The Toyota Camry (; Japanese: トヨタ・カムリ Toyota Kamuri) is an automobile sold internationally by the Japanese auto manufacturer Toyota since 1982, spanning multiple generations. Originally compact in size (narrow-body), the Camry has grown since the 1990s to fit the mid-size classification (wide-body)—although the two widths co-existed in that decade. Since the release of the wide-bodied versions, Camry has been extolled by Toyota as the firm's second "world car" after the Corolla. , the Camry is positioned above the Corolla and below the Avalon or Crown in several markets.
The Camry is one of the best-selling automobiles of all time, with worldwide sales of over 22 million . In Japan, the Camry was once exclusive to Toyota Corolla Store retail dealerships. Narrow-body cars also spawned a rebadged sibling in Japan, the Toyota Vista (トヨタ・ビスタ)—also introduced in 1982 and sold at Toyota Vista Store locations. Diesel fuel versions have previously retailed at Toyota Diesel Store. The Vista Ardeo was a wagon version of the Vista V50.
Etymology The name "Camry" derives from the Japanese word . This follows Toyota's naming tradition of using the crown name for primary models, starting with the Toyota Crown (1955). The tradition continued with the Toyota Corona (1957) and Corolla (1966), the Latin words for "crown" and "small crown" respectively. Further maintaining this theme was the Toyota Tiara (1960), named after the "tiara" form of crown. In 1980, the Toyota Cresta, based on the Toyota Mark II, was introduced to Japan only; is Latin for a decorative, ceremonial feature added to the top of a helmet. The rebadged Camry variant for Japan, the Toyota Scepter (1991), took its name from the word "scepter", a royal accessory to a crown. The Atara trim level name, used on the Camry in Australia since 2011, means "crown" in Hebrew.
History Between 1979 and 1982, the Camry nameplate was delegated to a four-door sedan model in Japan, known as the Celica Camry. When Camry became an independent model line in 1982 with the V10 series, Toyota made it available as a five-door liftback in addition to the sedan. The subsequent Camry V20 series, debuted in 1986 with a station wagon substituting for the liftback body variant and Japan-only hardtop sedans making their debut. The company replaced the V20 in 1990 with the V30 sedan and hardtop, but this model series was exclusive to Japan. Automotive tax regulations in that country dictated the retention of a narrower body as used in previous Camry generations. However, overseas demand for a larger Camry resulted in the development of a wide-body XV10 sedan and station wagon that arrived in 1991. Japan also received the wider XV10 as the Toyota Scepter (トヨタ・セプター). The company then issued an XV10-bodied coupé in 1993 that was spun off in 1998 as an independent model line, titled Camry Solara.
When the Japanese market received a new narrow-body V40 series in 1994 to replace V30, the wide-body XV10 continued unchanged. Its replacement, the XV20, arrived in 1996—named Camry Gracia in Japan. It was not until the narrow V40 ended manufacture in 1998 that the Camry in Japan was to again mirror the cars sold internationally. Japanese sedans dropped the Gracia suffix in 1999, although it was retained by the wagon until its 2001 demise. From 1998, the Vista ended its Camry alignment, and instead branched into an independent model line with the V50 series for an extra generation before the nameplate was withdrawn in 2003.
The next wide-body model, the XV30, came in 2001. Now sold only as a sedan, it now offered two different front- and rear-end design treatments. Japan and most global markets received one style; a separate, more conservative version covered markets in East and Southeast Asia. With the XV40 of 2006, the Camry-derived Aurion become the donor model for the more conservative Camry sold in this region. The subsequent XV50 series, sold from 2011 until 2019, has resulted in even more markets adopting the alternative body panels, such as Japan and Eastern Europe. The current generation is called the XV70.
When Toyota launched their luxury Lexus brand in 1989, it offered a close derivative of the Camry/Vista hardtop sedan as the Lexus ES. The relationship continues to this day, but over the generations, the ES—sold as the Toyota Windom in Japan from 1991 through to 2005—gravitated further away from its Camry brethren. Between 2000 and 2010, and then 2012 and 2023, Daihatsu had offered a badge engineered Camry as the Daihatsu Altis (ダイハツ・アルティス) sold only in Japan. Badge engineering has also occurred in Australia with the Holden Apollo between 1989 and 1996. From 1993, Toyota Australia badged V6-engined versions as Camry Vienta, becoming Toyota Vienta in 1995 until the badge's departure in 2000. Between 2006 and 2017, the Toyota Aurion model from Australia was derived from the V6 Camry, but with revised front-end and rear-end styling treatment and a partially refurbished cabin.
Sales of the Camry ended in late 2023 for the Japanese market after 43 years as the result of poor sales. However, Toyota plans to reintroduce it to the Japanese market in 2026.
Timeline + Toyota Camry timeline, 1979–present Class 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Narrow-body Celica Camry Camry/Vista (V10) Camry/Vista (V20) Camry/Vista (V30) Camry/Vista (V40) Vista (V50) Wide-body Camry/Scepter (XV10) Camry (XV20) Camry (XV30) Camry/Aurion (XV40) Camry/Aurion (XV50) Camry (XV70) Camry (XV80)
Narrow-body Celica Camry (A40/A50; 1979–1982)
The "Camry" nameplate originated on a four-door sedan approximate to the Toyota Celica called the Celica Camry. Toyota designated this initial application of the Camry name as the A40/A50 series. Celica Camry made its sales debut in January 1980 at Toyota Corolla Store retail dealerships in Japan. Production had earlier commenced in December 1979 at the Tsutsumi plant at Toyota, Aichi. Despite the marketing position, Celica Camry shares few components with its namesake—but rather the Carina (A40/A50). Toyota modified the Carina by elongating its front-end and incorporating styling cues such as the T-bar grille motif that resembled the Celica XX/Supra (A40). Strictly speaking, Celica Camry is not the first generation of Camry, but rather its predecessor.
Celica Camry uses the front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and in A40 guise, a standard four-link rigid axle suspension system with gasoline inline-four engines displacing 1.6 liters for the 12T-U (TA41) and 1.8 liters with the 13T-U (TA46). Initial model grades comprised: 1600 LT, 1600 XT, 1800 LT, 1800 XT, and 1800 XT Super Edition. In August 1980, Toyota released high-end models with four-wheel independent suspension, denoted A50 (front MacPherson struts, rear semi-trailing arm setup; four-wheel disc brakes). For the TA57 series 1800 SX, Toyota fitted the 1.8-liter 3T-EU engine. Toyota designated the new 2.0-liter grades, the 21R-U powered 2000 SE and 18R-GEU-based 2000 GT as RA56 and RA55, respectively.
The Celica Camry was available in six exterior colors with contrasting blue, gray, or brown interiors, and the XT Super Edition offered two-tone exterior paint in dark brown over light brown. Power steering with adjustable tilt steering, air conditioning, two stereo choices, a choice of a digital or electric analog clock, rear window defroster, and rear child door lockout were available. The side-view mirrors installed on the fenders ahead of the front wheels were electrically adjustable on higher trim packages and manually adjustable on entry-level models. The aluminum alloy wheels were shared with the Celica and Supra on higher trim packages.
V10 (1982–1986)
Toyota started production of the first generation series Camry in March 1982 at the Tsutsumi plant. Designated the model code V10, when fitted with S-series gasoline engines it was known as the SV10, SV11, or SV12 depending on the exact version. Likewise, the C-series diesel versions are identified by the CV10 and CV11 codes. Released to the Japanese market on 24 March 1982, Toyota issued the V10 series as a four-door notchback sedan retailing at the Toyota Corolla Store dealerships. At the same time, a twinned model—the Toyota Vista—launched as a rebadged Camry sold at separate Toyota Vista Store locations. Five-door liftback versions of the Vista came to the market in August 1982, although outside of export markets the Camry remained exclusively a sedan. These cars served above the comparably sized Toyota Carina and Corona in the Toyota hierarchy. Unlike the preceding Celica Camry, exports were achieved with the first generation Camry to Australia, Europe and North America.
Development of the V10 series Camry and Vista began in August 1977 following the 1973 oil crisis and would later cover the 1979 crisis. Automobile manufacturers increasingly shifted toward downsized, lighter, more fuel efficient cars with better aerodynamic performance. The industry also began wide-scale switching from the rear-wheel-drive layout to the lighter and more compact front-wheel-drive in the interest of increased fuel economy. With a development focus on exports, particularly to the US, Toyota designed Camry to replace the Toyota Corona (T130) in many overseas markets. It needed to compete with the compact, front-drive Honda Accord sedan from Japan. The Camry had a wheelbase longer than that of the Honda Accord. The design brief also established the compact front-wheel-drive X platform vehicles by General Motors in the US as competitors. In light of this competition—and a first for Toyota—the V10 adopted front-wheel drive with the engine transversely mounted. Between this layout that reduced the size of the engine compartment, the notchback sedan and liftback bodies with rear quarter windows, and the longer wheelbase of —the V10 series was considered spacious for its time and class. Furthermore, by situating the fuel tank underneath the back seat, luggage space is increased. The styling of the V10 followed the box-shaped trends characteristic of the early 1980s. Wind tunnel testing led to the fitment of drag-reducing flush pillars, a flat roofline to reduce wind buffeting, and one-piece front bumper with air dam to direct air flow. Drag coefficient is quoted at for the sedan and for the liftback.
Coil spring independent suspension features by way of a MacPherson strut type with stabilizer and strut bar up front, and a MacPherson rear setup with parallel lower arms. Steering uses a rack and pinion design; braking hardware is made up of front ventilated discs and rear drums with a double proportioning valve to suppress lock-up. Innovatively, a sensor is fitted to detect worn-out brake pads, alerted by use of an audible chime.