The 1990s Toyota Camry Was Popular, Basic Family Transport

CHECK OUT THIS TOYOTA CAMRY ON CARS & BIDS!
crsnbds.com/camry
This is the Toyota Camry, a great and popular family car. Today I'm reviewing this Toyota Camry, and I'll show you all the many quirks and features. I'm also going to get behind the wheel of the Toyota Camry and show you what it's like to drive.
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 THIS...
00:34 It Can Be Yours On CARS & BIDS!!!
01:11 Overview
03:36 The Most Popular Car in the US
04:50 Why Was It So Popular?
05:59 Dull Design
07:10 Exterior Quirks
08:16 Dull Interior
09:11 Interior Quirks & Features
13:14 Rear Seating
14:35 Trunk
15:27 Driving Experience
19:51 Final Thoughts
20:18 DougScore
#dougdemuro #cars #toyota #camry

[@1996ChevroletImpalaSS]

I always love it when doug reviews normal cars instead of weird, expensive cars.

[@thewubmachine840]

Thats How this channel was back when this channel is created

[@winstonmiu]

Same! Please do more of these classic normal cars!

[@SHIIFUTO]

Seems like now just reviews cars that are sold on his platform, making his opinion less reliable, since he barely says anything bad about the car

[@KartKing4ever]

Normal old cars* New normal cars are still in the snoozefest zone.

[@AngelValdovinos]

This isn't a normal car it's an icon

[@one4uf]

Drove a 2000 Camry for 14 years. Aside from excitement, it was the absolute perfect car. Easy to drive, decent power, reliable, low maintenance, it was just there for you.

[@crowttubebot3075]

Yep, that is what makes a car like this so great, especially for enthusiasts. Have a fun bike/car for the weekends or track days, but commuting to work in rush hour traffic to pay for the fun stuff? A reliable car that will get you from point A to point B and back everytime, with no drama, is a stress reliever. Plus, putting miles on one of these to commute is stress free. Not wasting sticky tires on the daily commute alone is worth the price of buying one for daily use. Plus, after a long day at work, I just want to get home. A reliable, comfortable cruiser is the way to go , IMO. I save the fun stuff for fun times, and use the boring stuff for boring times.

[@vyvanse70mg]

that generation is literally the best car for doing car things like driving forward

[@3-DtimeCosmology]

It's... beautiful. 😀

[@lundsweden]

Let's face it, most cars a boring. At least the Camry is dependable, comfortable and reliable.

[@woodprivacy3776]

I still see this era of Camry about once a week in Washington DC, and I always have to do a mental double-take: "Damn that car is going on 25 years!" Indestructible.

[@yogawithsaratrapani]

Love when you review 80s & 90s cars!!

[@wild9439]

You can use the cup holder's lip and the storage compartment latch under the radio to securely hold a cased smartphone. Great for GPS driving.

[@mostly_ghostly9889]

I love the episodes with normal cars that are still VERY important. These episodes become more of a history lesson then a car review and I LOVE it.

[@EmanL8758]

What Doug failed to mention was that the Camry SE of this generation did have some changes from the regular Camry such as four-wheel disc brakes, a stiffer "sports tuned" suspension and from 1992-1993, it could be had with a 5-Speed manual with the V6 and it was the only Camry model of that generation to get the V6 and manual.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Doug does leave out vital information a lot of the time.

[@Spike00773]

It seems like to him, a performance upgrade is mainly a power thing.

[@jaroslavmrazek5752]

@@paulie-Gualtieri. And sometimes gets facts completely wrong, especially if it's not a car from the US.

[@JoeUrbanYYC]

Interesting, competing with the Maxima SE perhaps?

[@julianevans9548]

This is all you need. Your SUV or truck is pointlessly huge, dangerous for other road users and pedestrians and bad for the environment. Weight is the problem.

[@iannosek6756]

My first car was a 1995 Gold Camry LE!

[@zytriz]

I can finally say Doug reviewed a car I owned 😂

[@morimo11]

My mom loved her Camrys. I think she had five in a row, all second hand. Her last was this same generation, maybe the next, and she took such good care of it. When she passed in 2022 we gave it to family friends whose daughter had just gotten her license. It’s still going strong. Miss you mom.

[@snakeeyes9246]

My dad had one when I was an infant. In 2003, he hit a deer in the middle of the night. Even thought the car was badly damaged (he was unhurt), the insurance company didn't total it because they knew it would run forever. I bet it's still going strong after it was fixed and sold.

[@KyleTerpstra-kb3lt]

My mother was a camry

[@hjer731]

❤️❤️

[@raulgil2274]

My mom handed me down her 95 she still brings up that I totaled it.

[@julianevans9548]

This is all you need. Your SUV or truck is pointlessly huge, dangerous for other road users and pedestrians and bad for the environment. Weight is the problem.

[@joemother1098]

I saw a Geo Metro hatch being driven by an old lady yesterday. I am not exaggerating when I say it was in absolute showroom condition. Perfect bright red paint, crystal clear headlights, deep black plastic trim, not a scratch on the plastic hub caps. Very neat to see one in that condition 30 years later

[@Jac735]

Those old school cars were something speacil those 80s and 90s smaller cars ba k than were fun in my opinion

[@beaushaw]

Recently I saw an old lady driving a perfect past generation 4Runner. That is going to make someone very happy when she is done with it.

[@BoopdaBeep]

I love seeing stuff like that, too! Just today, around 9am this morning, I met an elderly couple that still drives a green 1996 Honda Accord wagon, and it is in absolutely perfect condition! Considering they live in central Ohio, I find the condition to be very impressive! As far as I know, they are the original owners and plan on keeping it until they both reach their graves

[@herranton]

Last summer I was out with my 8 year old nephew. He spotted a porsche gt3 from across the parking lot. We drove over to see it and he thought it was extremely weird that I was geeking out about the 90s metro hatchback 3 spots down and that I couldn't care less about the gt3. I tired explaining that the metro was way more rare, but he was having none of it. So we checked auto trader. There were 3 gt3s for sale within 10 miles, and not a single metro for sale in the _entire country._ He still didn't care. It didn't have a giant wing.

[@Salpeteroxid]

I'm Swedish so whenever I see a pristine Volvo 140, 240 or especially older Saabs I geek out and often give thumbs up or a compliment.

[@23ofSeptember]

1:56 My parents had a red 1994 2 door Camry LE Coup so I'm "in the know" about these cars. Yup, I know about these cars more than most!

[@elamefrancis7036]

Doug can make you visit your old old garage n just love that old school vehicle you left in there

[@blurglide]

The overdrive button is merely a lockout button for 4th gear. If you push it, you'll only get the first 3 gears.

[@michaeljcurry]

Yeah, I cringed a little at that part heh

[@blurglide]

@@michaeljcurry Yeah- how could such a car guy not know that? Crazy!

[@tominator7728]

Thanks I was thinking the same!

[@arthurs7882]

It's actually funny how little Doug knows

[@VNCTHE1]

Doug is literally clueless when it comes to cars...as in how they actually work, his mechanical and electrical can be easily compared to a schoolgirl.

[@mervinprone]

Small correction: Overdrive button was 4th gear. If it was off the car only went to 3rd gear. With it on, the car would go into 4th. The power button changed the transmission shift points upward, allowing the engine to rev higher before shifting to give you a bit more power.

[@Ghyslain81]

Yeah, he could at least have ... tried it before saying random c*** , a lot of cars had these, it was useful when you wanted to pass someone on the road, an easy "downshift to third", since the cars automatic transmissions back then moved slower than tectonic plates when you pressed the gas. Also, had a cupholder on my 1992 camry LE V6 wagon, it wasn't a new thing.

[@marran8140]

I came here to say that exact same thing. 👍

[@richrikn9586]

That's a whole FACT! "Common man!". It was just a button to down shift. A few hours of flooring it everythime to pass on the high fatigues your leg n back in a low hp 4cyl. It was just to drop a gear with your thumb instead of the gas pedal.

[@androiduberalles]

Thats... insane. Why wasn't that just automatic, lol. "No thanks, I don't want to use one of those gears my car came with"

[@mervinprone]

@@androiduberalles In the past, automatic transmissions weren’t assisted electronically as optimally then as as they are now. There are computers to detect what you want to do with the car today by the way you press the gas pedal. That wasn’t the case back then. Leaving the OD button off going up a hill or if you needed an extra bit of engine power gave you the ability to manually control what the car was doing. These buttons, the overdrive and the power buttons, were carryovers from the very first generations. By the time they had reached the 3rd generation, the car already had a high level of electronic sophistication which made it more or less a redundancy and by the 4th, in 1997, they eliminated the power button but the overdrive button held on for awhile. They didn’t get rid of it until the 2007 redesign.

[@51Drones]

Just bought my son a 95 Camry for his first car. Great car!

[@Odd1Out650]

My 1995 has the same powertrain and trim with 452k miles. Bought it as a disposable beater thinking it would last a few months and it's still going strong eight years later. These are legendary.

[@purwantiallan5089]

The 2022 Camry also has the same powertrain and can trim with 438.382 Miles.

[@lunathecutest6652]

I got my 95 Camry for $900. Absolutely adore the car. Has 258,342 miles and climbing rapidly. Best car ever

[@taylorruckner5976]

Doug is the kind of guy to own a $1M+ supercar and still geek out over a '96 Camry. Love it!

[@rickc303]

It's part of his contract after selling out

[@will_rr1]

@@rickc303 What contract

[@hamhamable]

Doug IS the guy!

[@fedreck89]

@@rickc303 he signed a contract to praise a 90s Camry? Where can I sign up?

[@mustsilm]

Cars & bids. You can buy this car. Its not a review its advertisment.

[@Novice2Expert]

😂My first car..I had the blue one…great memories!

[@684W13]

My kind of a car🎉

[@Stay_at_home_Astronaut81]

I had a '91 and a '92, and I miss them both.

[@mattmroz4905]

I think the OD button on the shift lever enables access to the 4th (overdrive) gear. I could be wrong.

[@tpp4007]

I had the very last 1996 Toyota Camry XLE V6 before someone side swipe me about 10 years ago. It had 675K miles on it and it was running so buttery smooth with that V6. I loved that car, it took me everywhere’s was so reliable. Yes, of course I had to do some regular maintenance but nothing too serious. And no, mine didn’t burn any oil, at all!

[@MannythebestMartinez]

Thanks man I have one outside ritenow and I am great full and thankful for my Toyota in Jesus Christ Name amen

[@purwantiallan5089]

​@@MannythebestMartinezis McLaren Solus is as reliable as the 1996 Camry?

[@alihaider177]

Love the old 90s cars !

[@solisrough8079]

Another great review. Thanks Doug.

[@thepulin]

In Turkmenistan (a country in Central Asia), this exact model gained a name as "insane camry" because of its unrealistic insane reliability and ability to remain fully intact even under challenging conditions of usage. Basically never fails.

[@woodprivacy3776]

Sounds like someone needs to do a "Dakar" version of this Camry.

[@68mnap]

...and they come in white!

[@purwantiallan5089]

​@@woodprivacy3776maybe in 2026 they gonna make the Dakar Rally version of the Camry. Possibly "Camry Dakar Turbo Version"?

[@GreatnationHD]

The 90s Camry is such a popular car here in New York, almost see one literally every day. A staple on the road

[@kevinnorris6558]

Which part of NY? I'm in NYC and haven't seen a Camry from this gen in a long time. I still see a good amount of Camry's from the 2000's but that's probably going to change as the years go by

[@GreatnationHD]

I see the '96 - 99 model mostly in Westchester and Rockland county.

[@manmeh4r]

7:59 voice crack "absolutely by desIGN"

[@WEBUYGOLFCLUBS3]

The button on the side of the gear selector is an overdrive lockout toggle which keeps you in the first 3 gears and out of overdrive.

[@ricanking524]

I've owned three of them. Reliable truly is an understatement.

[@purwantiallan5089]

Renault Clio 16V also is very reliable like the 96 Camry.

[@crisismcnoodle]

I love 90s car interiors. Everything you need, nothing you don't. Comfortable, long lasting, and ergonomic

[@purwantiallan5089]

And also very reliable unlike all the 2020s EV cars.

[@BlueOvals24]

90's Japanese car interiors* American car interiors were none of those things back then. Try finding a Ford or Chevy that doesn't have a big crack running down the plastic dash. Now days interiors are better in every way, except in reliability because planned obsolescence.

[@circleinforthecube5170]

@@BlueOvals24 no 90s american car interiors look pretty cool, also if a crack is the worse thing after 30 years then that doesen't sound so bad, rather have a slightly worse car than a ugly 2020s car

[@royale7620]

@@BlueOvals24 nah stop the cap, 90s American car interiors were better, ever saw a Buick?

[@BlueOvals24]

@circleinforthecube5170 If you'd rather be ignorant, sure, a crack isn't an issue. But most people don't want to hear the cheap plastics rubbing and mashing against eachother everywhere they drive. And 2020's cars look far better than the blandness most 90's cars had.

[@spencermcelroy617]

Aww ..I remember when my mom bought that same exact car, hers had the gold package and spoiler, oh yeah!

[@IchibodDeere]

Timeless shape.Fleet purchasing made the Taurus #1. The Camry was #1 to individual buyers.

[@upperleftnorthwest4278]

10:26 the OD button on the shifter is so the car wouldnt go into 4th gear, essentially keeping the car in 3rd for passing power or whatnot.

[@fuelvolts]

That's if it was disabled. Overdrive is a gear with a lower ratio than the engine speed. The 4th gear was an overdrive gear. You would turn that OFF if you wanted to pass.

[@upperleftnorthwest4278]

@@fuelvolts thats what i said. Doug said it would do the opposite in simulating a higher gear (5,6,7 with lower revs) which is false.

[@mariomedina163]

My neighbor, when i lived in Maryland, had one of these with 548k miles on it. The guy drove it from new until he retired from his job. His boss mentioned at his retirement, I've had a lot of cars over the years but Mac has only had one. Only major thing he replaced was the radiator.

[@purwantiallan5089]

Why not the engine btw?

[@aaz1992]

Wow. And I thought my 2017 V6 Accord approaching 300,000miles was cool

[@aaz1992]

To put 548k miles into perspective, that's about 2/3 the diameter of the sun

[@maxamed4yare]

I loved this car. Never had any issues had for 10 years

[@Jesse_Carl]

I currently drive a 98 Camry. Funny to hear this framed as nostalgic history.

[@mikeschiavoni1418]

10:12 ECT "Electronically Controlled Transmission" PWR delayed shifts and normal followed the "normal" shift schedule. think of it as sport mode for the transmission

[@volvo09]

Yeah, it held shifts for longer.

[@sammyM1290]

I had a 1994 model of this car with the connected taillights. It was very comfy and very reliable, and mine had the cd player.

[@Strigon07]

I remember riding these in the mid to late 90’s. Loved it.

[@214BIgl]

8:31 Those Velcro cuts on the dash where a 90's early 2000's must do as I remember taking off on hills in my 99 camry wagon the whole carpet would fall off onto mine and the pasangers lap. However, Australian summers with inside the car being ~50 degrees, made all the glue also go gooey and make everything move around and it became a pain readjusting before the cooler months and the glue was stuck again.

[@iwantmyvanback]

Honestly, I've seen Doug do enough supercars. These are the videos i look forward to now. Haha.

[@HellJustFroze]

yeah I don't even give the supercar videos a view, this is what I'm here for, show me the weird and plebeian automotive nuggets

[@user-vx7vi3vq1c]

Agreed.

[@julianevans9548]

This is all you need. Your SUV or truck is pointlessly huge, dangerous for other road users and pedestrians and bad for the environment. Weight is the problem.

[@user-vx7vi3vq1c]

@@julianevans9548 In the interest of honesty a Camry isn’t a substitute for a pickup truck.

[@adamwest7953]

Camry is supercar.

[@OpticalToxin]

Do a 5th gen Accord next. Also, the grandma gold is classic 90s import sedan. 😂

[@JoseOjedaMTB]

The dent in the trunk... *cheffkiss* a true Camry!!!

[@sureshbharadwaj2779]

I had the first generation Camry that I bought in 1985 in Florence, SC. That car came with the hood ornament with the Toyota Logo just like the Mercedes Benz hood ornaments. It was rally cool.

[@MenkoDany]

One of my favourite doug episodes ever. Please make more popular "normal" car reviews!

[@falkenlaser]

7 years ago, I bought a 1998 Camry with 280,000 miles on it for $500. Today, it has 420,000 miles and is still going. Best $500 I ever spent.

[@mrkevinhaughey]

My first car, in 2003, was a black 1994 Camry XLE V6 with 180,000 miles on it and I LOVED it. It had leather seats, a 6 CD changer that was in the trunk, and every other option available that year. My aunt sold it to me for $500. I put a new stereo (when the built in CD changer stopped working) and subwoofers in it and I was the coolest.

[@user-hu4ib3wc7h]

So glad I was able to pick up my 95’ for 1900 last year with only 210k one owner 5sfe. Absolutely love it my fav car I’ve ever had.

[@luisbarraza9709]

I can attest, these things are un killable. Wife and I both had the Lexus versions, both were 1996 es300 in ~2015. We got them cheap like 2k with 180k and drove them to 300k with basically no maintenance (we were broke AF in college). They still ran great when we got ride of them, donated them.

[@OFFGRID_Trucker]

No sir.. I'm afraid they are. My Y2K has 153k on it. 3 weeks ago.. I had the oil changed, next day I went on a 900 miles road trip. I was 93 miles away from my destination when I heard the motor rattling and clanking. I took the next freeway exit and pulled into an Arco AM\PM. pulled the dipstick and there was NO oil on it. I ended up buying 5 quarts of oil and it just started to show on the stick. The damage had already been done. It did NOT leak from the underside or the filter.. and I never saw any smoke. So where did 5 quarts of oil goto..? I drove 375 miles the first day. put in 12 gallons of gas the next morning and was getting 32 mpg. Later that afternoon.. is when this happened. So $1150 later, I rented a uhaul and tow dolly and took it back home. So, I found a good used motor with 88k on it.. and just got the car back this morning. Runs great again. 24 yr old car. Body and interior are in great shape. so $1200 for the motor and another $1000 to remove and replace the engine. total.. $4200 for the car 3 yrs ago, $3450 for recovery and replacement motor. I PRAY this lasts me 20 yrs. Now I'm planning on going back there to finish what I started by the end of this week.

[@purwantiallan5089]

​@@OFFGRID_Trucker153k miles?

[@Kroooza]

@@OFFGRID_Trucker just because the shop said they changed the oil doesnt mean they actually did. sounds like someone in the shop screwed up. any car is killable if you run it without oil. pretty impressive that it did the best part of 900 miles without oil though.

[@nobutternotes]

That’s fantastic news. I am selling my 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis with 230K in order to purchase a 1996 Lexus ES 300 with 112K.

[@luisbarraza9709]

@@nobutternotes 112k is not even broken in lol

[@Powersproductions130]

The thing about this car is you have to drive it everyday and own it to get its charm. It’s like having a best friend that never lets you down. It’s not fun to drive, but very very charming.

[@computiNATEor]

Indeed, it’s just simple and reliable. It’s like having a lab or golden retriever; not fancy, not exotic, but great.

[@96toyotacamry99]

I’ve been daily driving one of these for 3 years and I love it dearly. Most reliable thing in my life and I still have some really good friends 😂

[@meltingspot1064]

Smooth reliable and good on gas

[@bobdole870]

It’s quite fun with the manual transmission. It’s just crazy how smooth everything still is after 30 years of wear and tear.

[@Powersproductions130]

@@bobdole870 I need to drive one of those. Mine was automatic unfortunately.

[@bigcahuna42366]

My sister and brother-in-law bought a 1999 Camry about 10 years ago for only $4,500. They still have it, has had very minimal problems, and now is still running really strong with 296K miles on it.

[@donbrody8529]

My dad used to rent these when we needed to drive long distance. He would announce with great fanfare an overtaking attempt, it was then my job as a 14yo to press the ECT button. Good times.

[@F40PH-2CAT]

It has only one quirk and feature....extreme reliability.

[@Bmontepeque11]

YEEES! For some reason I absolutely love to see normal cars reviewed by you 😂❤️ Like, I love the supercars and all of that, but there's something about seeing normal cars I could actually own without working my a** out and know that they are just nice and reliable and well peaceful, that just fill my heart with calmness :)

[@mat13174]

Agree 💯

[@LuisUrbieta]

why didn't Doug made a review on a new car?​@@mat13174

[@HenryBop]

Not just that but I absolutely love seeing one so well preserved.

[@LuisUrbieta]

@@HenryBop Agree

[@julianevans9548]

This is all you need. Your SUV or truck is pointlessly huge, dangerous for other road users and pedestrians and bad for the environment. Weight is the problem.

[@nivramzenabla4334]

YES!!! I had a '91 back in high school!!

[@NS-hj7km]

Recognize the background, Balboa park! The car was/is epic. Love those things.

[@dannyv5317]

Loved this generation. I had a 96 Camry SE V6. Super reliable, smooth, & quiet. I still missed it til this day.

[@drseanpatrick696]

I miss my 93 Camry. Most reliable vehicle I’ve ever owned. 430 000 km, engine oil was still gold at 5k oil change times. Good on gas, had enough get up and go, really great breaks, started in -40 every time.. Greatness. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. I should have never sold it.

[@boogitybear2283]

That is what I don’t understand why people want to sell something they like driving?

[@drseanpatrick696]

@@boogitybear2283 i owned it for 9 years then I found a new daily driver 06 300c for a price I couldn’t refuse. Sold the Camry to offset the cost. If I didn’t need the money and had a spot to park it I wouldn’t have sold it.

[@dephataznboi]

I have had one of these since like 2004; it's been through so many accidents, adventures & milestone moments in my life, still running like a champ & everything still works. Way too over-engineered it's nuts.

[@jonathanmiranda9400]

knew a low-volt technician who used one as a work vehicle for years. ladder rack on the top and everything !

[@k999ford]

Crazy, I have this exact car (except 1995 + alloys)-first car, now 310k miles and still driving it ≈ 10 years later, runs good

[@imranp128]

Ok

[@pex_the_unalivedrunk6785]

It's amazing, in fact surprising, just how heavy the hood is on that gen... solid Japanese steel.

[@Zephyrdaze1819]

Just bought a 95 XLE and had Car Care Nut fix it up. Nice little car! Other comment was correct…that long hood weighs a lot.

[@nickolascortijo6570]

Bought one of these in high-school. It was about 10 years old. Had 100k miles on it. I drove it for 10 years and sold it with 429k miles on it. The only drive train maintenance i ever had to do was oil changes every 5k miles and spark plugs every 75k miles. Other than that it never had a single issue. I still see it driving and always wanted to know what the mileage was at now. Its gotta be atleast 600k. 100% the most reliable car ever built.

[@heinzboehm726]

The automatic antenna is very cool !!!!!

[@ezhanmirza3374]

My family had the Collectors edition, with power seats and leather seats too. Gold decals too

[@ThatDudeMrRoyalty]

I've owned four Camrys. Three of them were that generation. A 92 and two 96's. My fourth one was a 99.

[@thatcarguy1UZ]

This is my favorite Camry bodystyle! I 'd love one with a 5 speed. One of my co-workers has the same type of car, and it's over 400,000 miles, all original except the alternator. That only made it to 370,000 miles. The car still drives smooth, and he still drives it every day.

[@pkuneev]

That's no surprise. Any Ford will drive more and be in better condition.

[@thatcarguy1UZ]

@@pkuneev I used to be a diehard Ford guy. I won't touch thrm with a 10 foot pole now. Toyota is far better.

[@pkuneev]

@@thatcarguy1UZ No toyota is no better. Toyota are low-quality cars at an inflated price. And with a disgusting design.

[@thatcarguy1UZ]

@@pkuneev then why is it that I see Toyota Camrys from that year and similar years all over the place but I don't see any Ford Tauruses from those years? The last decent Ford built was the crown victoria. The last decent Ford truck built was in 1996. GM is no better and Chrysler makes GM and Ford look like Paragons of quality in comparison. But that's okay, you keep buying those Fords. That leaves more Toyotas for people like me who appreciate quality.

[@FrequencyORD]

@@pkuneeva ford won’t last 20 drives, a chevy will last 20 years.

[@cousinjudeskitchen7146]

My brother and I both had 96 Camry’s. I also had a 99. Best cars ever!!!

[@TPCV2]

GREAT breakdown here!

[@martinmcintyre7623]

I sold these cars in '93-'94, being part of the same product cycle of this car. What a great example of what these cars looked like brand new. Even in my early 20's at the time, this was my favorite model to sell and daily drove dealer-provided Camry's on three different occasions while I worked for Toyota. '92 marked the intro to this generation and Toyota discontinued the Cressida after the '91 model year partly because they thought this car was good enough to take up that slot. And these cars were quiet and smooth, and definitely a revolutionary redesign versus the prior generation. Much bigger and nicer interiors, and better fit and finish. The SE trim, while it didn't offer more power, did give you the option of a 5-speed manual transmission with the V6 engine. And a cute little spoiler. And different seat inserts. This generation of Camry was built in both Japan and the US, and some discerning buyers would check closely at the sticker or VIN to make sure it was a Japan-built car. Better paint quality and panel gap consistency on those cars. Great review and thank you for sharing.

[@landongere7091]

These cars are legendary, not for looks or performance, but reliability. As a former automobile tech, I saw a number of these come into the shop with 300k or more miles on them. They are easy to maintain. One unit that sticks out in my mind is one that I had the regular privilege of servicing that was pushing One Million miles. No joke. That's quite a few tire replacements. I'd like to see any Porsche or anything Italian do that. I just love these boring Camrys!! Great review, Dougie!!😅

[@CockatooDude]

Porsches are fairly reliable, especially compared to the rest of German cars. But yeah, nothing from modern Mercedes, VAG, or Stellantis can touch these old Toyotas when it comes to reliability.

[@Aegisx5]

True but imagine what a boring life you would have to lead to put a million miles on a '96 Camry.

[@ibradeybunch]

Porsche is usually rated among the top for reliability

[@nathanlamont9920]

@@Aegisx5 perhaps, but by 2024 you can actually afford a fun car without getting a loan that you can't afford. Just so the bank or IRS can take it because you got too far behind in payments and property taxes 3 years later.

[@eVerProductions1]

@@nathanlamont9920 charger and challenger owners are offended

[@LukeDoorMan]

my mom had a car exactly like this when I was born, definitely nostalgic

[@slavasmirnov614]

My first car was JDM 1992 Camry with 2-liter 140-hp engine with AT. Loved it!

[@pragadoegito]

The golden era of cars.

[@zootedgamecube]

Something about those taillights makes me feel super nostalgic. I remember seeing these everywhere when I was a very young child and for some reason those taillights stood out as a distinct memory for me. It makes me happy still seeing these around every now and then.

[@boowah5]

I know exactly what you mean! For me it's the 8th generation (2000-2005) Chevy Impala tailights that I distinctly remember being behind at stop lights all the time as a kid

[@mydogsmells1733]

100% agree - there's something about the taillights, and the entire backend, that just looks perfect to me. Toyota took no risks with the design. This is still my favorite generation of Camry.

[@slr7075]

Yes those taillights and other rear designs of Japanese 90's cars are really understated and clean.

[@shadykhades]

They sorta remind me of Celica taillights

[@NabeelTootla]

Love how excited Doug is by being utterly defeated by such a quirkless car. Almost as if that's the quirk.

[@Ben-bj1oz]

Arguably the car that most people need. Basic reliable transportation that’s cheap to maintain

[@scrvc01]

My parents have a 4th gen Camry from 1999 with the V6, it actually looks the same as the one Doug flashed on screen. It has 275k miles on it but it still runs smoothly, is relatively quiet inside, and the AC stil blows cold. They still drive it around and I still use it when I go visit them. These things are indestructible.

[@robgriffin4801]

Except rust at least. Had one in the Northeast US and had tons of rust problems with this car, to the point where it just wasn't worth maintaining. Car I replaced it with was 10 years older but had rust protection on the bottom and had no rust.

[@scrvc01]

@@robgriffin4801 Makes sense. I'm from the US South so rust isn't something I'm used to dealing with

[@joskjj3625]

There’s something about the design of 90s camrys that makes it feel so good it just serves it purpose as a family car but in all the best ways.great reliability,practical,fuel efficient and simple.not saying the new Camrys aren’t reliable because they’re extremely reliable still but you just can’t beat an old Toyota Camry its just so simple

[@Simon-oq6ds]

Keep in mind that Camrys from the 90s might have actually been more reliable than today’s. Toyota had not built factories in the US yet so all of these were built in Japan so they were probably assembled better.

[@asianmanfromasia]

This and the 90-93 Honda Accords have the same feeling. Gentle to look at and not gaudy. The looked mature and (and are) well put together.

[@dogbert74]

@@Simon-oq6ds No, all 90s American Camrys came from Toyota's Kentucky factory, which was built in the 80s.

[@kerripolk]

I love when you review these cars that remind me of my childhood!! I can totally tell from your voice you’re so excited to review your childhood cars too.

[@bat-erdenejargalsaihan5837]

Nice one, love it

[@staccatolo]

I really appreciate this one, Doug. This was my very first car (I had a 95 LE). I remember mine having a few quirks for the time period. Mine was "silverleaf metallic" which looked almost green in certain lights, had an automatic moonroof, and a pinstripe on the full length of the sides with Toyota symbol from factory.

[@Sisamuth]

Has been waiting for videos like this for so long because cars like these are still everywhere here in Cambodia. Truly a nice vid to learn about the quirks of a very common car 😂

[@Cynocehali]

Normal car reviews are always good to watch.

[@imraanbulbulia80]

Trip down memory lane. My second car ive ever owned. I had a 92 Camry LE 4 cyl that i bought used in 98. My sister than got one and rhen my Dad got a 94 SE model V6. Great car and pretty comfortable and surprisingly luxurious for its time . Very reliable. It served me well till 2007.

[@RubyRoks]

My dad inherited an essentially brand new 09 Camry from my great grandma a few years back. It's interesting to see how little changed about the car in 13 years between this model and that, and how much has changed in the 15 years since 09.

[@jackdanson2]

My mom had one of these she got new up until a year or so ago. Dang near 300k miles. Thing was unstoppable, transmission was finally going towards the end. She replaced it with a new Highlander, quite the upgrade, lol.

[@BlackAnniversaryDrum]

I had a 1992 V6. Miss that car so much.

[@RO49569]

Growing up in the early 2000s these were everywhere

[@tigerbiterhater]

My dad had one. Over 200k miles. AC still blows cold. That V6 is solid. Too bad it got in an accident. The coupe with MT is rare too.

[@Nah5534]

Same with my gf 280k on hers it was her first car and still has it. Shitbox still drives just fine

[@taeghsokhey5310]

This is extremely nostalgic, my father bought one of these the day I was born and I got to go home from the hospital in it, we had it for a few years and I remember playing with it as a child. My grandfather used to use it as well and I fondly remember my first trip to the dollar store. This is an extraordinary car, and I remember every detail of it fondly as I would steal the keys, unlock it and pretend to drive around in it when my parents weren’t paying attention. They had the same interior, exterior and i4 motor. Thanks for making this Doug.

[@fiatx19]

bland and plain smooth lines THIIIIIIISSS I love 😂

[@jessejames863]

I showed this video to my Indian-American parents, they were so proud of you, Doug !!!

[@tdombui]

This was my first car that I ever owned. Bought a 1994 for $1600 with 120k miles in 2010 in that jade green that Toyota used to make. I loved that thing. It took some insane abuse. So many good memories with the homies just jumping across train tracks and getting 2" off the ground in this thing. Always thought the front of it looked like a Nissan S14 too. RIP

[@timgt5]

Just a quick correct Mr. Demuro, the sunroof was an option on the LE trim, my wife owned a 94 with that combo. It was the ultimate road trip car, roomy, quiet, super comfy ride and the gearing made it effortless on the interstate, no real pretense to handling ability.

[@kehbean]

I remember when I was very young my dad had a ‘00 ES300 Platinum Edition which was a higher end version of the Camry. It’s cool to see the other end of the Camry/ES spectrum with this ‘96 LE.

[@pabs5270]

Had a gold SE just like this. Smiled every time I drove it. My first adult family car. It made you feel sorta ‘rich’.

[@jugs33]

My first car was a 1996 Camry Silver Anniversary Edition. They are not too common, and there’s very little information online regarding them. It had a 4-cylinder engine, BBS wheels, leather with stitched “silver anniversary edition”, sunroof, and a CD player. Had some great times in that car. Eventually I swapped out the wheels and installed airbags suspension on it. Eventually sold it, but I think about it every so often.

[@Wargasm54]

I enjoy this more than a 4 million dollar Bugatti. I’ve never owned a Camry, but I’ve always had respect for its dominance over the years. The new ones actually look pretty good. Some guy in a red one with TRD badges pulled up next to me and punched it. Thing was pretty quick. But no match for my E550 with a V8 and AWD. I didn’t blow him off the road. But the gap was definitely increasing exponentially after about 50mph. I was surprised how well it hung in there. And honestly, it was a good looking car.

[@texlad04]

I wish my 2017 ES 350 had visors like that.

[@yyman23]

I had a 1994 XLE V6 fully loaded. I loved that car!