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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  Thats all? - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By JC - January 19 - 7:53 pm

  I have had the car for over 8 months now and I am a little disappointed with the lack of accceptable engine power on the 4 cyl. Yes, I know is a four cylinder but I thought the engine should have performed better given the changes. Also, the sound system is so poor unless you are willing to spend $3K more to get the JBL and leather interior, which come together. Toyota made unavailable only the sound system for sale, why? I have had Toyotas for over 26 years and this one did not fulfill the expectations for the price.

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  Not a Towncar but fun to drive! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Claire - January 18 - 11:13 am

  I drove a Towncar for over 10 years and then got this Camry. There are a few features I should have gotten; Adjustable gas and brake pedals, tape player, only has CD, Spoiler, and leather seats. Thought cloth was OK but miss my leather seats. But it is a zippy little car, turns on a dime, and very easy steering, very good gas mileage. Im small so fits me fine though a little harder for my husband to get in and out of due to two knee replacements. The trunk is good size with fold down rear seats. It has just been hard from me to go from the big Towncar to this smaller car. I dont LOVE it yet but may get to that point! It is white and tends to show dings more than I like.

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  Great Car - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By untgrad2000 - January 18 - 6:40 am

  I got my Camry from my mom. I am 25 and I do not have a family or need for a big sedan but this car is great. It is the best car I have ever had and it is used. I have 27000 plus thousand miles and no major problems. All my cars until now were new and still the quality is competition for the Camry. The V-6 has enough power for passing on the highway. The leather seats are alittle boring. I prefer the seats that are sport shaped, they make me feel more secure when turning.

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  Very Comfortable - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Brian - January 16 - 8:03 am

  I traded in a 1998 Chevy Lumina for the 2009 Camry LE. So far, the car has met my expectations in every area and exceeded them in a few. The cabin is very comfortable and spacious. I drove the 09 Malibu and while I like it, the cabin felt "closed in" and has a major blind spot toward the back of the rear passenger window - no such issue in the Camry. Car offers plenty of pep when called for and is quiet. My neighbor though I had purchased a hybrid the first time he heard me drive in. While I agree with a professional review that this car is about as exciting as a ham and cheese on white, Ive got enough excitement in my life and love the soothing nature this car provides.

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  Still not as smooth and quiet riding as the competition - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By gemigniani1 - January 13 - 11:27 am

  I bought a base 2015 Camry LE with tall 16" Firestone Affinity tires hoping it would be the softest and quietest riding 2015 Camry available. While fairly smooth and quiet, the 2015 Camry LE is not quite up to the level found in the 2015 Hyundai Sonata and its far behind the very smooth and quiet riding 2015 Ford Fusion. While bump impact harshness is not too bad, the ride still feels busy compared to the Sonata and Fusion because the body structure is not as rigid and dampened against road vibrations. Drivers seat comfort is another area where the 2015 Camry also falls short of the competition. Like the 2012-14 Camrys the drivers seat bottom is short and feels hard after 10 minutes

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  Just RUN! - Burns Oil, Toyota wont fix. - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By John in San Diego - January 12 - 9:15 pm

  At 100k miles, we had to replace both axles, as the CV joints failed. Headliner started falling at 6 years old. The WORST part is the engine: The 4cyl engine, used in a number of Toyotas is junk. They burn oil like crazy. Toyota recognizes the design flaw, but wont fix anything unless the car burns more than a quart of oil per 1,000 miles. Thats NUTS! My Tundra at 170,000 miles burns NO oil!

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  This is Toyota, What more we need? - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Sree - January 12 - 12:03 pm

  Bought this used car at 111K for $4.15K as my second car for wifes schooling. The previous driver is a student, never did the services correctly, I did the 90K service and timing belt change, etc. Changed 4 tires. Now still needs to get all the suspension system (approx $15K) replacement. In any event, Toyota is pretty smooth, quiet and reliable. It will never die on you if you take any sort of reasonable care. I trust Toyota, I trust my car.

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  BEFORE YOU BUY - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Unhappy - January 12 - 6:13 am

  I have owned a Camry for 13 years. Loved my last one 94. I hate this one. It shifts hard, has a lot of play in steering, has quite a few blind spots & the interior is cheap plastic which scratches very easy. My 94 had no play in the steering even with 173K miles on it. I have to keep both hands on the wheel with this one. Headrest very uncofortable when seat is upright. When you test drive make sure you pay attention to all this. I didnt because I thought I couldnt go wrong buying a Camry. Will be trying to sell & buy different car soon & I am a person who keeps my cars till they dont run anymore. I am so disappointed. Beware!

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  Pleased with the Camry - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Karen - January 12 - 4:43 am

  First Toyota Camry purchase. XLE 6 cyl, 3.5 has many features. Average miles: approx. 27 MPG highway miles. Great pickup & fast on the highway.

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  Camry XLE Opinion - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By TangoKid999 - January 12 - 2:36 am

  The Camry XLE V6 is an excellent car, probably one of the most reliable cars on the road today. We have had 0 defects and have spent $0 on repairs in the first 30,000 miles.