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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  Value-ablility - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By bman - January 14 - 7:16 pm

  Just at 173K and this car has been as reliable as could be. Other than actual scheduled maintenance, we have little or no "other" stuff to do to this car. I wish I would have put leather into the car. I did put a XM radio and upgrade the music system at 130K and its well worth it. My 18 y/o son wants this car and we think it could go another 100K or better.

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  We are a Camry Family - 2014 Toyota Camry
  By Mr. C - January 14 - 3:43 am

  My four children each had a camry to drive to school. Safe and dependable. My Camry is a 2014 and a half. The SE sport is a far nicer vehicle than the LE. The LE interior is just sad. The SE sport interior is very nice. Love the paddle shifters. Just drove 1500 along the West Coast. Traffic on mountain roads going down hill would get to 75 and 80 miles per hour. Hard to keep control going downhill at high speeds. I could paddle shift down to reduce speed. I was very grateful for the extra control the car had by downshifting. Love my paddle shifters! Did not need to keep pumping brakes to stay at safe speeds. The metal in the side of the car is thin. Someone opened their door and gave me a ding in my front fender. Going to cost me $95. to get it fixed. Smart phones connect well with the car sound system. Too bad it does not work with two phones for my wife and I. It connects to the first phone in the car when it starts. I have over two years of driving on the car and no transmission issues. Excellent acceleration. If the car went any faster I would just be getting speeding tickets. The two year free maintenance was a nice addition. Keeps the car in top condition. Expect to buy another Camry when needed. (Not sure of the production dates for this car)

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  Not Your Common Ride - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By DavidJ - January 14 - 2:00 am

  I set out to buy a Saturn L200 until the salesman had us test drive the Camry and Nissan Altima. The Camry won hands down. Wow, what a difference, for $4K more. This car wraps around you and holds you in its quiet grip as it hurtles you down the highway. 4 adults just took a 2200 mile road trip in comfort. Our fuel economy ranged between 28 and 32.5 MPG. Great with gas cost between $1.53 and $1.60/gal! This vehicle has the ability to get you out of a bind on the interstate. The sound system is sufficent. Smart door locks are a little too smart. Trunk is awesome. We carried everything we needed for a week, with room to spare.

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  Skeptical, but impressed! - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By j.halloffame - January 10 - 10:40 am

  I bought this car in 9/09 to replace my dying 91 Accord with 232k miles. The only reasons I got it was because its a well priced one owner car with 90k miles. I wasnt even considering a Camry in my entire car search. 7/10 and 25k miles later this car is still going STRONG. Only thing Ive done is my oil changes and replaced the tires. Car performs adequate, has enough storage space, and is INCREDIBLY reliable, but it is a Toyota. I plan to keep it for years to come and get it to the same mileage as my Accord had, unless I find a cheap Lexus IS 300 to buy. ;)

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  waste of money - 2015 Toyota Camry
  By Asim - January 9 - 11:51 pm

  I bought this car in a rush.. other wise I would have prefereed same equalant model with Ford. I dont see much difference in 2015 corolla and this LE Camery 2015. which is Almost same even better (fuel economy). I am really sorry for my money I have wasted.

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  The Best Car - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By krasi henkel - January 8 - 9:20 pm

  After owning 10 new American cars with various mechanical and consetic problems and never any help from their manufacturers or dealers, I stopped trying to support the American auto industry and decided to support my personal fiscal policy: elegant, comfortable car, low maintenance, economical, and great to drive. The winner: Toyota Camry!! There is no equal. Now on my 6th Toyota, and still loving it. GM & Ford lost my business through poor service and quality. Not going back. Excellent car, great drive, no problems!!

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  Not Toyotas Finest Effort - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Detectivejojima - January 8 - 7:51 pm

  The car overall is a good car for everyday transportation. Quiet, comfortable and reliable. Not exciting, nor fun to drive, but it does the job. Weak points are struts, which had to be replaced around 40k. Small leaks and very soft, just too soft, and not under warranty. Needed to replace power booster on brakes around 150k. First time on any car Ive owned. Those are expensive fixes. Also, now at 175k mileage, smoke comes out of exhaust when 1st starting in morning, regardless of weather. My mechanic says oil burn, but oil does not drop between oil changes, so not much oil burn, if that is what is causing smoke. But still runs great, no other major problems and I guess its been overall a reliable Toyota, but below my other experiences with my 5 other Toyotas over the years.

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  1999 Camry CE 286K - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By smprescott2010 - January 8 - 2:47 pm

  I have a 1999 4cyl CE that now has 286K and runs very well. Recently replaced the timing belt and gaskets as it started leaking pretty bad. I recently drove it from Wisconsin to California and back with no problems. Toyota did a great job with this vehicle!

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  2007 Camry SE V6 - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Bob - January 8 - 1:03 am

  I just bought this car last week and have fallen in love with it. Loaded this puppy up with every feature and have been very happy. Drives much better than the other Camrys as the suspension is more taut. 17" wheels are very nice looking and the navigation system works like a charm. Just rid of my 2002 BMW for this car. Toyota makes a much better car and the sporty characteristics of this one make the drive just as good. Gas mileage is also amazing for a car with 270 HP!!!

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  Fuel Economy Disappoints - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By cwa - January 7 - 6:26 am

  This model is up to Toyotas standards in build quality and reliability, but it suffers in comparison with my 98 Camry 4 (and my wifes former 97) in two respects. The engine is louder under acceleration, producing a very audible roar, and the fuel economy is less. The 97 and 98, EPA rated at 23/30, achieved 22/31. The 05, EPA rated 24/34, is getting 20/30 at best. If it werent for the clearly inflated EPA rating, my disappointment would be less. Additionally, the dashboard display of avg mpg is consistently 5-6 mpg too high. If it says 36, Im getting 30; if it says 24, Im getting 19. Makes me think Im getting EPA mileage when Im not. How convenient for Toyota!