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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  It is my mistress - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Taadow976 - May 27 - 2:00 am

  I love my Camry so much that my wife considers her the other woman. She is washed weekly and fully detailed monthly. I drive her everyday everywhere and she is extremely reliable. The only drawback is that she is a summer car. In the winter her high performance tires need to be changed when ever there is call for snow and my original equipment Bridgestones only gave me a good 23000 miles. (I am a very aggressive driver)

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  Camry SE is the best! - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Lia - May 25 - 7:10 pm

  I fell in love with this car the second I test drove it. I traded in a 2001 Toyota Highlander because I wanted to get back into a sedan. Its so fun to drive - the pickup is wonderful - and it is so comfortable even on long drives. The bluetooth is nice and I dont have a problem hearing the people on the other end but have had people tell me that sometimes they have trouble hearing me. Overall I am ecstatic about my purchase. No problems thus far. It was part of the recall but the dealership put in all of the new parts overnight which was convenient for me.

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  very poor intune system, - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By girma - May 25 - 5:50 am

  I have 2018 camry se, Im not satisfied with the car ! No happy with the intune system, engine sometime when slow down and acceleration not smooth, all my life was driving camrys but this one going to be my last one really regret buying this car specially SE version just show off!!

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  Classy ride - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By Buffalo Bill - May 25 - 3:20 am

  My Camry V6 SE is quiet and sporty while being classy and fun to drive. Excellent acceleration, handling and engine performance. The only complaint so far was a rattle noise in the center console. My mechanic says it will be a quick fix.

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  nice ride - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By rhernandez - May 22 - 10:30 am

  Clean, smooth and roomy. A bit loud in the car but adequate.

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  Little Annoyances - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By Little Annoyances - May 21 - 11:26 am

  Just took delivery. Great looking car and wonderful performance. Im told they are not available but it was an officials car and it came with the 18" inch alloy wheels [great looking] but the High Performance tires really transmit the slightest road irregularities. My fault for accepting them. Im used to a trip computer which is not available on this car. The nav system is more complex than my needs, yet there is no "simple" driving compass which my wife and have come to rely on. The mirrors dont fold away, and there is no memory option for the drivers seat positions. Small issues to be sure, but Ive had them on previous cars and Ill be sure they are on my next car.

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  Black Beauty - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By jgama - May 21 - 10:00 am

  Handled well on a 500 mile road trip. I wasnt stiff after the drive, I actually relaxed. seats, smoothness,and cruise control excellent. I was never caught between a slow truck and an approaching car. My Camry has guts!

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  Take It For What It Is - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By DCWebGeek - May 21 - 7:43 am

  The 2007 Camry is a great car. It is not meant to be a sports car. It is a sporty sedan. I recommend that you consider getting it in the V6 model because of the cars weight. The 4 cylinder just is not enough power. I love the way my V6 drives. The handling is great. The fuel efficiency of the vehicle is great. I saved so much on gas. If you are looking for a fun sedan, I recommend that you buy it.

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  Disappointed - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By chuck drkae - May 20 - 6:00 am

  After 5 yrs I sold it, the paint was terrible, the gold emblems had all peeled, the interior fake wood trim peeled, the seats looked like a 15 yr old car. Then there was the oil sludge problem, decided to unload it before it died. At 20 grand new it wasnt worth it..

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  A solid choice - 2009 Toyota Camry
  By NYC - May 18 - 4:33 pm

  I leased a 2000 Camry and I find that the 2009 Camry I purchased about 6 weeks ago is a better driving experience for me. The handling is tighter and the car maneuvers easier. If you are looking for a family car that gives you plenty of room and a quiet ride. The Camry is a great choice. The XLE adds the extras like the JBL radio which is standard to the stereo I had in my "07 Lexus IS250! Bluetooth and Homelink are very useful and the heat and radio controls and the steering wheel are convenient.