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:

• 

  Best car I ever owned - 2002 Toyota Camry
  By Larry - May 30 - 11:56 pm

  Bought this car new 2002. I still drive it every day . The car looks great for the year and miles that I’ve put on it. Has no rust just a few parking lot dings. Everything still works great uses a little oil. The actual miles on the car is 460,000 miles and it is on the road every day. By far the best car I’ve ever had!!!

• 

  Reasons I love this car. - 1995 Toyota Camry
  By Clay - November 9 - 10:08 am

  We bought our ‘95 Camry from a family member (the original owner) back in 2016. We have drove the wheels off of this car and she has reached almost 270k miles. It has the 2.2 4cyl and shes still going strong. I’m looking at buying another one but it has the 3.0 V6. If anybody has any details on that motor let me know. I’m kind of skeptical because I know the four-cylinder is unstoppable. Thanks.

• 

  2010 Camry - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By KRS - December 30 - 6:33 am

  Glad I waited to get the 2010 model! Extra gear, more pep than expected, little better exterior look. Smooth, quite ride. After driving a 2006 Accord Ex-L, the Camry doesnt handle as tightly as the Accord. But what you lose to handling, you more than gain back in quiet (very little road noise) comfort. Barcelona Red exterior is beautiful!

• 

  The Car That Never Dies - 1999 Toyota Camry
  By Ash - December 27 - 10:34 pm

  This was my first car and honestly it was great. The car lasted up to 230,000 miles, and the only reason it died was because I had given it to my irresponsible younger brother who had driven it for 30,000 miles without getting a single oil change... even after that with a huge knock under the hood, it would still start up and drive down the road. PROS: 1. The transmission was great. The car had no problem going 100 mph... it actually had a better ride going faster. 2. It ALWAYS started. Most reliable car ever. 3. Awesome sound system for a stock radio. My bass bumped better than a custom speaker. 4. It was okay to slack a little on oil changes. Now for the negatives... 1. Electrical problems. The cigarette lighter stopped working as well as one of the power outlets. It was not a blown fuse either, they just stopped working for no rhyme or reason. 2. CD player would skip when hitting the brakes or taking a right turn. 3. The cassette player would spit a tape out when the car was cold. No problems once it started heating up. 4. Easily weighed down/bottoms out. Fitting five people in the car and driving over a small bump would be the scariest thing ever. 5. Constant minor repairs. Ive had quite a few with this car out of the six years that I drove it... Repairs: 1. Struts. I think I replaced them three or four times. I would drive through a massive pothole and the stuts would be fine... but then one day out of random, theyd be s***. 2. Replaced the timing belt at 180k. It was previously replaced at 90k. 3. EXHAUST. I forget the amount of times I had gotten a random whole in my exhaust pipe. I remember it happening to me very frequently. 4. It had another on&off problem before I had given the car to my brother where I would start it and the RPMS would go very low causing the car to stall out. I have no idea why this happened, but I would give it a few mins and it would be good to go again. It would do this a couple of times every few months or so. All in all, a really reliable car. I still see them everywhere in 2015 and there is a reason. That car had taken me everywhere and I beat it up... but it always drove.

• 

  The plain yogurt sedan - 2004 Toyota Camry
  By steam loco 76 - December 23 - 11:10 pm

  This was my first Toyota and probably my last. Transmission replaced at 2300 miles. Problem returned at 5600 miles-traced to faulty valve body. Trunk lid rust at six months- repainted under warranty. Several squeaks and rattles from the dash and front door could not be fixed. Thermostat failed at 40K, not covered. Steering intermediate shaft loose and clunking at 42K. Toyota refused coverage even though a TSB was issued about this problem. Repair cost over $600. Engine always used about 16 oz of anti-freeze every 5K. Toyota said that was "within tolerable limits". Drive by wire throttle tip-in is very abrupt making a smooth launch tough.

• 

  Great in many ways - 1998 Toyota Camry
  By me - December 19 - 3:00 am

  Bought it new.. Very reliable car, NEVER had a problem, just brought it in to be serviced as needed and everything was always smooth. With driving every day, but mostly local, I could go 3 weeks before needing more gas. Not a "cool" car but definitely reliable and worth the money... it will last for many miles. After an accident, and the car being totalled, proved to be a safe car to the driver. I would recommend this car.

• 

  2008 Camry SE - 2008 Toyota Camry
  By Ronald - December 16 - 2:23 pm

  I have driven this car for over 2.5 years, over 32,000 mileage, and I havent ran into any problems except Toyotas gas pedal recall. The cars interior is spacious, the GPS is useful, and the JBL sound system is a plus w/ mp3 input. The tire pressure sensors have come in handy to tell me of a small nail puncture in my wheel. One big negative is that the acceleration is slow because it is computerized. The delay is supposed to save gas but sometimes you end up flooring it because you want to catch up with the traffic as you merge. I keep track of my fuel efficiency, lowest MPG is 22.8, highest 28.2. I average about 25 MPG in 3 years. Overall, I would give it a 7

• 

  Expected More - 2012 Toyota Camry
  By toter1 - December 16 - 12:48 pm

  Have 4000 miles on the car. In general its a good car to drive. On the highway the car handles well. I have always bought Toyotas for quiet rides but this car has a higher level of road noise than I expected on the highway. Good mileage but difficult to get rated 35 gpm at 70 mph. Car came with Low Rolling Resistance, LRR, tires with a wear rating of only 260. I probably wont get 30000 miles on a set of tires. Entune display system monitors tire pressure on all four tires. The only problem it doesnt show the location of the tire whose pressure is low. Only that one is low. You have to check each tire using tire gauge to find the low tire if not visibly low.

• 

  Major quality problems - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By Bill K - December 16 - 7:56 am

  Quality is abysmal. The car started to develop problems when it had less than 3,000 miles. Transmission slips, especially when the car is cold. Transmission replacement did not resolve the problem. Also, many rattles and squeaks.

• 

  Great sports sedan, poor quality - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By ScorpionVonD - December 13 - 1:56 pm

  This Camry is fast! The handling is better than any other Camry ever. The tight suspension takes away very little from the ride, but it is still harder than the regular XLE suspension. The JBL stereo is perfect. Bluetooth is a great option. The leather is very nice.