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 allround - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By Bill - December 29 - 11:46 pm

  Boring inside design, moonroof has given more problems than it should...elct. wiring up behind headliner is always coming loose making for roof rattles and the drain line[s] for the moonroof clog up so I end up with a lake in the front pass. side floorboard after a heavy rain. Otherwise its been a great car and I really dig the power of the 3.0 V6. On the highway with cruise control set at 62-63 mph....Im getting 30 MPG.

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  I can see why... - 1992 Toyota Camry
  By Pat - December 29 - 7:50 pm

  After owning this car for a year and a half, I can see why it is the best selling car in America. My car gets around 27 MPG while being very comfortable, and the 4 cylinder engine, while not having tons of power, has good mid-range torque. It is a very comfortable car on the highway, and handles corners pretty well. The steering is, well, boring, but it gets the job done. Seeing as my car only has 93,000 miles on it, I plan on keeping it as long as possible.

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  Great Car - 2005 Toyota Camry
  By J Tyler - December 29 - 3:43 pm

  Our last Camry, a 1990, was traded in after 14 1/2 years. It was still running perfectly, no problems all those years. We expect the same from this one. It is smooth running, quiet, good acceleration, plenty of leg and head room. The trunk is very large and rear seats fold to to carry large objects. The navigational display is somewhat difficult to use, but once you learn, it is very helpful in finding stores and addresses.

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  2007 (2.4) Camry - An expensive mistake - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By PADRIVER - December 29 - 10:56 am

  Ive owned Camrys before but this 2007 (2.4 L) is the worst. It is totally underpowered. It constantly hesitates, looking for the proper gear, when you punch it. It is dangerous. Total lack of frontal visability. Grossly angled windshield with large front roof supports make looking forward like looking into a tunnel. Large rear view mirror blocks off even more of frontal visability. Good luck with curbs when you turn right! Dash rattles. Gas mileage is disappointing, 21 in town. My 3.8 Town&Country got 19! Ride is bad. No head room. This was an expensive mistake. I will dump it next year for sure and eat the loss.

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  Good Choice - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Jim - December 28 - 11:03 am

  This is our 1st import. Went from SUVs, so realize that change. Comfortable ride to the grocery and up the east coast. Low road noise. Good gas economy. Good acceleration, especially for a 4 cyl. Im 64", wife 54". We both fit well into the vehicle without problems, even the back seat. Sound system is very nice.

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  Good all around car - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Joe C - December 28 - 3:33 am

  Car drives great and what a big savings in gas.

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  Near 200k Miles Camry - 1993 Toyota Camry
  By Asdy - December 27 - 2:03 am

  I love my Camry. It is very quick for an old/cheap car. I havent received any major problems with it since other than replacing the radiator once and a few oil leaks. The interior is nice when comparing to other cars in its years and price.

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  Toyota 2003 Camry - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By JoWho - December 27 - 2:00 am

  Im not very happy with this car. The seatbelt locks up even when brake isnt used, ABS kicks in when not needed, veers to the left even after 6 times at dealership.

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  V6 Camry- a no brainer - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By Jersey Camry - December 27 - 2:00 am

  Very sharp car... performance in the V6 is key, as the 4 cylinder we test drove was a little sluggish in acceleration. Ride is smooth and leather interior is quite luxurious. Trunk space is great, along with a large backseat. Youll pay up for the V6 with leather, but I believe it is worth it. This car reminds me of a Lexus for thousands less.

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  2011 camry problems - 2011 Toyota Camry
  By ctrev - December 26 - 2:18 pm

  At 2600 miles the following problems occured. Transmission-slips going from 2 to 3 Catalytic converter is in the consol and heats up so badly you could fry an egg on the consol. Do not know if the plastic there can stand the heat or gases will be emitted from the same location. Gas mileage fell like a stone to 32 hywy and 21 city