2003 Toyota Camry XLE

Author's Rating:

Pros: Good solid car, very comfortable.

Cons: Plain looking.

The Bottom Line: 
Very Good, reliable, solid, smooth riding car with a lot of power.

Author's Review
My wife and I bought a 2003 Camry XLE as a replacement for a 1980 Corolla as I did not like the Corolla at all. It was a very reliable car; it was just terribly uncomfortable to ride in for a long haul. Given the option, I'd have bought the Audi A 4, but the car was more for my wife than me. But after having it for a few years I have grown to like it very much and will be looking at a Toyota for the replacement of my truck.

Ride: The ride is very smooth; having not driven the lower end models I can't say how well they handle. I have often found that the lower end models just don't give as good a ride as the top end. I have since rode in my cousins Camry SE and I can honestly say that it is very hard to believe that it is based on the same platform. The difference from driving the XLE and the SE is akin to having driven a smooth responsive sports car then climb into a tractor.

Driving: The XLE has great power, more than I want at the finger tips of my wife who I'm sure must have drove in NASCAR before we were married. Stomp on it and it accelerates very nicely. I am not afraid when I pull out to pass a semi-truck or any other vehicle. It has great road handling characteristics; I was very impressed that when passed by on the highway by larger vehicles, there is little to no noticeable amount of sway.

Comfort: The Leather seating is similar to sitting on a very comfortable lounge chair. The leather seats give enough comfort and support that you don't feel like you will be thrown around the car if you are driving aggressively. This is one car that I can honestly say that I have driven for over 8 hours and when I arrived at my destination I did not feel like finding a Chiropractor to re-align my back. The driver's seat has a few powered adjustments, which are fun, and it's easy to find a good driving position. The back seating area is also sufficient for passengers and comfortable on a long drive as well.

Trunk: The trunk is huge, I'm sure you could fit at least 3 sets of Golf clubs in the back with room to spare.

Amenities: The car has the usual amenities expected on a car in this price range, power windows, door locks, CD player (with optional subwoofer), 2 DC electrical outlets, one in the storage console between the front seats and another under the radio, keyless entry, cup holders that can handle various sized containers, heated front seats, trip computer, compass in the rearview mirror, heated side mirrors, and a nice big sunroof. Rear window sun shade that can be manually raised or lowered when needed. My only complaint is that the heated seats do not have control over the level of heat they are either on or off.

Mileage/Reliability: We have had it had for 4 years now and have just over 34,000 Kms. on it. I have only had a few small problems with the car. The first issue was a small rust spot on the metal frame above the rear license plate holder that the dealer fixed immediately. I had to have the CD player replaced as it started skipping after the second year and for some strange reason the horn works intermittently.

I now understand why my wife was so insistent on buying a Toyota; you just get what you pay for. If my Chevrolet Silverado had performed as well I probably would be buying another one. But I have already picked out a Toyota full size truck to replace the Chevrolet truck. I hate so say it, but they are just not as reliable. And for the cost of a new truck these days I want value for my hard earned money.