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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  Happy with my 2010 Camry SE V6 - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By SH Jones - November 17 - 9:33 pm

  I have enjoyed my 2010 Camry SE V6 since purchasing it new in late 2009. Have experienced no problems so far (recall related or otherwise) and enjoy excellent customer service at Nalley Toyota in Roswell. This vehicle offers great versatility, design and features for the money. Also think its a big plus this car is made by US workers. Perfect for business use or as a family cruiser.

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  Transmision - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By T.K. - November 15 - 10:56 am

  I purchased this car used in 2004 because of its reputation. Its been very reliable, only wearable parts needed to be replaced. Although when I first got it, I was spending a small fortune trying to keep the check engine off, just learned to live with it (they really need to fix their sensors). For 5 years it has been a good daily commuter, until last week when the transmission went out, which will cost $3000 to replace. Its a lot of money for a car with 135K. I was planing on driving this car for at least another 50K, most cars now a days will run at least 150K.

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  Transmission Problems - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By JC @ Franklin, Tn - November 14 - 9:50 pm

  The 5-speed transmission on the V6 is dangerous. When you pull into from traffic and accelerate there is too long a lag time before the car begins to move and then it takes too long to get up to speed. The transmission kickdown to pass can take 1.5 to 2 secs before it kicks in. Almost had a wreck because of it.

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  Size does matter - 2016 Toyota Camry
  By Rob Crews - November 13 - 3:34 pm

  Its lower to the ground compared to vehicles Ive rented. This makes it difficult getting out, not so much in getting in.

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  Watch out for the Mildew Smell - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Camry Owner - November 10 - 9:28 pm

  After taking my car several times for problems - I am now stuck with a terrible smell (mildew smell) coming from my vents. They say this is a defect and they are trying to work on the over all issue but nothing they can do at this time. SOOOOO instead of a new car smell I get a smelly basement smell. YAY!

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  Solid Car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Richard - November 10 - 4:23 am

  Ill echo what other folk are saying. Bought mine new in 2005 and have had no problems at all, not even a burnt bulb. I think Im at 83,000 miles or so now. I put Goodyear Tripletreads on around 40,000 as I didnt like the factory tires, and the Tripletreads greatly increased braking power, corner, and wet-condition handling. I usually get low 30s gas mileage for mix driving and mid thirties for long highway trips. Just be smart and buy this car if youre looking. Oh, and change the in-cabin air filter at least once a year to help with inside fog.

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  2007 camry XLE V6 - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By mikki - November 10 - 4:06 am

  I bought my Camry in June 2006 and I have to say overall I am impressed. I now have app.12000 miles on it and have very few complaints. The acceleration is very quick and the ride is fairly quiet and smooth. However I have noticed an irritating rattle on the left upper dash speaker. There have also been a few isolated incidences where I have noticed a delayed surge in the transmission, which once put me in a potentially dangerous situation. Ive read other reviews stating that the leather seats were not comfortable for long drives due to lack of cushion support, but thats not been the case for me especially after recently driving from Houston to Key West, Fla. The seats were very comfortable.

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  Great, safe economical reliable car - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By K - November 9 - 3:53 pm

  I purchased this 2000 toyota camry LE with 50,000 miles, certified. Now, I have just under 75,000 on it. Still has a great ride, performance, and handling. The 4 cyl engine gets well over 30 mpg highway, and has nice power. I like the standard power features, including the power seat. NEVER any problems with the car!!

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  Not a bad vehicle - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By bbb - November 9 - 10:00 am

  I bough the car in florida for use in NYC. It had 82K miles at the time, 102K now. The car has been very reliable, just wear and tear, breaks, plugs, oil. However, the car is not suitable for use in the New York Metro area becuase the suspension cannot withstand the potholes. I have had to replace all engine mounts and now the front struts and strut mounts are gone, a 500 dollar job that I am not about to do becuase it is not a safety issue. A friend with a 97 camry has the same problem. So, I think the car is a great choice for a used vehcile, just realize that it will not come uscathed from NYC potholes.

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  I am 18 Years Old - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By Romeo - November 9 - 10:00 am

  I am 18 Years old To me the car needed to become more sporty so I have made some changes to the car performance wise. The car alone does need some help in handling and some pick up. I have added an air intake which has boosted HP by about 15 HP. I have also added 17 inch rims that are wider that help give it awesome traction around curves and I notice I donÂ’t have to break around certain turns that, because the car sticks so well to the ground. I have not had any mechanical problems yet. Personally this isnÂ’t the best car for a person my age.