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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  My first Toyota - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Smooth Riding - January 6 - 11:30 am

  My first experience with a Toyota. Purchased the Toyota Camry 3 mos. ago. Found the acceleration was excellent. Very comfortable driving. Appears to have good mileage. So far am pleased with the overall performance of this vehicle. Like the looks and styling, both interior and exterior.

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  Great Quality - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Jim Linne - January 4 - 11:50 am

  This is my first Toyota. Ive owned 21 cars over the past 30 years of driving. The camry is quiet, roomy and totaly trouble free. Just under 40,000 miles and still rides and handles like the day I brought it home from the dealer. I love the dash layout, everything in easy reach. 192 HP is more than enough for passing quick acceleration when needed.

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  Best Car I have ever driven! - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Tony Cable - January 2 - 10:00 am

  I have driven BMW, Porsche, Cadillac and several other exotic cars, but none compare to the "feel" of the Toyota Camry. I know the 4 cylinder doesnt have the "pep" of a Porsche, but it still feels great to drive. The combination of comfort, ease of steering, fuel economy and fairly decent acceleration makes it great all- around.

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  Poor engine/transmission performance - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By digitdr1 - January 1 - 9:40 pm

  This car is fine in many respects, but suffers from 1-2 sec. hesitation when applying power while the car is already in motion (from very low speeds to moderate speeds of about 35 mph). Also does not downshift (to allow more engine RPMs and therefore more power) on moderate hills when the gas pedal is pressed. The combination of the weak engine (low torque) at low engine speeds and the transmission hesitation is so bad that the car is, in my opinion, a safety hazard.

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  Solid FAMILY SEDAN (not sports car) - 1997 Toyota Camry
  By RichieRich - December 31 - 1:56 pm

  Bought this vehicle used, with 48,000 miles on it. Has been ultra-reliable (NO repairs other than an O2 sensor). Still drives like its brand new in spite of the 125,000 miles that are on it. Ride is excellent unless pushed hard. (excessive body roll, but this is not a sports car) Excellent balance of power and comfort. Very cheap to maintain. Seats do get uncomfortable for me on long trips. My Goodyear Assurance Triple-treads (tires) are a great match for this vehicle.

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  Great Car - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By Lori - December 31 - 10:00 am

  This is a fun car to drive. It is quiet and comfortable even for my Dad who is 6 foot. I like the dash controls and especially the area that hides all of the Ipod cords. The stereo is great. It looks nice and I have had a lot of compliments on it with people thinking it is a European car? It has gotten 32 mpg on combined driving which is great. Wish I had gone for the leather seats.

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  Bad Ride - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By Kenneth Prickett - December 31 - 10:00 am

  The quality of this transmission is terrible. When getting ready to shift the first time, it makes a clanging noise underneath. Service Dept. says it the ABS Brakes resetting. The valves peck until the car warms up. The clanging in the transmission will continue as driving down the road. Sometimes it sounds like youre driving on gravel. I traded a 2005 Sonata for this car and am very sorry. The service dept. says this is normal in all cars, and thats not true. I dont recommend the Camry and hope they start recalling this vehicle and get it straightened out. Its too much money to spend for junk.

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  ABS Brake NOISE - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By Sandra Dunford - December 31 - 10:00 am

  I am very dissatisfied with my Camry. It jumps out of the garage and before it shifts the first time it makes a clinking noise underneath. Service Dept says its the ABS brakes resetting. This happens every time you start the car. Sometimes it will do it twice or more while driving down the road. Its embarrassing to have people in your car and want to know what the noise is. Sometimes it sounds like you run over a pipe. When driving slow and having to stop a lot, the gears jump and jolt around. Ive called the dealership and California, they all say this is normal. I dont appreciate paying $25,000 for a car that makes these noises. I wish I could get rid of it. Dont Recommend!

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  Wonderful car ruined by a horrid entune system - 2018 Toyota Camry
  By Matthew - December 30 - 8:09 am

  Wonderful car with a very catchy design. This car, with the exception of uncomfortable seats, would be exceptional if it wasn’t for its horrid entune system. The entune app itself isn’t doesn’t work very well and constantly crashes. Pandora is very unresponsive and doesn’t work half the time. The scout navigation system is HORRIBLE. One of the stupidest designs I have ever seen. If Toyota addresses these issues and ditches the entune system then this car would be exceptional

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  Great, reliable car with only 66750 miles. - 2001 Toyota Camry
  By jean shepherd - December 30 - 5:15 am

  Original owner of this great auto. Always serviced. Always garaged. Has new AAA battery. Full leather seats in interior. Always reliable ; just time for a new car for me! Upkeep has been very inexpensive. Somewhat reluctant to part with this good car but time to look for a new Camry for the next fifteen years!