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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  Dealer Mistake - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By ScotR - January 21 - 2:00 am

  I think the dealer made a mistake and gave me a $50,000 Lexus instead of the $19,000 Camry that I bought. At least it feels like it. The car is great. It does everything right.

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  Gr8 CAR - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By Steven Gonsalves - January 20 - 3:00 am

  Overall The 2012 CAMRY Has Been an Outstanding Vehicle. I purchased it NEW Oct 2012- Have owned it almost 4 Years & have NEVER had a problem. I went the full 3 years warranty with NO ISSUES........ Now have Only 36,000 Miles & Runs & Looks Like NEW.......

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  Great 95 camry - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By mike1948 - January 20 - 1:13 am

  Most dependable car I have ever owned. Great gas mileage (28.73) for 160,000 miles. Tracking is weak and power could be better.

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  Very Fast, Corner Carver - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By Jeff from Pittsburgh - January 19 - 10:43 pm

  This car is awsome, you can do 0-60 in 7.8 seconds, also this thing will go around corners like nothing. After about 3 hours the seats get uncomfortable, and the rear seat cup holder broke, but was fixed by the dealer under warranty. This car only has 42000 miles on it in 2006, and still looks and runs like new.

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  TOYOTA CAMRY = EXCELLENCE - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By tpmedia - January 19 - 10:00 am

  This is my third Camry. It is the best one so far. Amazingly reliable and trouble free. Fun to drive. Comfortable. Roomy. Elegant. Dependable. Not one repair of anything in three years. You cannot find better value.

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  Disappointing Tranny - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Dissappointed - January 18 - 8:53 am

  Im normally a loyal Toyota purchaser, but not sure after purchasing my new 2008 Toyota Camry. Toyota has always had good reputation for great running, reliable car, but the transmission in this car is the worst ever. Like other drivers have said, its sluggish. Shifts often and hard, especially on an incline and on cruise control. Hesitates when accelerating after slowing down. A nightmare using cruise control when I went on vacation. The driver seat could use more upper lateral support as I tend to lean out of the seat towards the center. Ill keep the car as long as I can and probably trade it in.

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  Great Car!! - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Geno Z - January 17 - 11:40 pm

  This is a very sharp car that has a awesome ride and offers a very sporty ride! It has all the power you will need and gets very good gas mileage. Great on long trips and handles very well. Third Toyota I have bought and will continue to buy. Very dependable car.

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  My First Camry - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By David - January 17 - 7:13 pm

  Just purchased my first Camry last month. I liked and test drove all of the available packages for model year 2009. I opted for the 2009 SE with the 4 cylinder. This is a superb vehicle. It has all the convenience of a four door with a large trunk and yet has the looks of a sports car. I chose the 4 cylinder strictly based on the economy. The vehicle hugs the road. If you do a lot of Autobahn type driving purchase the SE and you will enjoy the sport tuned suspension. GREAT vehicle in this price range. The carpeted wheel wells, trunk lid, and engine compartment create a VERY quiet cabin.

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  Poor finish on bumper and mirrors - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By ray willis - January 17 - 6:43 pm

  My third Camry and by far the worst, the paint is of poor quality. I wax regularly and still get pits in paint from "bugs". Paint and clear coat are poor. Poor transmission. Tire wear is a problem. Had to replace tires at 20,000 miles. Lots of road noise. Tried 3 sets of tires. Wish I had my 2002 Camry back. The muffler sounds like a motorcycle

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  Year 1 Review... Not that satisfied - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Byron K - January 17 - 9:30 am

  Ive had my car for 1 year this month. During the first year the dealer replaced my shocks because they were going bad. I was told this is happening to cars in cold areas. My car makes various noises depending on the time of year. I hear a squeak/crackling noise coming from the radio in the winter/fall, but not when its warm. The car actually makes noises like a house settling. The radio periodically goes from Auxiliary to the FM radio for no reason. I have driven Chevys and Fords that seem to be built better than this car. Now I will either trade it in and lose the 1 year of payments put into it or keep it and hope the engine proves to be as reliable as everyone else thinks.