Every Toyota Camry Generation Ranked From Worst To Best

It seems like every Toyota Camry generation has something going for it. From good resale value to longevity of over 250,000 miles (like my 1990 Camry), various Camry generations have developed well-known reputations. Unfortunately, some of those reputations are pretty poor. Whether it's recalls for electrical issues, excessive oil consumption, or engine problems, Camry owners need to look out for a variety of potential problems.

While things like the Camry dent may easily be explained by user error, not every issue has a simple explanation. There is, therefore, a lot to know before buying a Toyota Camry, including which models you might want to avoid and which could be worth the investment, whether they're new or used.

To help guide your Camry search, we've ranked each of the nine generations, spanning over four decades, from worst to best. Our ranking system is based on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), industry expert opinions from sources like J.D. Power and Consumer Reports, and consumer reviews on CarComplaints. Keep reading after the best-ranked Camry to learn more about our methodology.

Popular opinion on the 6th Generation Toyota Camry, spanning 2007 to 2011, might be mixed, but we found many more negative experiences than positive. For one thing, the 6th Generation Camry was impacted by some of the worst Toyota recalls, including a floor mat problem that affected over 4 million vehicles. The recall covered model years between 2004 and 2010, where the stock floor mats could make the gas pedal stick, potentially causing accidents.

The 6th Generation Camry also holds the top six spots for the highest number of recalls among all Camry models, based on the NHTSA's documentation when filtered from highest to lowest. Camrys manufactured in 2007, 2009, and 2010 held those top spots, along with high numbers of complaints; the 2007 Camry had over 3,600 complaints reported to the NHTSA.

Beyond a high number of recalls and complaints, 6th Generation Camrys also don't fare well in the court of public opinion. Again, the 2007 model year didn't fare well; it had the most complaints of any year on CarComplaints. Finally, though J.D. Power did rank the 2011 Camry fairly highly, it wasn't at the very top. Its lowest score was for the driving experience, which might be another reason the 6th Generation overall is our worst-ranked.

If there's a runner-up award for the worst Camry ever manufactured, it would likely go to the 5th Generation. Ranging from 2002 to 2006, the 5th Generation Camry is fairly broadly known as a poorly performing generation. Yet there is at least one specific year of Camry to avoid in this lineup, and that's the 2002. Although the 5th Generation Camry trails behind the 6th Generation in terms of complaints (via the NHTSA), the 2002 alone had over 1,000 complaints. Other years, including 2003 through 2005, had over 700 complaints each.

A similarly high number of complaints earned the 2002 Camry a special "award" from CarComplaints, too. The site labeled the 2002 model year with a Beware of the Clunker sticker, cautioning prospective buyers against choosing this one. Engine problems are the most-reported concern for this model year, followed by transmission problems. Lesser issues span the brakes, AC/heater, and more, with transmission failure labeled the absolute worst problem reported.

Interestingly, many complaints on the 5th Generation of Toyota Camry are fairly new. For example, 2024 complaints on the 2002 Camry include airbag and tire issues. One 2025 review mentions a falsified odometer reading. In that instance, the car was said to have fewer than 150,000 miles, but the title later revealed it had over 280,000 miles. While fraud is an arguably negative thing, a 2002 that's still running does suggest there are exceptions to considering the 5th Generation one of Camry's worst.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 1st Generation of Toyota Camry also ranks pretty close to the worst end of the list. Of all the generations available, we wouldn't be surprised if the first was the absolute worst. After all, a brand-new car model is bound to have some issues. In the case of 1983 to 1987 Camrys, one year's excessive issues meant that this generation had the most investigations.

According to NHTSA data, the 1987 Camry has undergone the most investigations of any other model year. With 10 investigations covering issues like under dash fires, fuel tank leaks, stuck throttles, and seat belt jams, it's easy to see why the 1987 Camry was probably not the most beloved. It's even easier to rank the 1st Generation lower when you consider it was pitted against similar sedans of the era, like the Honda Civic.

Of course, it is highly unlikely any of this generation's Camrys are still on the road. That makes it harder to measure the original Camry rollout against more modern iterations. Plus, sites like CarComplaints have zero data on consumer complaints, and there does not seem to be hard data comparing the quality of 1st Generation Camrys to anything else.

While the 1st Generation Toyota Camry clearly had some problems, the 2nd Generation didn't fare much better in terms of investigations. As reported by the NHTSA, the 2nd Generation had the second most investigations of any Camry model year. Each 2nd Generation year — from 1988 to 1991 — had more investigations than every model, save for the 1987 1st Generation Camry.

That is to say, the 2nd Generation took up spots two through five for most investigations. 1990 Camrys experienced problems like leaking fuel tanks, battery explosions (termed as "alleged" by the NHTSA), and engine compartment fires. 1988 model years had leaking fuel tank issues, stuck throttle problems, and sticky seat belts.

Again, due to how old the 2nd Generation Toyota Camry is, it's hard to make a judgment of overall quality, as current rating tools weren't available back then. The fact that there are very few complaints on CarComplaints could hint that owners had few concerns overall. However, it could also — or instead — indicate that there are simply no more 2nd Generation Camrys on the road. It may also insinuate that previous owners don't care to share their opinions anymore, regardless.

Thanks to one single model year in the 8th Generation, the generation as a whole was bumped a bit down our list, not ranking as one of the best. For the 2018 model year, Camry didn't fare terribly well, appearing high on the recalls list with the NHTSA. Only the 6th Generation Camry had more recalls, with the 2007, 2009, and 2010 models having more recalls than the 2018 (the 2008 model year came in just after).

In addition to having eight total recalls, the 2018 Camry also had hundreds of complaints and manufacturer communications. That said, the 8th Generation also includes the 2023 Camry Hybrid, one of the most reliable Toyota hybrids overall. As far as recalls, the 2019 to 2024 model years had so few, they didn't appear in the first few pages of NHTSA results. The 8th Generation also avoided the many investigations that other generations experienced, and the model year with the most complaints (2019) only appeared after 30 other model years with far more complaints.

In brief, the 8th Generation of Toyota Camry is one of the better options that you can still buy used today, with the 2019 and newer models having fewer complaints on CarComplaints and the NHTSA.

You might not find consumers giving the 4th Generation Toyota Camry rave reviews online, or suggesting that you buy one used. Yet this generation seems to be one of the least problematic, historically speaking, given its relatively few complaints, investigations, and recalls. Based on NHTSA data, from 1997 to 2001, Toyota Camrys averaged a handful of recalls per year, a couple of investigations, and hundreds — but not thousands — of consumer complaints.

The trend continues on CarComplaints, with relatively few complaints for the 4th Generation of Camry versus, say, the 6th or 5th Generations. Plus, since the Camry is likely to last more than 20 years, it's likely there are still some 2001 models (or older) on the road. Assuming those cars are still driving, it could be that drivers are not having a ton of issues — or if they are, they may be age-related rather than design-related.

For its era, the 4th Generation performed well, and fell into the middling spots on the NHTSA data list in terms of recalls, complaints, and other issues. True, there are better-performing generations, but this one is far from the worst.

This generation may have a reputation as the most boring Camry generation, but Camry model years from 1992 to 1996 were seemingly unproblematic in their heyday. A smattering of complaints on CarComplaints hints that the early-to-mid-'90s Camrys performed pretty well.

In terms of recalls, per the NHTSA, only the 1996 model year appeared in the list of the top 10 recalled Camry years. Most of the recalls were also for mild issues, like missing headlight reflectors and tail light problems. In short, most of the issues had simple fixes — unlike the more serious recalls of other generations. Overall, the 3rd Generation had a handful of issues, but not nearly as many as the newer generations.

Unfortunately for Camry enthusiasts, there may not be many 1990s-era Camrys on the market anymore. Given that technology has come so far, you may want to leave the 3rd Generation in the past anyhow. But during its time in the spotlight, older Camrys performed decently enough to earn a place more toward the better end of our rankings.

No generation of Toyota Camry is absolutely perfect, but the 7th Generation is a reasonable option, even if you're shopping for a used vehicle in 2025 or beyond. While the 7th Generation does have the most manufacturer communications of any Camry generation, the communications are not always a negative thing. For example, a 2024 manufacturer notice points out that the 2012 Camry might have paint issues due to acid rain. This isn't necessarily news to drivers of older-model cars, and after over a decade on the road, you might anticipate some paint issues on your vehicle.

The 2012, 2013, and 2014 Camry model years all ranked in the top 10 for manufacturer communications, but apart from that, there isn't much concerning data on the 7th Generation Camry. On CarComplaints, for example, the range of model years have fewer issues combined than, say, the 2011 (6th Generation) Camry.

Plus, the 7th Generation Camry comes highly recommended. Consumer Reports called cars in this generation a "wise used car choice." The 2014 model year also had the highest J.D. Power rating of any Camry, with the 2012 coming in as next best, and the 2015 following after.

Because it's so new — and the most recent addition to the Camry Generations list — the 2025 Camry is currently the best Toyota has to offer, based on our ranking methodology and the available data. Not to mention, our preview of the 2025 Camry highlighted its affordability and practicality, two selling points that have probably always been synonymous with the Camry.

Whether you choose the standard or AWD Camry, relatively few recalls have rolled in to date, and zero investigations have cropped up so far. A handful of consumer complaints and manufacturer communications will give would-be owners and drivers reading material, but there's nothing super scary lurking when it comes to the remade 2025.

While future complaints and recalls could change the rankings later, for now, the 9th Generation of the Toyota Camry is hands down the very best the manufacturer has to offer. Given how long a Camry is reputed to last, it may very well hold the top spot for a long time, even if new generations come afterward.

Our methodology is based on safety data reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) including recalls and driver complaints. Camry generations toward the worst end of our list have the most recalled model years and the most complained-about model years, with data from both the NHTSA and consumer-generated complaints via CarComplaints.

The generations toward the best end of the list not only have fewer recalls and complaints for their model years, but also come recommended by industry experts such as Consumer Reports and J.D. Power.