Toyota Camry Overview

The Toyota Camry encompasses all the attributes that made the name plate the most popular vehicle in the country. Yet today, one of the most important features is its low entry price. A Camry CE can be purchased for as low as $17,458. Even when outfitted with popular equipment, it remains under 20 grand. History has shown we want more for less, and the Camry seems to offer exactly that to a large segment of the population. That's part of the reason it was America's best-selling car last year.

Fortunately, Toyota hasn't just stripped the Camry down to bare essentials and sent it out the door. Nor has it built a price leader that no one would buy. From the spacious passenger compartment to the storage space in the large trunk, the Camry is built for an active life style.

The Camry CE, which is the base model and the one we tested, is every bit a Camry. It drives well in a variety of conditions, offers Toyota's penchant for reliability and offers convenience and safety that car buyers look for today. This summer Toyota has stretched the dollar a bit farther by offering a $1,186 value package that includes air conditioning, cruise control, variable intermittent wipers, and power windows, door locks and mirrors. That represents a $1,000 savings over the retail price for that equipment. All this in addition to the $800 optional automatic transmission for less than $20,000. (Prices include $420 destination charge.)