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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  Nice Car, But... - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By CW - September 15 - 5:10 pm

  I recently purchased this certified pre-owned vehicle. Smooth, quiet ride, but gas mileage isnt what I had hoped. My 1998 Oldsmobile seemingly got better mileage. I purchased the car for reliability, dependability, more importantly, for fuel efficiency. I did a lot of in-town driving & it was less than the advertised 24 mpg.

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  Annoying Shifting - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By Annoying Shifting - September 14 - 11:33 am

  I have had the car only a little while and drive in a lot of stop and go traffic to and from work. I can already tell that this is not the car for driving in heavy traffic. The up and down shifting is jerky and the car does not provide a smooth ride. I almost want to go back to my 1998 camry which has a smoother ride at low speeds! I wish there was traffic when I took the test drive so I could have noticed this before buying...

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  Perfect family sedan, good on gas - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By MJB-PHD - September 13 - 12:20 pm

  Have owned this Camry almost 6 months now and love it. Got the upgraded LE package to include sunroof, alloy wheels, and a few other little add ons. Love the bluetooth hands free feature. Very good on gas, plenty of power, a little hesitant at times when you step on it, but that is to be expected when driving a four cylinder vehicle. Interior ergonomics are comfortable with all cluster gauges in full view. Exterior has a more aggressive stance than previous models, with aerodynamic lines that compliment the vehicles overall appearance.

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  Quiet but a bit boring - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By hurls - September 13 - 5:40 am

  This is my first Toyota. I narrowed it down to the Accord, Fusion and Camry. Chose Camry because I got the best deal. After factoring the Toyota 0% for 60 months it made Camry several thousand less than the others. I have had the Camry for a few days and each day I like it better. Feels solid and a very quiet ride. First tank of gas was only 24mpg with 60% Freeway/30% City. I think I am going to be very happy with this vehicle for years to come. Its just not a smile on your face, blast to drive.

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  Dependable car but uncomfortable seats - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Shelly - September 12 - 10:20 pm

  I bought this car for the dependability and easy handling. You dont need muscles to turn the steering wheel or stop the car. However, the drivers seat is uncomfortably hard and I hurt after a few minutes of highway driving. Also theres no lateral support. The head thing hits me when Im on the road. I never feel like I can relax in the seat. I have to sit leaning forward, lumbar deflated, grasping the wheel at 10 and 2, or Im in pain. Ive had pains around my hip muscles and lower back since buying this car. Also, I cant see behind me when backing out of parking space due to pillars. Otherwise, it has a nice ride and looks good.

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  Dream Car - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Tom - September 12 - 10:33 am

  We test drive Sonata, Galant, and Altima, but when we drove Camry we knew this is it. It cost us a little bit more but its worth it. This car is perfect. Me and my wife just love to drive. If you look for perfection then buy a Camry.

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  I Love It. - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By WLamey - September 12 - 8:26 am

  Great performance, great gas mileage (even with the V6), superior quality - I always thought of a Camry as just a practical family sedan. It is all that and more. Its fun to drive and I love the luxury.

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  Long lasting - 1996 Toyota Camry
  By Shelby - September 12 - 5:14 am

  I have had this car for about 11 years now and it is still going strong! It is at 302,000 miles on it and has had no major problems. It hasnt needed anything besides routine maintainance and a new battery. I will be sad when my Camrys time comes. Very reliable car.

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  Awesome vehicle - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Jody - September 12 - 2:00 am

  I was so scared to buy a 2007 Camry after reading the reviews. so glad I did. Great car. I had it checked out by a local mechanic we trust, he gave me the thumbs up and Ive been very please. I own a new Honda accord and love them both. I would highly recommend the Camry to anyone interested in a reliable, comfortable, efficient and safe car!

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  Great - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By wu - September 11 - 5:33 pm

  Our Camry is great! It was really comfy but not too quiet but still refine. The DVD player sounds great, but we sometimes complain about the "Welcome to Camry". And most important thing is the engine, even with low hp our Camry is still really fast. So it is great!!!