A used Toyota Camry is a solid buy in most years, but the 2007-2009 cars with the 2.4-liter four-cylinder (the 2AZ-FE) are the ones to check hardest, because Toyota ran a warranty program for excessive oil burning on them and that coverage has now run out. On any year, confirm open recalls by VIN, read the title and odometer history, and find out whether the car was a rental before you agree on a price.
It is mid October 2026, and Camrys are still the car a lot of people buy when they want something that just starts every morning. That reputation is mostly earned. It also means sellers lean on it. "It's a Camry, they run forever" is not a service record, and we see that line on high-mileage listings with no paperwork at all. This guide sticks to issues we could verify from Toyota or NHTSA documents, plus the paper checks that matter on any used sedan. If you are cross-shopping, our used Honda Civic buying guide covers the Honda side.
Camry generations in plain terms
The 2007-2011 Camry is the one with the most to check. Through 2009 the base engine was the 2.4-liter 2AZ-FE four-cylinder, and the Camry Hybrid used a 2AZ as well. For 2010 the gas four-cylinder moved to a 2.5-liter, and a 3.5-liter V6 was offered the whole run. The 2012-2017 cars kept the 2.5 four, the V6, and a hybrid, and they are the sweet spot for a lot of budget shoppers right now. The 2018-2024 generation moved to a new platform with an 8-speed automatic on the gas cars, still with a four, a V6, and a hybrid. Then for 2025 Toyota made the Camry hybrid-only. Car and Driver's 2025 Camry review lists 225 horsepower with front drive and 232 with all-wheel drive.
If you are not sure which generation a car is, the VIN answers that in seconds. Our Toyota VIN decoder guide shows how to read the model year and engine from the 17 characters, which is handy when a listing says 2010 and the VIN says 2009.
The 2AZ-FE oil consumption problem
This is the one verified, recurring engine issue we would plan around. Toyota's Warranty Enhancement Program ZE7, documented in a Toyota service reference guide filed with NHTSA, covered excessive oil consumption on certain 2007-2009 Camry, 2007-2011 Camry Hybrid, and 2007-2008 Camry Solara models with the 2AZ engine, along with some Corolla, Matrix, RAV4, and Scion models. Eligibility depended on a dealer oil consumption test. The secondary coverage ran 10 years from first use or 150,000 miles, whichever came first, so every 2007-2009 car is outside it by now.
On the car in front of you, ask whether the ZE7 repair was done and ask for the dealer paperwork. Pull the dipstick on a cold engine and see where the level sits. Ask how often the owner adds oil. Blue smoke on startup, oil-fouled plugs, or a seller who keeps a quart in the trunk are all bad signs. Honestly, a 2008 four-cylinder with a documented repair can be a fine cheap car. One with no records and a low dipstick should be priced like it needs an engine, because it might.
Recalls you should check by VIN
Run the exact VIN on Toyota's recall lookup and keep a screenshot. One older example: Toyota recall 12V-491 covered the driver's power window master switch on certain 2007-2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid models, among others, per the dealer notice filed with NHTSA. CNBC reported at the time that the switch problem drove a recall of 7.4 million vehicles globally. A car that age may have changed hands four or five times, and an unfinished recall can ride along through every sale. Our post on open recalls on CARFAX explains how incomplete campaigns show up and when they do not.
For crash protection on newer cars, check IIHS ratings for the 2025 Camry and the matching pages for the year you are looking at. Ratings change between model years, so do not assume a 2025 score applies to a 2019.
Title, odometer, rental history
Camrys have long been a rental and fleet staple, so check how the car was used before you check anything cosmetic. A former rental is not automatically bad, but it changes what the price should be. Our guide to rental car history on CARFAX covers how that use gets reported. Then look at the mileage readings in order. A Camry with steady readings that suddenly drop, or a long gap followed by low miles, deserves a hard look, and our odometer rollback guide walks through the patterns.
At a dealer, read the FTC Buyers Guide in the window. The Used Car Rule requires it on covered dealer sales, and it tells you whether the car is sold as-is. Private sales do not come with one. Pull your own report instead of trusting a printout from the seller, and read it with our how to read a CARFAX report guide open in another tab.
As of mid October 2026, a CARFAX report through us runs about $5.50 as a guest or about $4.50 as a member, and a CARFAX plus AutoCheck bundle is about $6.75, against roughly $39.99 to $44.99 at retail. Prices move, so confirm at checkout. We are a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, or Experian. Spend the money before the test drive, then spend a little more on a pre-purchase inspection.
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