Toyota Camry 1997 - 2001 review
 Toyota Camry 2001 (photo: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.) |
 Toyota Camry 2001 |
Four-door sedan. The two-door version is sold as Toyota Camry Solara.
Front-wheel drive only. The 1997-01 Camry features a choice of 4-cylinder or V6 engine with 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. MacPherson struts in the front suspension, dual-links with MacPherson struts in the rear suspension. Disk brakes in the front, drums or disks in the back. Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) are available.
Inside, the Camry is comfortable and quiet with simple and easy to use controls and straightforward instruments. The dashboard design is a bit plain, but everything is well laid out. Front seats are comfy, although somewhat lacking side support. Decent headroom and legroom in the front, rear seat room is good for a family sedan. Trunk is spacious and the split rear seatbacks fold down for more cargo capacity.
On the road, the Camry offers smooth and fairly quiet ride. The steering is very light, without much feedback. The soft suspension absorbs road bumps and minor cracks pretty well, but some body roll is noticeable when cornering. Overall, handling is good, although not sporty.
In NHTSA frontal crash tests, the 1997 Toyota Camry received four stars for both the driver and the front passenger, while 1998-2001 Camry received four stars for the driver and five stars for the front passenger.
In frontal offset crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the 1997-2001 Toyota Camry received "Good" overall rating.
The engine
The Camry 1997-2001 Camry offered two engine choices: |
Strengths
- Great on gas (4-cylinder models)
- Smooth soft ride
- Comfortable, quiet interior
- Easy to maintain
- Good reliability history
- Easy to sell
Weaknesses
- Plain interior styling
- Front seats lack side support
- Pricey compared to competitors
- Rear cup holder design
- Body roll at cornering
- Steering wheel wears fast
Overall
The Camry with its comfortable quiet interior, smooth ride and good handling is a one of the best choices among family sedans. You can choose between more economical 4-cylinder or smooth and powerful V6 engine. Although not completely trouble-free, the Camry is fairly reliable and should serve you well if maintained properly.
What to look for buying a used Camry
It's definitely worth to check used car history records. A history report may uncover problems that you may not be aware of such as previous accidents, flood damage, rolled back odometer, rental use, etc.
Follow this link: How to check used car history
- If you notice a blue smoke from exhaust, even if it's just a brief puff of blue smoke at startup, avoid such a car.
- Look for oil leaks.
- Knocking noise from the suspension on bumpy road may indicate bad suspension components (e.g. bad strut mounts).
- Check the service records if available; it's very important to verify that the car was properly maintained and oil changes were done regularly.
- If the "check engine" light is on, check it with a Toyota dealer before buying a car.
Learn more what to look for when buying a used car
Shop wisely, check few cars to compare; it's worth to pay a little extra for a well-maintained vehicle in good condition.
Prior purchase, have the vehicle inspected by a mechanic of your choice, you want to know that the car has been properly maintained and doesn't have hidden problems.
Some models may be costly to insure. Check the insurance quotes first.
Maintenance tips
- To keep your engine in a good shape change the engine oil regularly.
- Regularly check your parking space for leaks, and if you find one, get it fixed as soon as you can.
- Try to avoid overheating the engine, it may cause serious damage to the engine.
- Change the automatic transmission fluid regularly with original Toyota fluid.
- Whenever your engine is serviced, ask to check and if necessary to clean the PCV valve (Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve) which is an important part of the engine ventilation system. Clogged PCV valve causes increase in amount of carbon deposits (sludge) inside the engine.
- Try to stick with original Toyota parts, they are reasonable priced.
- Have your car inspected, at least once a year, in the garage on the lift (e.g. when doing tire rotation) to keep it safe. Many components (e.g. brakes, steering, suspension) cannot be properly inspected by simple visual inspection at one of those fast lube places; the vehicle must be on the lift.
Check more car maintenance tips
Toyota Camry specifications (2001 model)
| Dimensions: | |
|
Overall length: Wheelbase: Overall width: Overall height: 4-cylinder model V6 model |
188.6 in (4790 mm) 105.1 in (2670 mm) 70.1 in (1780 mm) 55.1 in (1400 mm) 55.3 in (1405 mm) |
| Seating capacity: |
5 |
| Cargo capacity: |
14.1 cu. ft (.399 m³) |
| Engines: | |
|
4-cylinder engine 6-cylinder |
2.2-liter DOHC 16-valve in-line 4 engine, model 5S-FE with cast iron block and aluminum alloy head 136 hp @ 5,200 rpm, 150 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm 3.0-liter DOHC 24-valve all-aluminum V6, model 1MZ-FE 194 hp @ 5,200 rpm, 209 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm |
| EPA Fuel Economy: | |
|
2.2L, 4-cyl engine, 5-speed Manual trans. 2.2L, 4-cyl engine, Automatic trans. 3.0L, V6 engine, 5-speed Manual trans. 3.0L, V6 engine, Automatic trans. |
city: 21 MPG (11.2 L/100km) hwy: 30 MPG (7.8 L/100km) city: 20 MPG (11.8 L/100km) hwy: 29 MPG (8.1 L/100km) city: 17 MPG (13.8 L/100km) hwy: 25 MPG (9.4 L/100km) city: 17 MPG (13.8 L/100km) hwy: 25 MPG (9.4 L/100km) |
| Recommended Fuel: |
87 Octane unleaded (91 unleaded for V6 models)
|
| Fuel Tank Capacity: | 18.5 US gallons (70 liters)
|
Links
Toyota Camry official page
Toyota Canada
SaferCar.gov - compare crash test ratings.
Fueleconomy.gov - compare fuel economy ratings.
Insurance quotes - compare insurance quotes before buying a car.
Toyota Owners - Toyota car care tips, maintenance schedule, Do-It-Yourself advice and more
Used car history - check used car history records before buying a car.
If you want to know more about your car
If you want to find technical information about you car such as repair manual, check engine codes description, wiring diagrams, diagnostic procedures, fluid type, maintenance schedule, component location, technical service bulletins (TSB), recalls, etc. follow this link:
Where to find technical information about your car
by Vlad Samarin
