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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  So far... so good! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By neil0311 - October 30 - 8:50 pm

  Had my XLE V6 for a little more than 30 days and 2K miles. No issues at all. Hwy fuel economy with the V6 is close to many 4 cylinder vehicles. Very quiet and comfortable ride, more than enough power. Cornering is a little sloppy, but on the highway things are very smooth.

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  A reliable car - 2000 Toyota Camry
  By SA - October 30 - 7:30 pm

  ive had this 2000 Camry LE 4 cyl, for about 19 months. So far, it has served me faithfully without any problems (22,000 mi). It is a very easy car to drive and live with, but can get boring sometimes due to lack of character. I drove it to Florida from New York, and back, and it performed exceptionally well. However, the car does feel underpowered at times (135 HP), especially during passing on the highway. Note: this is not the car for someone who likes to drive hard.

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  Hated it! - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Florida Nancy - October 30 - 6:10 am

  I loved my 89 Camry which we had for 13 years til we traded it for an 03. What a disappointment. Never did figure out how to park it straight. I always had to overshoot to get into a parking space. Styling was as exciting as a refrigerator. I traded it in. Dont leave a Camry outside overnight... mine got mildew in the little seams around the car, and if it was wet and I opened the drivers window, water dripped inside right onto the power window buttons. Toyota told me that was OK, I wonder over time if water in the buttons would hurt it? Front and back edges not visible from drivers seat, very hard to judge parking. Wouldnt buy again.

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  Toyota Reliability - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By Camryrose - October 25 - 2:00 am

  Originally traded my T100 to get this car. I was saving to get Camry Solara. This car has been so reliable and economical I couldnt justify selling it after only having it one year. The only maintenance this vehicle has required was the 60,000 mile maintenance, oil changes and a new set of tires.

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  Good - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By Meccaman - October 25 - 2:00 am

  great car

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  Great Car - wish the brakes were better - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By 02 Camry Owner - October 22 - 5:20 pm

  My 02 Camry LE 4cyl has been a great car. Fuel mileage is awesome, interior room is great, and the overall quality is tops. My big complaint is the brakes. They require a lot of pressure to operate them, and even though the stops, it feels weird. Ive heard that other owners have the same complaint.

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  New Car - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By mike - October 21 - 3:33 am

  I drove several sedans from European brands to smaller cars and found the Toyota Camry XLE to be an outstanding value. We have one Lexus and a BMW sedan, but found the Camry more practical with a touch of style and luxury. We are not aggressive drivers and did not miss the sporty handling. We were actually surprised at the reviews on the build quality, but I think it has improved over the last couple of years. The XLE is almost Lexus like with a few less "creature comforts".

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  Think twice before you buy one - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By I Hate Camry - October 20 - 10:00 am

  Prior to purchase my Camry, I heard many good things about it, was I wrong? 136 Hp for the size of this car is a joke. My 93 Nissan Altima has 156 Hp. It screamed, when I needed to accelerate. 3 Months after I bought, it needed a front and back brake system. 1 month later, strut mounts and @ 90K the struts needed to be replaced. Dealer said struts last 90K. I have a 93 Nissan Altima w/ 150K everything is still original. @ 92K the electrical system started acting funny. It kept draining my battery. Thanks to Sears, they replaced battery twice under warranty. If you think this is a good, reliable car, my answer is: You have never seen and driven a good car.

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  I will pass this on to relitives - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By iluvmycamry - October 20 - 10:00 am

  I love my camry. it is a 99 Xle v6 and i bought it in sept. of 01 and i got a deal on it!.It only had 20000 miles and it it fully loaded with rare options on the camry like automatic climate control and dealer instaled jbl sound for only $ 14,500 and it is still worth more than i bought it fore now almost 1 year and 20,000 miles later.Nothing compares to the smooth power and luxurious ride of the camry...well maybe exept for the lexus es300.So if you are thinking about getting a camry go for it they are great cars but i have heard that the 4 cyl. is dissapointing

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  Makes Me Feel Smart - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Gary Kelly - October 20 - 10:00 am

  While not the fanciest car Ive owned, it may be the smartest one. Does everything I need, looks good, is fun to challenge on a winding road.