2026 Toyota Camry Review

The redesigned Toyota Camry took home top honours amongst family-sized sedans in last year’s AutoTrader Awards, beating out its rival (and repeat winner), the Honda Accord.

It seems we aren’t the only ones who appreciate this efficient, roomy, and stylish four-door’s attributes, with the Camry topping the sales charts in this small-yet-reliable segment. Being the only hybrid of its kind with available all-wheel drive certainly makes its case a strong one, and the 2026 Toyota Camry is an outstanding choice as an SUV alternative.

Styling: 8/10

Following its extensive 2025 overhaul, this ninth-generation Camry cuts a sharp profile as it motors down the road. Its bold front end and rakish bodywork are enhanced here by the new-for-2026 Nightshade package ($1,127) that’s offered on the SE Upgrade trim and has it riding on black 19-inch wheels with a distinct design. Additionally, the exterior gets black accents, including the front grille, front bumper vents, door handles and mirrors, rear lip spoiler and diffuser, and shark fin antenna. This tester was painted Supersonic Red ($350), which comes paired with a contrasting black roof.

Safety: 8.5/10

Every Camry gets standard automatic LED headlights and a whole host of advanced safety and driver assistants including collision mitigation, lane departure warning and keeping, road sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, and so-called Proactive Driving Assist that uses the vehicle's camera and radar to provide gentle steering and braking inputs during everyday driving. Also included is blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and safe exit assist, which warns occupants of any oncoming vehicles or cyclists. 

Practicality: 7.5/10

The Camry is a roomy sedan with generous rear legroom and good headroom for those up to about six feet. Rear-seat riders get a fold-down centre armrest with two cup holders, large pockets on the backs of the front seats, climate vents, and one each of USB-A and USB-C ports. The wide trunk opening gives access to 428 L of cargo space.

Up front, there’s plenty of useful storage. The door pockets have bottle holders, there’s a standard phone storage and charging slot ahead of the gear selector, and a generous bin between the seats.

User-Friendliness: 9/10

Here’s a sedan that you can jump into and get familiar with quickly. Kudos to Toyota for retaining some physical controls. There’s a volume knob on the central screen along with an array of buttons below for climate, including seat and steering wheel heat (each tri-level). There’s a traditional sliding P-R-N-D shifter on the centre console, and the steering wheel has big, easy-press buttons for driver-assist and other controls. The voice control works well, too.

Features: 7.5/10

This SE Upgrade trim is one up from the base, and while not as ritzy as the XLE or XSE, it’s nicely appointed for the price point. Standard features include a wireless charging pad, proximity door locks with push-button start, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, an eight-inch central touchscreen,  and a seven-inch digital instrument display. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included and have wireless functionality. The standard six-speaker stereo is OK but not particularly inspired. The Nightshade package adds an auto-dimming rearview mirror, power sunroof, and integrated garage door opener, as well as those styling tweaks.

Power: 7.5/10

The Camry is powered by a 2.5L four-cylinder engine that works with two electric motors under the hood, one for driving the wheels and the other for charging the hybrid battery. Additionally, every trim but the cheapest one comes with another electric motor dedicated to powering the back wheels, resulting in all-wheel drive. Output rings in at 232 net hp (225 for the front-wheel-drive version), and this all-wheel-drive sedan is a fairly brisk performer, proving zippy around town and quite capable of pulling off safe passing and merging manoeuvres.

Comfort: 8.5/10

Even on these stylish 19-inch wheels, the Camry delivers a quiet and compliant ride — an all-important asset for a family car like this. The gas engine gets gritty and unpleasant when asking for meaningful acceleration, but it calms down nicely when cruising on the highway.

The front seats in this version, trimmed in a mix of fabric and faux leather, are well contoured, offering a good blend of support and long-distance comfort, although they are quite firm. Rear-seat riders enjoy generous legroom, and outward visibility is good.

Driving Feel: 8/10

The Camry SE Upgrade is fitted with a “sport suspension” that gets the nod from this reviewer for its fine body control and solid, planted feel on the road. It’s an expert tune that keeps the driver engaged while also delivering a refined and compliant ride. However, more steering feel would be welcome, as that part of the driving experience is a bit numb.

The hybrid drivetrain has its quirks; the elastic throttle response, engine drone when accelerating, and the occasional times when the gas engine is disconnected from the drivetrain, humming away as it charges the battery while the sedan motors in electric mode. But whatever is happening below decks, the transitions and various blends between gas and electric propulsion are seamless.

Fuel Economy: 9.5/10

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) rates the all-wheel drive Camry Hybrid SE at 5.1 L/100 km in the city, 5.2 on the highway, and 5.1 combined — and all on regular-grade gas. This week-long test of mixed driving netted a heartwarming 5.5 L/100 km.

Value: 8.5/10

When it comes to hybrid family sedans with all-wheel drive, the Camry is the only game in town, and this nicely equipped SE Upgrade trim represents good value with its pre-tax starting price of $40,630 before tax but including freight ($1,860). Higher trim levels add better audio, a head-up display, leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, bigger screens and more, but this SE Upgrade is a sweet spot for value.

The Verdict

If you’re in the market for a family sedan with all-weather capability and you don’t particularly enjoy visiting gas stations, the 2026 Toyota Camry is the obvious choice. The fact that this four-door is stylish, practical, comfortable, and a pleasure to drive only cements this sentiment. The family sedan might be a fading entity, but Toyota is certainly not listening to that conversation.