How many miles can a Toyota Camry last? When you’re in the market for a new or second-hand Camry, that’s a very reasonable question to ask. After all, you’re probably looking to get the most bang for your buck. In this blog, we’ll look at this question in great detail but first, let’s start with a quick answer:
On average, a Toyota Camry lasts between 250.000 – 290.000 miles. A Camry needs to go to the garage for unscheduled repairs about 0.28 times per year, with an 11% chance of severe problems. Furthermore, Camry owners spend an average of $388 per year on repair costs.
Having said that, we’re certainly not done. Below, we’ll explain in more detail how many miles a Camry can last. After that, we’ll also show you how much a Camry costs annually and which production years are the most and least expensive. Furthermore, we also discuss the common problems that the car can have. Read on!
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How Many Miles Can A Toyota Camry Last?
Today, we will analyze how many miles a Toyota Camry can last. We conducted in-depth research on several different platforms to answer these questions. First, we have to look at the Toyota Camry as a group. For this, we went to Autotrader.com to gather our sample size.
We took a pool of 18.503 Toyota Camry units and divided them into groups based on the miles they had already driven. The results of this research are displayed in the table below.
| Amount Of Miles | Percentage Of Cars |
| Cars With 150.000+ | 8.28% |
| Cars With 100.000 – 149.000 | 12.88% |
| Cars With 45.000 – 99.999 | 34.70% |
| Cars With 0 – 44.999 | 44.14% |
By themselves, these numbers don´t say a lot. However, it just so happens that we´ve written hundreds of these articles for different passenger vehicles. For this reason, we know that it´s typical for cars to have a percentage of 3-5% crossing the 150.000 miles mark.
And here we have the Toyota Camry, which has 8.28% of its available second-hand units cross the 150.000 miles mark already. Typically, those are numbers that we would expect with vehicles that have been out of production for a while. However, the Camry is still being sold.
So it seems that the high-mileage, extremely reliable sedan stereotype is true at first glance, at least for the Camry. However, there´s more to the question than just this table. Let´s continue.
How Reliable Is A Toyota Camry Compared To Its Competitors?
Even when you see a vehicle having hundreds of thousands of miles on the gauge cluster, more proof is necessary to know for sure what you are buying is, in fact, the most reliable and long-lasting vehicle. After putting the Camry against its competitors, one thing was certain; not many competitors can beat Toyota’s reliability.
In the table below, we´ve displayed the expected and highest recorded mileage of different Camry competitors. While the Camry can outlast many brands from other manufacturers some of Toyota’s other vehicles like the Highlander and Tacoma have even longer lifespans. However, it does put some shorter-lived vehicles, like the RAV4 to shame.
Please keep in mind we´ve written separate articles for these vehicles as well, and therefore we´re confident in the displayed results.
| Model | Sample Size | Expected Mileage | Highest Mileage |
| Toyota Camry | 18.503 | 270.000 | 400.000 |
| Ford Fusion | 14.852 | 220.000 | 300.000 |
| Honda Accord | 18.439 | 250.000 | 320.000 |
| Hyundai Sonata | 10.177 | 220.000 | 290.000 |
| Nissan Altima | 17.851 | 240.000 | 320.000 |
| Chevy Malibu | 12.374 | 270.000 | 380.000 |
We can conclude from this data that the Camry is leading the pack in terms of how many miles we expect the car to last and leaving some vehicles, like the Prius, in the dust. Having a lifespan of 270.000 miles is incredible for a sedan, and it´s so good that only the Chevy Malibu is expected to last this long as well. All other competitors are expected to last 20.000 – 50.000 miles less (that´s 1,5 – 3 years). The Camry is scoring points in this section.
How Reliable Is A Toyota Camry Compared To Other Toyotas?
We took several Toyota models and examined their reliability based on the same data. We took the mileage numbers of these models and compared them with the mileage numbers of the Toyota Camry.
What becomes clear from this table immediately is the fact that Toyota builds vehicles with an incredible lifespan. Typically, car brands have vehicles that last between 200.000 – 250.000 miles, and anything above that is very rare. However, Toyota has many vehicles with an expected mileage of 250.000 or higher.
The Camry does hold up well; however, funnily enough, it´s not the longest-living Toyota. This is logical because Toyota builds many trucks and SUVs, which are known for their excellent lifespan. Overall, this is a plus for Toyota.
| Model | Sample Size | Expected Mileage | Highest Mileage |
| Toyota Avalon | 2.763 | 255.000 | 360.000 |
| Toyota Camry | 18.503 | 270.000 | 400.000 |
| Toyota Yaris | 992 | 215.000 | 260.000 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 17.027 | 240.000 | 300.000 |
| Toyota Sequoia | 1.735 | 275.000 | 370.000 |
| Toyota Sienna | 6.166 | 255.000 | 290.000 |
| Toyota Highlander | 13.499 | 270.000 | 350.000 |
| Toyota Corolla | 17.297 | 265.000 | 340.000 |
| Toyota Tundra | 13.370 | 305.000 | 390.000 |
| Toyota Tacoma | 17.910 | 325.000 | 395.000 |
| Toyota 4Runner | 14.092 | 315.000 | 360.000 |
How Much Does Maintenance Cost Per Year?
The maintenance cost must be as low as possible for a vehicle to be truly reliable. Any unreliable vehicle can achieve high mileage if money is put into the repairs. But a reliable car is one that does not require those expensive repairs. In the table below, we´ve gathered the maintenance costs for many model years of the Camry. This data was acquired from Repairpal and Caredge.com.
On average, we expect to pay $388 in annual maintenance costs for a Toyota Camry. Let it be clear that this is an incredibly low number. Typically, it costs a car owner $526 per year to keep a midsized car like the Camry on the road. Therefore, the Camry is almost $150 cheaper yearly than its competition.
| Model Year | Annual Maintenance Cost |
| 2023 | $160 |
| 2022 | $183 |
| 2021 | $220 |
| 2020 | $278 |
| 2019 | $407 |
| 2018 | $379 |
| 2017 | $429 |
| 2016 | $365 |
| 2015 | $378 |
| 2014 | $387 |
| 2013 | $388 |
| 2012 | $398 |
| 2011 | $388 |
| 2010 | $381 |
| 2009 | $376 |
| 2008 | $357 |
| 2007 | $329 |
What´s also very interesting to see in this table is that no model year stands out negatively. Okay, the 2017 model year is relatively high, but we´re still talking about less than $450 in annual maintenance costs. There´s very little else we can conclude that this is another win for the Camry.
Owners’ Reviews Of The Toyota Camry Reliability
Besides knowing all the data, it’s, of course, also essential to see how owners experience the Camry. For this, we went to Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, and Truecar.com. All three platforms have gathered hundreds of reviews from actual car owners. We summarized our findings in the image below.
Looking at the ratings of the seventh-generation Camry, we do see that not all owners are pleased with the car. This came as a surprise to us, given that the numbers of the Camry have been great so far. Looking deeper into those reviews, we find that the seventh generation has had many smaller problems.
For example, the 2018 Camry had a horrendous infotainment and navigation system, whereas 2019 – 2021 owners don´t like the build quality, the way the car is designed, or how it handles. On the other hand, owners of the 2022 Camry seem to be much more pleased with their vehicles. The quote below sends up the sentiment quite well:
Styling is great. Toyota quality is great. Engine needs more power. AWD plus all the safety technology is very impressive. The touch screen display is slow and outdated. The interior and trunk offer tons of room. I’m 6’3” and have plenty of room. Overall a decent value with top notch reliability.
Source, 2021 owner
Toyota Camry Common Problems
Besides knowing the factors we´ve already discussed, it´s also vital to understand the common problems the Camry has had throughout the generations. This gives us a complete understanding of the vehicle as a whole. We’ve based this information on recalls but primarily focused on common complaints reported by Camry owners to figure out the most common problems you should expect.
Seventh Generation (2017 – Present)
Failing Power Brake Assist
Toyota recalled 227,000 Camry manufactured between 2018 – 2019 because of a failing power brake assist. Failing of the system that assists during braking doesn’t mean that the driver wouldn’t be able to brake any more. However, owners did suddenly have to brake much harder. The problem was caused by a vane cap inside the brake pump that was wearing prematurely and malfunctioning. A recall was issued for this.
Echos During Bluetooth
One problem focused on more recent models of the Camry Hybrid is a loud echo during a hands-free phone call. According to owners, this problem was quite severe in the 2016 – 2019 versions of the Camry Hybrid, rendering the whole system useless.
The problem was so bad that Toyota issued an instruction video on minimizing echo during these phone calls. The main takeaway from this is that you need to adjust the phone’s audio all the way up while adjusting the audio of the head unit down to below 45.
Distorted Windshield
The primary problem people experience is a distortion of objects seen through either the front or back window (in 2008 – 2019 models, yes, all of them). However, the rear window is the most complained about. It seems that either the angle of the window or the tinting used causes this problem. It doesn´t happen in all Camry´s, and a recall or TSB was never issued.
Airbag Recall
A minor but very important problem was that Toyota had to recall 618 Camrys made in 2019 because of issues with the airbags.
The problem was that the cars had problems with the ‘Occupant Classification System’. This system would fail to function correctly, which resulted in the non-deployment of the front passenger airbag and knee airbag during a collision.
Sixth Generation (2012 – 2017)
Sudden Acceleration
Between 2007 – 2019 Toyota Camrys reported incidents of the car accelerating out of nowhere without applying the accelerator pedal.
In some cases, owners report trying to accelerate on the highway but being unable to top a speed of 25 – 40 mph. On other occasions, owners report parking the car in a garage or parking lot with the car suddenly accelerating forward. Toyota never issued a recall or a service bulletin, but they did settle lawsuits.
This same problem has been seen in other Toyota vehicles over the years including the Highlander hybrid and it’s a documented issue for the Avalon as well.
Electrical System
The electrical system of the 2012 – 2015 model years certainly wasn´t the greatest. Owners reported several random warning lights and being unable to open the door locks from time to time. What caused this problem remains up to speculation. However, the owners reported that the complete electrical board of the car failed.
Brakes
The brakes of this generation of the Camry certainly aren´t the best. Again, Toyota never issued a recall for this. However, we do know that common complaints are loud grinding or clunking noises coming from the brake pad or that the brakes feel spongy. We´ve seen this problem in many Toyota vehicles, and it´s most likely caused by the use of cheaper parts that don´t last as long as they should.
Structure
The build quality of the Camry wasn´t the best in this generation, especially in the 2012 – 2013 model years. Owners complained about the white paint of their car chipping away way too early. Clips that hold the bumper in place would break off, and door handles would also fracture and become unusable.
Airbags
2012 – 2013 model years had a recall (and a bunch of complaints) because the drain hose for the air conditioning condenser may become clogged, causing water to accumulate at the bottom of the air conditioning condenser unit housing. The accumulated water may then leak through a seam in the housing onto the air bag control module, potentially resulting in a short circuit of the module.
Power Train
The power train of the 2013 – 2015 Camry had problems with a shuddering torque converter. Toyota issued a limited service campaign. This meant there was a certain period when you needed to take action, but many owners weren´t notified and found out about this campaign later. They extended the campaign several times, but communication about this has been sub-par.
Loss Of Power Steering
A component of the electric power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may have been damaged during the manufacturing process. Over time, this damage may result in the failure of the electric power steering system—recall number 15V144000.
Is a Toyota Camry A Smart Buy?
Finally, we have to answer the question of whether or not the Toyota Camry is a car that´s worth getting. When we look at the car’s potential mileage, we see that the Camry is top of the class. We expect a Camry to last around 270.000 miles, an incredible number for a sedan. When we compare this to its competition, we see that only the Malibu comes close, and other sedans are left in the dust.
Moving on to the annual maintenance costs, we see that these are far lower than what we would typically expect to pay for a midsized sedan. Another plus for the Camry.
However, there´s also some critique we need to discuss. First, owners of the seventh-generation Camry don´t rate the car that highly. This has less to do with the vehicle’s mechanical or electrical problems and more that the car doesn´t live up to its expectation or is considered uncomfortable to use.
Furthermore, we did see that the sixth and seventh generations of the Camry both have quite some problems. Some of these were solved by recalls, but in some cases, Toyota has failed to take adequate action.
If you´re looking for a Camry in the second-hand market, it´s probably best to pick a 2016 – 2017 model year. This is because most problems of the sixth generation were fixed for these models. Furthermore, the seventh generation simply isn´t rated that highly. The 2022 model year seems promising and is highly rated, but whether this continues throughout the generation is to be seen.
Are you in the market for this Toyota? Don’t forget to check out our extensive list of the largest Toyota dealers per state!
Toyota Camry Maintenance Schedule
All things deteriorate with time, and so do cars. The Toyota Camry, with all that reliability, still requires proper maintenance. The frequency, however, is less than the competition. On top of that, the cost of care is also very reasonable. If you want to keep your Toyota Camry in good shape for a long time, you can refer to the maintenance schedule below:
Before/On Every 3,000 Miles
- Most newer vehicles require the oil change at 6000 miles or so. But it’s better to have your oil changed at 3000 miles. You can delay this to a small extent if you accumulate lots of idle time.
- Replace the oil filter
- Rotate tires
- Inspect all the fluid levels
Before/On Every 10,000 Miles
- Inspect the cabin air filter and replace it if required
- Inspect the air intake and replace the filter if necessary
- Inspect the braking system and see if everything is in working condition
- Check the suspension components
- Lubricate the joints that require lubrication
- Clean the underside of your Toyota Camry and carry out the rust prevention treatment
- Inspect the coolant
Before/On Every 20,000 Miles
- Inspect all the electronics and see if there is any engine code
- Check the brake fluid and brake lines to make sure there is no leak
- Inspect the exhaust system for any leaks
Before/On Every 40,000 Miles
- Replace the transmission fluid which will help the Camry’s reliable transmission last longer
- Inspect the spark plugs and replace them if necessary
- Inspect the fuel pump and fuel injectors to ensure they are not clogged, especially if you’ve had to go outside the recommended fuel requirements for a Camry
- Inspect the PCV system for any leaks
- Carry out the wheel alignment if required
- Thoroughly inspect the suspension components and replace the ones that are worn out. Rattles and clunks are caused by worn-out suspension components most of the time.
- Replace the brake fluid
Before/On Every 60,000 Miles
- Replace the spark plugs if not replaced previously
- Inspect the coolant and replace it if it has accumulated contaminants
- Lubricate all the joints that require lubrication
- Paint correction if required as those areas that have chipped paint can rust and cause more damage
- Renew your brake system; replace the rotors, pads, calipers, etc
Before/On Every 100,000 Miles
- Replace all fluids in your Toyota Camry
- Have it thoroughly detailed to give it a fresh look
Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.
I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.
Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!