2024 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid Review: Perennial Prince

Even as the eighth-generation Toyota Camry seemingly winds down in favor of a fresher version, it remains the top-selling passenger car in the USA, finding nearly 300,000 new owners in 2022. It's so popular that it's only outsold by trucks and SUVs. With a $26k base price, the 2024 Toyota Camry is right in the class ballpark, with the Honda Accord priced above it and the Hyundai Sonata/Kia K5 twins and Nissan Altima below it. A range of powertrains is available, with the bread-and-butter four-cylinders coming in variations of FWD, FWD hybrid, and AWD, with outputs varying from 202 to 208 horsepower, depending on the trim.

But what sets the Camry apart from most rivals is that it still offers a potent 301-hp V6 engine. Rivals have downsized turbocharged engines, and the redesigned 2025 Carmy will almost certainly join the trend, so time is running out if you prefer your sedan with good ol' naturally aspirated six-cylinder power. The aging Camry is not as capable an all-rounder as the excellent new Accord or as stylish as the freshly facelifted Sonata, but buyers don't seem to care. Except for its V6 engine, is there a reason to pick the Camry over its peers?

New for 2024

Toyota isn't making any changes to the 2024 Camry except that the Amazon Alexa feature is deleted from the infotainment system and the base price is increased by a mere $100. We expect a facelifted model for 2025.

2024 Toyota Camry Price: Which One to Buy

For 2024, the starting price of a new Toyota Camry is $26,420 for the base LE. This is followed by the SE at $27,960, the XLE at $31,170, the XSE at $31,720, and the TRD at $33,485. Adding the Nightshade package to the SE will cost $1,000, and opting for the V6 versions of the XLE and XSE cost $36,295 and $36,845, respectively. LE, SE, XLE, and XSE trims can be had with AWD for $1,400 more.

The price of the 2024 Toyota Camry Hybrid starts at $28,855 for the LE and goes up to $30,390 for the SE Hybrid. The MSRP for the XLE and XSE Hybrid trims are $33,745 and $34,295, respectively. All these prices exclude the $1,095 destination fee.

If it were our money, we'd opt for the TRD. If you just want a comfortable, well-equipped, and modern sedan that leads the class on refinement, you're better off with an Accord, but the Camry TRD offers you something no other mid-size sedan can - a naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine for just $33k. It looks the part, handles well, and is genuinely quick, with a powerful, creamy V6, the likes of which have died out in this class of car since the demise of the Nissan Maxima. You won't get one in the next Camry, so it's now or never.

Interior and Features

The Camry's cabin isn't upscale by any means, but most of the important features are there, and it's commendably commodious for four people.

With dramatic slashes and bisecting lines cascading down across the front of the center console, the Camry's dashboard still looks modern, if a little fussily styled for some. Judicious updates over the years have kept the tech fresh, and you get all the modern conveniences and infotainment features you'd expect, though the base touchscreen is quite small. The materials are of good quality, but the plastics employed lower down are rather brittle and hardly plush; it's better on the top trims, which get more soft-touch finishes. The seats are big and comfortable, but only the driver's is electrically adjustable at the bottom of the range, and only the XLEs get leather. Due to the low roofline and low-to-the-ground stance, it feels like you're stepping down to get inside, but once seated, there is plenty of interior space. Visibility is very good, but you don't get much help parking, with only a backup camera fitted to base trims. Only the top trims get access to a surround-view monitor and parking sensors front and rear with automatic braking.

Space

The Camry is still the roomy mid-size sedan we came to love, but it has to be said that the new Accord provides the most second-row legroom of the lot, while the Altima is now lagging behind both on this score, despite all of these having within an inch the same wheelbase of around 111 inches. Honda has simply done more with the Accord's packaging, providing more space than is the class norm. The Camry still beats most rivals on rear headroom, though, so there is still enough room for four adults and an occasional cramped fifth one on the center rear seat.

Cargo

Trunk space isn't class-leading anymore, and the Camry's 15.1 cu-ft is slightly worse than all its typical rivals', with the Accord still leading the charge at 16.7 cu-ft. At least all the hybrid hardware is integrated seamlessly, with the hybrids having the same trunk volume as the gas Camrys. Folding down the 60/40-split rear seat liberates more cargo space, but keep in mind that the TRD's structural bracing means its rear seat is fixed and doesn't fold.

Cabin storage is good, with a spacious glovebox, a small cubby on the left-hand side of the dashboard, and a reasonably roomy covered center console storage bin. The front cupholders are alongside the shifter lever, and there's a space ahead of them where you can store your phone - which becomes a wireless charger on the higher trims. Underneath this spot, there is a sliding compartment. The rear cupholders are in the center fold-down armrest, and the second row also gets front seatback pockets. Unfortunately, the four door pockets aren't very big, but they do incorporate bottle holders. All trims get an overhead console with a sunglasses holder. Below XSE/XLE level, rear-seat passengers get a small storage cubby in the rear of the center console in place of rear-seat air vents.

Materials and Colors

There isn't much excitement to be had at the bottom of the lineup in terms of material choices and interior colors. The LE exhibits quite a lot of hard cabin finishes and gets cloth on the seats and an interior in Black, Ash/Black, or Macadamia/Black. The SE gets SofTex leatherette upholstery and an interior in either of the first two options listed for the LE; the SE Nightshade gets Black only. The TRD also gets black leatherette but with red-accented cloth seat centers and red center stripes, red stitching on the seats, shifter, and dash, red TRD logos embroidered on the front headrests, and red seatbelts.

XSE and XLE trims get perforated leather upholstery, and the former's interior can be had in Black or Cockpit Red/Black, while the latter's more demure approach means you get the same Black, Ash, and Macadamia color choices as the base models, but in leather and with more premium finishes. LEs get a urethane steering wheel, while that in the other grades is trimmed in leather.

Features and Infotainment

At the base level, you get an eight-way power driver's seat, but you make do without seat heating. Standard features aren't generous but include dual-zone climate control, three driving modes, a 4.2-inch driver-information display, and a manually tilting/telescoping urethane steering wheel. More features are added as you move up the trims, such as leatherette or leather upholstery, heated front seats, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, a power front passenger seat, and a larger seven-inch driver-information display. A heated steering wheel is an option on all trims.

The infotainment system in the LE, SE, and TRD trims has a seven-inch touchscreen and comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM, voice commands, Bluetooth connectivity, two USB ports, and a six-speaker audio system. The XLE and XSE trims get a larger nine-inch touchscreen, but only when equipped with the V6 engine do these two trims also get a nine-speaker JBL audio system. Navigation is optional on the XLE V6 and XSE V6 only.

Performance

Performance in the four-cylinder trims is class-competitive and economy is excellent, but the V6 trims are quickest. These are the last mid-size sedans available with six-cylinder power at this price level.

The base engine in the Toyota Camry is a dual-injected naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder in various states of tune. In the LE and SE with front-wheel drive, it develops 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, but this drops marginally to 202 hp and 182 lb-ft with all-wheel drive. In the FWD XSE, it's tuned for 206 hp and 186 lb-ft thanks to dual exhausts, dropping to 205 hp/185 lb-ft with AWD. Drive goes to the wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, and throttle response is crisp, with surprisingly eager acceleration. In FWD guise, the 0-60 sprint of a Toyota Camry with the base engine is around 7.5 seconds, good for the class if not quite as quick as the turbocharged 1.5-liter Honda Accord.

The same 2.5-liter engine is used in the Camry Hybrid, but it's tuned for economy, producing only 176 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque. It's supplemented by an electric motor with 118 hp and 149 lb-ft of torque, resulting in a total system output of 208 hp, though Toyota doesn't say how much maximum torque is. The hybrid's weight penalty is less than 200 pounds, and with the quicker step-off provided by the electric motor, it fractionally edges out its gas counterpart, beating it to 60 mph by 0.1 seconds. However, it's not as pleasant to drive, as the hybrid's FWD drivetrain incorporates a CVT automatic that tends to drone as CVTs do when pushed, while reducing the shifter paddles on the SE and XSE hybrids to little more than a gimmick. The XSE V6, XLE V6, and TRD all use a potent 3.5-liter V6 with 301 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque, exclusively mated to the eight-speed automatic and FWD. These performance models are decidedly snappy, launching to 60 mph in around 5.8 seconds. All Camrys are limited to a top speed of 130 mph.

The Camry isn't very exciting to pilot, but it acquits itself well enough around corners, exhibiting limited body roll, though the steering is numb and provides little feedback. Grip and composure are both very good, and we were impressed with the brakes' ability to shrug off repeated abuse. But the Camry is starting to show its age, not being as refined and cultured as the Accord, and transmitting quite a lot of road noise at highway speeds. SE and XSE models with their sport-tuned suspension handle more sharply and are more fleet-footed than you might imagine, but the ride is a little firm, and the occasional jolt reaches the cabin. Ditto for the TRD, but it fits that car's character, and it doesn't embarrass itself, adding strong performance to the stiffened chassis and adding additional body bracing for more precise suspension location and sportier handling.

Fuel Efficiency

The brand's Dynamic Force 2.5-liter four-cylinder makes for good gas mileage, giving the Toyota Camry mpg figures of 28/39/32 mpg in base FWD form on the EPA's city/highway/combined cycles, dropping to 25/34/29 mpg with AWD. The XSE/XLE trims return 27/38/31 mpg with FWD and 25/34/28 mpg with AWD. Naturally, the FWD V6 is thirstier, returning 22/33/26 mpg in XLE form, with the XSE's highway figure being 1 mpg worse at 32 mpg.

Of course, the hybrid is the fuel-economy champion, good for an excellent 51/53/52 mpg in the LE with its 16-inch wheels. The SE, XLE, and XSE hybrids do 44/47/46 mpg. TRD models rop to 22/31/25 mpg.

FWD gas Camrys all have a fuel capacity of 15.8 gallons, enabling a maximum range of 506 miles for the base trims. The heaviest - the V6s - can manage 411 miles on a tank. AWD Camrys have a smaller 14.4-gallon tank, giving them a range of 403-418 miles. Although the hybrids have the smallest tank at 13.2 gallons, their frugality ensures that they can achieve between 607 and 686 miles on a tank.

Safety

Crash-test ratings are still top-rate, even after all these years, but some driver assists, such as a surround-view camera, aren't standard on any trim, while blind-spot monitoring is only standard on the top trims.

At the time of writing, there was not yet a comprehensive 2024 safety review of the Toyota Camry, but past years' results give no reason for concern. Last year's Camry is identical to the 2024 model and was given all-around five-star ratings by the NHTSA and a 2023 Top Safety Pick+ award by the IIHS (although it's worth noting this award applies only to models built after January 2023).

Besides ten airbags, ABS brakes, stability and traction control, a backup camera, and tire-pressure monitoring, every Camry comes with the TSS 2.5+ driver-assistance suite. This includes forward-collision alert with automatic braking, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-tracing assist, lane-departure alert with steering assist, road sign recognition, hill-start assist, and automatic LED headlights with auto high beams. The SE expands the adaptive cruise control to a system that covers the full speed range. Standard on the XLE and XSE - and optional on the rest - are an auto-dimming rearview mirror and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. Only the XLE and XSE have access to an optional surround-view monitor.

Reliability

JD Power has not evaluated the 2024 model yet, but gave the 2023 Toyota Camry a Quality & Reliability rating of 84 out of 100 - an excellent result. There has been just one recall over the past few years for loose lug nuts that may cause the wheels to detach on some 2023 models.

The limited warranty of the 2024 Toyota Camry is valid for three years/36,000 miles, but the powertrain warranty runs for a longer five years/60,000 miles. Complimentary maintenance is included for the first two years/25,000 miles. Hybrid models get eight years and 100,000 miles of additional cover.

Warranty

Design

Toyota has tried to make the Camry stand out with a few dramatic styling details, such as the slashes, angles, and apertures that make up the front fascia, and while this does lend a sporty air to the car, some may feel the Camry is trying too hard to be something it's not. Styling being a subjective thing, the Camry certainly looks modern and comes with LED headlights and taillights, while even the LE runs on 17-inch alloys.

However, to give it those headline-grabbing economy figures, the LE Hybrid makes do with 16-inch steel wheels with plastic covers. The SE and XLE get machine-finished 18-inch alloys, the XSE gloss-black 19-inch alloys, and both the SE Nightshade and TRD get 19-inch TRD alloys - in bronze on the former and matte black on the latter. A power tilting/sliding moonroof is optional on the LE and SE and unavailable on the SE Nightshade and TRD. The XLE and XSE get access to an optional panoramic glass roof with a power front moonroof. Available two-tone paint finishes are offered on the XSE and TRD.

Verdict: Is The 2024 Toyota Camry A Good Car?

The Honda Accord is still the best mid-size sedan in the US, but this seems to matter little to local buyers, who still snap up nearly two Camrys for every Accord sold, despite the Toyota's age. The Camry is still a competent package, with good fuel economy, a roomy interior, and composed road manners, but it's fallen behind as the current generation got on in life. The fact that it's still our top-selling sedan is good news for the redesigned model expected next year, which is said to be a major improvement. It's also expected to inherit the latest hybrid tech from the Toyota Crown. For our money, we'd rather wait to see what Toyota comes up with for the 2025 model year.