It seems like many people on this site don't know too much about the years, generations, and facelifts of the Toyota Camry. I know quite a bit about the Camry however, since it is one of my favorite cars and I have done lots of research about it.
It's really pretty simple actually. Except for the very first generation of Camrys, Toyota follows a strict set of guidelines for the generations and facelifts of Camrys (as it also does with Corollas). Camrys get a full redesign every 5 model years (ex. 1992-1996) and get a facelift for the last 2 model years of each generation (ex. 1995-1996). The trouble is knowing which is which, and I hope this will help some of you with that.

First Generation: 1983-1986

1983-1984 Camry



For 1985-1986 Camrys got new flush headlights along with a new grill



Second Generation: 1987-1991

The Camry was redesigned with new more rounded sheetmetal for 1987





For 1990-1991 Camrys got a new grill with Toyota's new logo, new taillight lenses with the amber turn signals now on the bottom, and
new body colored doorhandles





Third Generation: 1992-1996

Camrys were redesigned for 1992 with a completely new, much more aerodynamic look





For 1995-1996 Camrys got new rounder headlights, and a body colored plastic piece between the taillights instead of the full-width treatment they had before





Fourth Generation: 1997-2001

Camrys were redesigned in 1997 with a slight more refined look than the previous generation





For 2000-2001 Camrys got new transparent headlights, a new grill, and new crystal taillights that were slighty larger





Fifth Generation: 2002-2006

The Camry was redesigned for 2002 with much more radical and angular styling





For 2005-2006 Camrys got a new grill and new taillight lenses with white color now on the top and bottom





Sixth Generation: 2007-2011

The Camry was again redesigned in 2007 with even more radical and angular styling





The Camry is scheduled to get a facelift for the 2010 model year and a redesign for the 2012 model year.

Interesting chronology It is becoming more and more difficult to remember all Toyota models and generations (especially Corolla). I like the second generation Camry best. Very comfortable inside and not a bad looking car.

The second gen is my favorite too. My dad has a 1988 Camry LE and it's very nice car. It's very comfortable inside and the ride is a lot smoother than you'd expect from a Toyota. And yes, I think it is pretty good looking too

Wow, that is pretty good, I’m certainly impressed ...

What you’ve done is something like what I have wanted to do for a while now: a complete (as complete as complete can get) Ford Expedition chronological model-by-model, year-by-year encyclopedia just for IMCDb. This would help aid the admin and users in the vehicle’s proper identification after I leave the site.

For the style I prefer the first generation, I do not know these "from inside".

I think this is a great idea too. I have made some of my own little "cheat sheets" for some of my favorites, but nothing quite as presentable as this. I think I would find it quite helpful to have something like this in place for other models as well.

Neptune, you're not planning on leaving us are you?

Yes, all good things come to an end at some point. Now I’m not saying I will leave within the next two months or even the next two years, but at some point I will leave. Maybe not because I want too, any factors could contribute to my permanent absent: time schedule becomes too complex, over load at work, kids, or (God forbid) death. I won’t be here forever.

But I would like to leave an IMCDb knowledge guide for the Ford Expedition before something happens and I am forced to give up my many leisure activities.

great write up!!

for the '95 Camry I also notice that the front turn markers no longer wrap around the side of the bumper.

my favorite is the 83-84

Ah yes, I didn't notice that about the '95. It looks like it has a completely different bumper entirely come to think of it...

My family had a '89 station wagon that was a pretty reliable car, except for the problem of rust around the wheel arches and minor electrical problems. It even survived a side impact that demolished the driver side doors, but after it was repaired we used it for another six years.

My favorite is the 1992-1996 'wide body' mosels. my mum has a 93, owned since new, and its a nice car. I think though the 97 shoud be moved back, cos my grandma has a 97 and it looks like the 95-96 camry.

I had a 83 camry 1.8gl.In UK 1st gen ran from 1983-1986 and 1984 was the facelift and when the digital dash gli executive was launched (two -tone brown in 2nd pic)
UK did not get hatch.
Diesel in 1st/2nd gen only
V6 from 1989
In 1988 there was very rare 4x4 version.
Uk estates were in 2/3rd gen only

Model years were different "down under", this guide is for US-spec Camrys only

Ahh, thats why.

Very interesting, I really like this sort of complete breakdown.
The blue first generation in the second picture looks almost exactly like the one my mom had. (I think it was a higher trim, it had horizontal blue tape stripes below the trim line, and some hubcaps I remember being quite rare.)

Here's my dad's crappy old piece of crap '86 Camry for those of you who have not seen it already (it is also on the "post pictures of your rides" thread). Oh yeah, did I mention that it's a piece of crap? It hasn't even run for 8 months, the exhaust is rusted through and my father does not wish to spend money on it (since it is a piece of crap), so it has jsut been sitting.

That has to give an "dirty" look to your house, why keeping a (like you say) piece of crap like that on the driveway? if at least it was driveable, also, i will never understand how can american cars get so rusty, and here we are talking about a car from the eighties and look at that wheel well, what a shame, you rarely see a car in that shape here

The secret my friend, is snow
Last time I checked, Spain is not exactly a "polar" climate. But it is different here in Michigan, it snows and snows all winter long. What is interesting though is that it is not actually the snow, but the salt they put down to melt the snow that causes the rust. This is why in California and Florida (and where you live) there is no snow and salt, and therefore cars do not get rusty.
As far as our house looking "dirty" as you call it I think that ship has sailed! The combination of dead rusty cars, the crappy looking gravel driveway (the only one not paved in the entire neighborhood), and various junk and cardboard boxes strewn around the property, I don't think we'd be would exactly considered us a "high-class" type
That is one of the few good things about America though, you can keep dead rusty cars on your property and no one cares, (except possibly our next door neighbor is she ever tries to sell her house)

Yes you are right about snow but if the paint is of good quality that doesnt really have to happen, no? in Spain it may not snow as much as in Michigan but still, specially in my region (not in my city though, we are very low) in towns that are quite high it always snow and you never see the cars to get as rusty, soemthing tells me that it is a question of quality as well.

Oh and Max, why dont you get the Camry you take it to an "empty" area and you destroy it like many people do on youtube (but with care of course )?

PD: what does the expression "that ship has sailed" mean?

I do not know for Spain (and I know that in France it is not as strict either), but in Belgium you have to pass the car to a check every year and if it does not pass it cannot be used on road anymore until problems are fixed.
In early 80s my parents had a 5-year-old Renault 5 which failed that check because of rust So here you were never seeing rusty cars (and they do not rust anymore, or at least not as quickly as before).