The 2023 Toyota Camry is one of the higher-ranked midsize sedans, thanks to strong fuel economy, a comfortable interior, and good value. It is an easy go-to choice. However, a lackluster four-cylinder engine and excessive wind and engine noise are the only things that keep it from being the best in its class.
Ever since its introduction to the market back in 1983, the Toyota Camry has been one of the most popular and successful sedans in its class. The latest-generation Camry is comfortable, roomy, sharp-looking and offers a pleasant driving experience. It is also one of the few vehicles in its class to offer all-wheel drive, which is a bonus to those who live in snowy areas but don’t want to get behind the wheel of an SUV.
The 2023 Toyota Camry marks the sixth year of production since this generation debuted in 2018. Toyota’s sedans and crossovers generally follow a five-year life cycle, but the 2023 Camry will march on essentially unchanged. The only real upgrade for this year applies to the SE Nightshade Edition, which sees the 18-inch black wheels replaced by 19-inch bronze-painted alloys.
Naturally, there are other options for you, should you decide that you do not want to go the Camry route. The Honda Accord continues to be the Camry’s biggest rival, and the Hyundai Sonata and Kia K5 bring plenty of value and style to the table. To see if the Toyota Camry is worthy of being your next sedan, check out our review below.
Toyota Camry Overview
The Toyota Camry is a mainstay of the midsize sedan segment, which has been losing both entries and sales in recent years as the world has embraced SUVs. Nevertheless, while the market has changed, the Camry has continued to top the sales charts as the number-one selling passenger car, a spot that it has held for the past twenty years.
It has a well-earned reputation for reliability, and it offers a hybridized version that returns exceptional fuel economy. The current generation of the Camry borders on stylish, especially when optioned with the Nightshade package — which adds bronze wheels for 2023 — or the sporty-looking TRD trim.
And while many of the Camry’s rivals, such as the Honda Accord and the Hyundai Sonata, have moved to four-cylinder lineups, you can still have Toyota’s midsize sedan with an optional 301-hp V-6. Its safety features, economical engines, and spacious interior also make it a competent and easy-to-live with daily drivers.
2023 Toyota Camry
For 2023, the SE trim’s optional Nightshade package adds black headlights and taillight trims to match the black front grille, rear spoiler, mirror caps, and badges. The Nightshade also gains matte bronze 19-inch wheels that, surprisingly, don’t look out of place on it. You can add the package to Midnight Black, White, or the new Reservoir Blue color.
The rest of the Camry lineup gets more driver-assistance technology. This includes automatic high beams and a forward-facing camera that can read certain road signs and show them on the digital display.
2023 Toyota Camry Specs
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The standard four-cylinder engine pairs with a silky eight-speed automatic. However, its acceleration numbers are disappointing. A less powerful version of that engine works with a battery and two electric motors to power the Camry hybrid, which is no more exciting to drive than the base powertrain.
The real gem of this lineup, however, is the velvety 301-hp V-6, which is available on the XLE and XSE models as well as the TRD variant.
The 2023 Toyota Camry has a controlled ride and surprisingly responsive handling. The steering is pleasantly weighted and feels substantial when cornering and light when maneuvering in parking lots. The brake pedal is responsive and not too soft, even in the hybrid, in which it must meld friction with regenerative braking where the energy from braking is used to recharge the hybrid’s battery pack.
Toyota has optimized the 2023 Toyota Camry to get high fuel economy, but the trade-off is rather sluggish acceleration off the line. The transmission helps make up for this a bit with a reasonably good response and quick shifting. With eight speeds, there is always a gear for the occasion, but expect two-gear downshifts when you dip into gas as it tries to make do with the available engine power.
The Camry SE benefits from a slightly sportier suspension, which lends a more hunkered-down feel. It is not set up for truly aggressive driving, but it will handle anything the average driver is bound to throw at it on a daily basis. The brakes are also easy to control with a light and responsive pedal, and the Camry’s stopping performance is about average for the segment.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The 2023 Toyota Camry’s cabin won’t dazzle you with its opulence. Instead, it just nails the fundamentals across the board.
Highlights include an airy cabin that is easy to get in and out of. It is also spacious for both front and rear occupants and has great outward visibility. An optional 360-degree camera system makes it even easier to navigate cramped parking lots.
The user interface presents no mysteries, with large, clear gauges and simple, well-labeled buttons. They are relatively intuitive even for tech-averse drivers. The radio volume and tuning knobs are small but easy for the driver to reach, though the passenger might have to stretch a bit to use them.
The Camry is a large sedan, and there is plenty of cargo space and interior storage in both its trunk and in its cabin with the rear seat folded. It is not the best in every storage category, but overall, it is thoroughly competitive. However, as sedans go, the Camry’s stuff-hauling credentials are pretty solid.
The 15.1 cubic-foot trunk area is large for the class. It also has a wide opening with a low liftover height. The 60/40-split back seat is easy to fold down via trunk-mounted release handles if you need to fit longer items. There is a good amount of concealed cabin storage too. The sliding compartment is underneath the wireless charger, along with a moderately sized center armrest bin, and a small storage cubby on the far left-hand side of the dash.
Camry buyers with kids will appreciate the ample backseat room for car seat access and the easily accessible anchors. Toyota relocated the Camry hybrid’s battery from the trunk to beneath the rear seats, so hybrid owners don’t have to sacrifice carrying capacity for the extra mpg.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The whole Camry lineup performed extremely well in the EPA’s tests. The most efficient nonhybrid Camry models are the LE and SE with the four-cylinder engine, which earned EPA estimates of 28 mpg city and 39 mpg highway. Also, the base LE hybrid earned ratings of 51 mpg city and 53 mpg highway.
However, the hybrid’s upper trims sacrifice some efficiency at the altar of luxury, and models powered by the V-6 earned ratings of 22 mpg city and up to 33 mpg highway. A four-cylinder Camry SE returned 45 mpg in our highway test, beating its own EPA rating by 6 mpg and making it one of the most economical non-hybrid cars.
For more information about the Camry’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Infotainment and Connectivity
Toyota’s touchscreen infotainment system — called Entune 3.0 — is standard across the Camry lineup, with an enhanced version available as an option. Entune has loads of features and responded reasonably well to user inputs, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility are standard.
The Camry’s smartphone integration includes standard Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. Both the standard 7-inch and optional 9-inch infotainment touchscreens are easy to read and operate. Built-in navigation is also available on higher trims if you want it. Three USB ports and the option to add a wireless charger should provide plenty of charge for all occupants on the road.
All Camrys come with Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.5+. It is an impressive suite of standard driver assistance features such as adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist.
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
While rivals such as the Hyundai Sonata and the Kia Optima have longer warranty periods in this class, Toyota holds its own with two years of complimentary scheduled maintenance.
- The limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles
- The powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
- Complimentary maintenance is covered for two years or 25,000 miles
2023 Toyota Camry Variants
The 2023 Camry comes with a choice of three different engine configurations and six trims: LE, SE, XLE, XSE, TRD, and Nightshade. Apart from the TRD, all trims have a hybrid version.
The base LE trim comes standard with Toyota’s Entune system and connects with phones to stream music or use apps such as a GPS link. Other standard features include:
- a backup camera
- 3 USB ports
- LED headlights with auto-high beam
- 3 driving modes (4 modes in the hybrid versions)
- 7-inch infotainment touchscreen
- LED daytime running lights and taillights
- remote keyless entry
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- dual-zone automatic climate control
- 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat, and
- 60/40 split rear folding seat.
The SE has 18-inch machine-finished alloy wheels, a blacked-out front grille, chrome exhaust tips, heated mirrors, a rear spoiler, and embossed mesh interior trim. It also includes automatic climate control, sport-tuned suspension, paddle shift, leather shift knob, and steering wheel and Toyota’s SofTex trimmed front seats. The Nightshade appearance package adds black finishing trims on the exterior and interior, including mirror caps, door handles, and wheels.
The XLE includes:
- a bigger 9-inch infotainment touchscreen
- full-speed dynamic radar-controlled cruise control with traffic stop and go
- blind spot monitoring and rear collision alert
- low/high LED headlights
- proximity door and push to start button
- remote start via app
- 18-inch wheels (a different design than the ones on the SE)
- vehicle tracker system
- rear console air vents
- HD radio
- simulated-wood interior trim
- metallic front grill
- wireless device charging
- heated front seats, a power passenger seat, and leather seating surfaces.
The V6 engine option comes equipped with a Panoramic moonroof and 9-JBL speakers.
The sportier XSE models come with fancy, slightly tinted LED headlights with LED daytime running lights, and black 19-inch machine finish alloy wheels.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
| Model | Pricing |
| LE | $27,415 |
| SE | $28,955 |
| LE Hybrid | $29,750 |
| SE Hybrid | $31,285 |
| XLE | $32,165 |
| XSE | $32,715 |
| TRD | $34,480 |
| XLE Hybrid | $34,640 |
| XSE Hybrid | $35,190 |
How comfortable is the Camry?
Big, comfortable seats and a smooth ride mean the Camry will suit a wide range of drivers even on long trips. Add in a powerful, easy-to-use climate control system that can cool the cabin effectively, even in triple-digit temperatures, and the Camry provides a pleasant cabin environment for anyone along for the ride.
Both the top-level XLE guise and its more plebeian SE trim variant are spacious and comfortable, and the XLE is downright luxurious. However, there is a serious gap in material quality between the entry-level models and the more expensive versions, and the center section of the dashboard can look cold with its uninspired design.
However, its biggest flaw here is that the Camry lets in too much outside noise. You’ll hear a prominent engine buzz when you’re accelerating and noticeable wind and road noise at freeway speeds. The Camry is definitely noisier than average for a midsize sedan.
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