what to do (fix or replace). The air conditioning is very weak.

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  Toyota camry xle = luxury car - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Eric - April 2 - 4:22 am

  This car has everything a luxury car has. It has rear sunshade, rear air vents, woodgrain, power seats, 6 disc changer, and the best sound system ive ever heard from factory.This car is super reliable it now has 230000 miles. Only maintance was oil changes tires had to replace valve cover because had leak but other than that its been excellent. It has a very quiet and smooth ride. Im keeping this one until engine dies

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  I love this car!!!!!!! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Brian - March 31 - 6:06 pm

  Bought this Camry at a great price. Excellent value for the money. Dealer Service has been excellent.