Sanford Imports Used Car Research
Best Year for a Used Toyota Camry
For most buyers it is 2020 through 2024: the settled years of the eighth generation, and the first years a Camry could be had with all-wheel drive. Here is how those compare to the cheaper years behind them, and where the hybrid and the V6 fit.
The Used Toyota Camry by Generation
The Camry has been the default answer to "what midsize sedan should I buy" for thirty years, so the used market is enormous and the prices are competitive. Two model years matter more than the rest: 2018, when the car was redesigned, and 2020, when all-wheel drive arrived.
2015 to 2016Budget Entry Point
Seventh generation, refreshed
Toyota gave the seventh-generation Camry an unusually thorough mid-cycle refresh for 2015, replacing almost every exterior panel and rebuilding the interior. These are comfortable, quiet, plain cars with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder or a 3.5-liter V6 and a six-speed automatic. They are also the cheapest Camrys anyone should seriously consider, and at this age the service records matter far more than the odometer.
- The 2015 refresh makes these look and feel newer than a 2014
- Four-cylinder, V6 and hybrid versions all available
- Driver assistance features are optional rather than standard here
2017Value Entry
Seventh generation, final year
Toyota made its Safety Sense driver assistance package standard equipment on the Camry for 2017, which is the single reason to pay a little more than a 2016. Forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure alert and adaptive cruise control all come along on every trim. It is the last and best year of a generation people already trusted, and it is the cheapest Camry we would put a new driver in.
- Driver assistance package standard on every trim
- Mechanically the same as the 2015 to 2016 cars
- Priced well below anything from the following generation
2018 to 2019The Redesign
Eighth generation, first two years
A clean-sheet redesign on a new platform, and a much better car to drive than the one it replaced. A new 2.5-liter four-cylinder with an eight-speed automatic, a lower and wider body, a proper redesign of the interior, and a 3.5-liter V6 available on upper trims. The driver assistance package stays standard. These cars are the step change, and the used prices have come down far enough that they are strong value.
- New platform, new engine, eight-speed automatic
- Available V6 making just over 300 horsepower
- Front-wheel drive only, since all-wheel drive had not returned yet
2020 to 2024Best Overall Pick
Eighth generation, settled
All-wheel drive returned to the Camry as an option for 2020, which is the biggest single reason this range is our pick. From 2021 the car also gained a restyled front end and the newer version of Toyota's safety package. Add three or four years of production shakedown and the widest set of powertrains the Camry ever offered, and this is the range that answers the most buyer requirements at once.
- All-wheel drive available for the first time in decades
- Newer safety suite and restyled front end from 2021
- Four-cylinder, hybrid and V6 all still on the menu
2025 and newerNewest Platform
Ninth generation, hybrid only
Toyota redesigned the Camry again for 2025 and made every trim a hybrid. There is no gasoline-only Camry any more and no V6 either. Fuel economy across the lineup is excellent as a result, and all-wheel drive is available on every trim. Very few have reached the used market yet, so treat this as the newest option rather than a value one.
- Every trim is a hybrid
- All-wheel drive available across the lineup
- Barely represented on the used market so far
Four-Cylinder, Hybrid or V6?
Once you have picked a generation, the engine is the decision that changes what the car costs you to run. All three are good. They are good at different things.
The four-cylinder is the default, and it is the default for a reason. It returns around 30 mpg combined, it is the cheapest to buy and insure, and it has nothing exotic in it. If the Camry is a commuter, a first car for a new driver, or the sensible second car in the driveway, buy this one and spend the difference on tires.
The hybrid is the commuter's answer. An eighth-generation Camry Hybrid in LE form is rated around 50 mpg combined, and the sportier trims a few mpg below that. On a daily run from Sanford up US-1 to Cary or Apex, that is the difference between filling up every week and filling up every other week. On a car that mostly does short trips around Lee County, it takes a long time to repay the price difference.
The V6 is the one nobody expects. Toyota offered a 3.5-liter V6 making just over 300 horsepower on upper eighth-generation trims through 2024, and it turns a sensible sedan into a genuinely fast one. It drinks more fuel and it is harder to find used. If that trade appeals to you, say so when you call, because these move quickly when they come in.
On all-wheel drive: no Camry built from 1992 through 2019 has it, and it is an option rather than standard on most of the years that do. We go through that year by year on our page covering which used Toyota Camry years have AWD. Our used sedan inventory changes weekly, so call ahead if drivetrain is a firm requirement.
A 2017 Camry SE, the last year of the seventh generation and the first with the driver assistance package as standard equipment.
The front cabin of a 2023 Camry SE. The eighth-generation interior is the clearest single upgrade over the older cars, and it is worth sitting in both before you decide.
What to Check on Any Used Camry
Model year narrows the field. The individual car's history decides it. Camrys often reach the used market with high but honest highway miles, and reading which kind of miles they are is most of the job.
Before you drive it
- Documented service history. Not "it was maintained," but records. Oil changes and transmission service are the two that matter most on a sedan of this age.
- Establish the engine and drivetrain. Four-cylinder, V6, hybrid and all-wheel-drive cars all exist, and listings get this wrong more often than you would expect.
- The in-service date. This decides how much factory coverage is left for you, which is not the same as the model year.
- Highway miles or town miles. A 90,000-mile commuter car is usually in better shape than a 60,000-mile one that never got warm.
While you are in it
- Sit in the back seat. A midsize sedan lives or dies on whether your actual passengers fit. Do this before you fall in love with the front.
- Connect your own phone. Not a demo phone. Plug in yours and confirm the software recognizes it.
- Run every window, every climate zone and the sunroof. Cheap to test, annoying to discover later.
- On a hybrid, confirm the hybrid system has been serviced on schedule and ask specifically about battery coverage, which is tracked separately from the powertrain warranty.
The check that pays for itself
Have an independent pre-purchase inspection done before you buy any used vehicle, from anyone. It is the single best money a used buyer spends, and a dealer worth buying from will have no problem with it. Every vehicle that reaches our lot is inspected before it goes up for sale, and we are glad to have a third party look at it as well. Inventory turns over weekly, so call ahead to check which Camry model years and powertrains are on the ground.
Fuel economy figures by model year, engine and drivetrain are published at fueleconomy.gov, and crash test results by model year are available from the IIHS. Recall history for a specific car can be checked by VIN at NHTSA.
Back to topUsed Toyota Camry Questions, Answered
What is the best year for a used Toyota Camry?
For most buyers it is 2020 through 2024. Those are the settled years of the eighth generation, and 2020 is the first year all-wheel drive was offered on a Camry in decades. From 2021 the cars also carry the newer Toyota Safety Sense package and a restyled front end. If your budget is tighter, 2018 and 2019 are the redesign years and still a big step up from anything older. Below that, a 2017 is the value entry point, because the driver assistance package became standard equipment on the Camry for 2017.
Which used Camry years have all-wheel drive?
All-wheel drive returned to the Camry as an option for the 2020 model year and has been available since. No Camry built from 1992 through 2019 has it, no matter what the trim is called, so if all-wheel drive is a firm requirement it sets your floor at 2020. It is also an option rather than standard equipment on most of those years, so plenty of 2020 and newer Camrys are front-wheel drive. Check the badging and the window sticker on the specific car. We cover this in more detail on our page about which used Camry years have AWD.
Is the Camry Hybrid worth buying used?
For a commuter, yes. The eighth-generation Camry Hybrid in LE form is rated around 50 mpg combined, with the sportier trims a few mpg lower, against something closer to 30 for the four-cylinder gas cars. On a daily run up US-1 to the Triangle that gap is the difference between filling up weekly and filling up every other week. On a car that mostly does short trips around Lee County it will take a long time to repay the price difference. Buy it for the miles you actually drive, not for the idea.
Should I look for the V6 Camry?
Only if you want the performance, because it costs you at the pump. Toyota offered a 3.5-liter V6 making just over 300 horsepower on upper eighth-generation trims through the 2024 model year, and it is genuinely quick in a way no four-cylinder midsize sedan is. It is also thirstier and rarer on the used market, so expect to search harder and pay more. For a commuter the four-cylinder is the better buy. For someone who wants a fast, comfortable, quiet sedan for very little money, the V6 is one of the best-kept secrets in the class.
Does the Toyota warranty transfer to me as a second owner?
Toyota's factory warranties transfer with the vehicle at no cost, which is not true of every brand. The basic coverage runs three years or 36,000 miles and the powertrain coverage runs five years or 60,000 miles, both measured from the original in-service date rather than from the day you buy it. On a hybrid, the hybrid-specific components and the battery are tracked separately and run considerably longer than the powertrain term. Ask for the in-service date so you can work out exactly what is left rather than guessing from the model year.
What should I inspect on a used Camry before buying?
Confirm the service history is documented rather than assumed, particularly oil changes and transmission service. Establish which engine and drivetrain the car actually has, since four-cylinder, V6, hybrid and all-wheel-drive versions all exist and listings get it wrong. Sit in the back seat, because a midsize sedan lives or dies on whether your passengers fit. Connect your own phone and confirm the software recognizes it. Run every window, every climate zone and the sunroof if it has one. Then have an independent pre-purchase inspection done, which is the single best money a used buyer spends.
Sanford Imports Reviews
Shopping a Used Camry Near Sanford?
Tell us your commute and whether all-wheel drive is a must, and we will point you at the year and the engine that actually fit. Sometimes that is the hybrid. Often the plain four-cylinder wins.
Sanford Imports
1301 Douglas Dr, Sanford, NC 27330
Sales: (919) 415-1220
Open Monday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Closed Sunday.
We are an independent used car dealer serving Sanford, Lee County, Pittsboro, Siler City, Lillington and Fuquay-Varina. Because we carry no franchise, we have no reason to steer you toward one badge over another.
If the Camry is on your list because of the commute, our guide to fuel-efficient used sedans for Sanford plant commuters compares it against the rest of the class.
Next steps: get pre-qualified online, value your trade, or browse every used vehicle we have in stock.