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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  Shame of Toyota - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By New Englander - July 23 - 2:16 am

  We purchased our 2004 Camry in June 2004. However, its quality does not match "Toyota" brand. One rear tyre went flat at 3000 miles and was fixed by the dealer. Another rear tyre totally blew on the highway at 13000 miles. These are not covered under warranty. One transmitter was broken after one year. The rear left door could not be opened from inside. Fortunately, it is still under warranty and was fixed by the dealer. Gas mileage: 17-20 (local), highway 32.

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  08 Camry LE 4cyl - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Stephen - July 21 - 3:36 pm

  Even with a 4cyl the Camry still has plenty of power but can react slowly. As one would expect, I have had no problems with the car except for low pressure in one tire. Getting actual mileage around 26 highway (set cruise - 50 miles round trip) and 18 city during first 1k miles. I think this could be due to the automatic transmission slipping.

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  Our second SE V6 - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Oly - July 20 - 3:40 pm

  We found a lot of value in our 04 SE V6 so when we shopped a new car we looked for the same platform in a 2009. So far we are very pleased with the upgrades and the same solid performance and value we expected from the SE V6. It sits lower despite the bigger wheels and has a quieter and more "planted" ride than the older model. The brakes are excellent and the engine power is enhanced by the upgraded 6 speed transmission.

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  Honda Fans new Camry - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Marko - July 20 - 5:33 am

  My Camry LE 4 cyl 5 speed auto has about 3,800 miles now. In suburban driving (avg 35 mph, few stops) and highway (avg 78 mph mostly cruise control), my day in, day out suburban/highway combined mileage is 28 mpg. The car is comfortable and attractive, but has mushy handling and a constantly shifting auto trans. The car is unstable driving in gusty winds. The ergonomics arent as good as my 2000 Honda Accord. I bought the Camry because I just couldnt stand the looks of the 2008/9 Accord. Interesting that my Camry requires oil changes at 5,000, while the Accord was listed as 7,500. My Camry stereo has intermittent failure, but other than that, cars delivered quality was good.

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  Zombie car - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By KczKool - July 19 - 7:57 am

  This is the best car I have ever owned. Never have had any mechanical issues. My Camry just keeps going, never going to die. The paint/clear coat is peeling badly. Alas it is time to say goodbye. It will cost more to smog with repairs than car is worth.

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  Camry is the Best! - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Justin Booher - July 18 - 5:46 pm

  We got mechanics input on the Camry for a year before we actually purchased and they were right on--its a superb vehicle and is all the car we need. We put on many miles and the fuel efficiency is excellent. If I were to buy again I would probably choose the V-6 over the 4 cylinder for get-up-and- go power but I think our 4 cylinder gets better mileage. Wonderful sound system, comfortable ride, and tons of space! I think that is the thing that decided us on the Camry over anything else-- it has a very nice roomy interior -- much more so than most of its competitors. Overall--9.8!

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  Great Car - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By TRH - July 18 - 12:33 am

  I traded in my 2004 Volvo S60 for a 2010 Toyota Camry LE and could not be happier with my decision. After having my 2004 Volvo S60 in the shop over 12 times last year for repairs I decided after more research to purchase a Camry. My Volvo was good until I hit 40K and after that it was down hill. I know the Camry will be better and hope to get a good ownership experience. So far I am very pleased with my purchase and would chose simplicity, quality, reliability, dependably, value, and long term durability over any Euro car again.

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  LOVE my Camry! - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Erin - July 17 - 9:50 pm

  I purchased my Camry two years ago and am in love with it today as much as when I drove it off the lot. It handles beautifully on dry pavement or snow. It floats on the road, handles like its heavy and substantial, but I get great gas mileage - around 30 mpg. Its also very easy to park; turns on a dime. I do a lot of interstate driving, and its by far the best car Ive owned (prior cars were Jetta, Civic, 2 Accords, Altima and Prelude). If youre considering a Camry, you wont regret getting one!

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  Cant beat em - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By goinpstl - July 17 - 9:12 pm

  This is my second Camry (03) and sorry, but you just cant get a better mid-sized sedan anywhere. Improved styling inside and out.

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  Toyota Camry - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By JLY - July 17 - 10:00 am

  Excellent automobile, excellent value.