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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  07 camry - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By KD - September 23 - 7:56 pm

  I used to own a 2000 camry that I had zero problems with. So I got another one. However, this one wasnt the same. The seats are way to low to the ground making long drives uncomfortable. Also, the accelerator is delayed a few seconds which is the most annoying thing Ive ever seen.

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  Very Reliable Car!!! - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By John Luten - September 23 - 12:57 pm

  The car is very low mileage and I have gotten the car serviced on a regular bases. Great Michelin tires.

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  Excellent car with minor gripes. - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By CRF59 - September 23 - 9:30 am

  A superb car for the person who wants practical utility with a dose of performance and refinement. A wonderful drivetrain with great power and smoothness. The styling does not say "Camry" anymore and the interior is mostly excellent - door handles are too hard and plasticky, some rattles especially when cold outside, not overly fond of the center console design. The transmission does occasionally get "confused" and takes a while to select the right ratio, but this does not occur frequently. Acceleration is sufficient to embarrass many true sports cars and I routinely can out-accelerate them in traffic (not that I break any laws - :) ). Replaced my 2003 BMW 325i and Im happy.

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  Test Drive Carefully - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By M.A. - September 22 - 2:50 pm

  The powertrain is lousy! When driving, there is a delay between when you push the accelerator and when the engine starts to rev. My girlfriend always thought I was crazy until she was driving it one day and pushed on the gas to pass someone and the car didnt accelerate for one to two seconds. It is also difficult to transition smoothly from slowing to a stop and accelerating without the car whipping your head back; this is not because of the awesome power; after the kick, there is not much left. I brought this car in to two different dealerships and also called Toyota to complain. They all say that the system is operating properly. Id never buy another Toyota!

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  Outstanding fuel economy - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Bill - September 22 - 12:16 am

  I currently have 1,800 miles on my new Camry and am very please with its smooth, quiet ride, good looks, and outstanding gas mileage. I got 34.2 mpg on the first tank of gas with mixed highway/city driving and 37.4 on a 454-mile highway trip. I just filled up again and the latest mpg was 35.9 with mixed driving. I drive between 55 and 60 mph normally and try to accelerate smoothly to save gas. This is a wonderful car for the money.

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  great car - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By so it goes - September 21 - 10:00 am

  purchased car new and have had no problems. 4 cyc. very realiable. comfort on long trips is excellant. it does appear the drvers seat is showing wear with my limited mileage.

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  Best in the biz - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Mickey Kaline - September 21 - 10:00 am

  Seats are firm and comfortable. Some may say the engine is weak, but it does fine. Great trunk space. Roomy back seat. Handling is secure, but not perfect. Solid suspension.

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  i luvvv my camry - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By stephzbooty - September 21 - 10:00 am

  itz great!! i totally luv my new car..it totally helpz me pick up on tha dudez 2

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  As close to perfect as you get - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By Darin - September 19 - 4:00 am

  Ive had my 98 Camry for 4 years now. It still runs smooth, gets decent mileage, and drives nicely. The only things I have had to fix are the front shocks, a activated charcoal fuel filter (fluke), and I had a problem with starting it the only time I filled up with premium fuel. Go figure. Other than that it runs flawlessly, even with 115k on the odometer.

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  Thumbs up Toyota - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Patty - September 16 - 7:23 am

  Hi folks I just wanted you all to know that when Toyota built this car they did it right with crashes. My 18 yr old was in a rollover, it rolled three times and she walked away with 6 stitches in her left hand and the inside was unharmed. The outside however did what it was designed to do, it broke away from the driver. Thank you Toyota for a well made car. I will be looking for a new one just like this one.