2018 Toyota Camry
$23,495 | U.S. News Score: 9.1/10 (Details Below)
The redesigned 2018 Toyota Camry is due in showrooms soon, and it brings a wealth of standard safety equipment, plus a new four-cylinder engine that is both more powerful and more efficient than the current Camry’s powerplant. Its updated V6 is one of a dwindling number of six-cylinder offerings in the segment. The new Camry features a sleeker design that is lower, longer, and wider than the 2017’s.
Every 2018 Camry will come equipped with an automatic emergency braking system that can detect pedestrians, as well as adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning with lane keeping assist to gently nudge you back between the lines. With all the additional content, the base price of the 2018 Camry is up $425 from 2017, making it one of the pricier alternatives to the 2017 model.
2017 Chevrolet Malibu
$21,680 | U.S. News Score: 8.7/10 (Details Below)
The 2017 Chevrolet Malibu earns a slot at the top of our midsize car rankings alongside the 2017 Toyota Camry, but with a base price about $1,400 lower. The Malibu starts at $21,680, though you’ll have to upgrade to the $23,225 LS model to more closely match the Camry’s standard feature set.
No one in the segment can match the Camry's predicted reliability score, but the Malibu comes closer than any other rival and beats the Camry's fuel economy estimates and safety marks.
Its sibling, the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, is quite a bit more spendy, but it’s rated by the EPA to get 49 mpg in the city and 43 on the highway. It also holds a spot near the top of our rankings of midsize sedans.
2017 Hyundai Sonata
$21,600 | U.S. News Score: 8.8/10 (Details Below)
Scored just below the 2017 Camry in our rankings of midsize cars is the 2017 Hyundai Sonata, which is our 2017 Best Midsize Car for the Money winner. Its $21,600 base price is more than $1,400 less than the Camry’s $23,070 base MSRP.
Not only does the Sonata feature an extensive list of standard features and a high safety score, but it also has one of the best warranties in the market. In addition to a five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, the Sonata comes with a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
This fall, a refreshed 2018 Hyundai Sonata arrives at dealers with an updated exterior design and standard advanced safety features, including blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.
2017 Honda Accord
$22,455 | U.S. News Score: 8.5/10 (Details Below)
If cars can have archrivals, the Camry’s nemesis is the 2017 Honda Accord. Though the 2017 Accord doesn’t rank as high as the Camry in our midsize car rankings, it’s known for its comfortable ride, excellent fuel economy, and high build quality. It’s priced about $600 lower than the Camry.
Unlike any trim level of the Camry, mid-range EX and higher trim levels of the Accord support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration.
The 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid scores a spot in our midsize car rankings that’s a notch above its gasoline-only sibling and just below the Camry. With EPA fuel economy estimates of 49 mpg in the city and 47 on the highway, the Accord Hybrid is the midsize sedan mileage king.
2017 Toyota Camry Hybrid
$26,790 | U.S. News Score: 8.7/10 (Details Below)
If you’ve fallen for the 2017 Toyota Camry but can't commit due to its less-than-stunning fuel economy numbers, Toyota offers another choice. The 2017 Toyota Camry Hybrid can’t match the best mileage numbers in the segment (those belong to the 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid), but 42 mpg in the city and 38 on the highway isn’t bad.
The Camry Hybrid has a similar look to the non-hybrid Camry and many of the same features on each trim level. However, the way that the battery pack is shaped dramatically reduces the size and utility of its trunk. The least expensive Camry Hybrid is priced about $3,700 higher than a regular Camry.
There’s a redesigned 2018 Toyota Camry Hybrid due this fall.
2017 Kia Optima
$22,200 | U.S. News Score: 8.6/10 (Details Below)
When it comes to alternatives to the Camry, the 2017 Kia Optima has a lot going for it. While it doesn’t rate as high as the 2017 Toyota Camry in our rankings of midsize cars, it scores higher for safety, has a lower starting price, and comes with a top-notch warranty.
The warranty is important if you’re going to keep your sedan for a long time. The Optima comes with a five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The Camry comes with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. The Camry does, however, have a higher predicted reliability score than the Optima (which still has above-average reliability).
Base models of the Optima have a price tag that’s about $800 less than the Camry’s.
2017 Mazda6
$21,945 | U.S. News Score: 8.5/10 (Details Below)
The 2017 Toyota Camry is known for a lot of things, but providing nimble handling isn’t one of them – even with its sportier SE and XSE grades. When it comes to athletic driving dynamics, no model in the midsize car class can touch the 2017 Mazda6’s prowess.
That isn’t the only thing that the Mazda6 has going for it. It comes with a base price of $21,945, which is one of the lowest in the class, and good safety scores. It’s one of the few cars in the class to receive a coveted Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
2017 Toyota Avalon
$33,300 | U.S. News Score: 9/10 (Details Below)
The top-of-the-line 2017 Toyota Camry XLE is a luxurious vehicle, but if you’re looking for something with that level of luxury and more interior room, Toyota offers the 2017 Avalon. It comes standard with the 268-horsepower V6 engine that’s optional on the Camry.
The 2017 Toyota Avalon earns a slot at the top of our rankings of large cars, and it was a finalist for our 2017 Best Large Car for the Money award. Avalon prices start at $33,300.
Buyers seeking excellent fuel economy in a large sedan should consider the 2017 Toyota Avalon Hybrid. It’s EPA rated to achieve 40 mpg in the city and 39 on the highway.
2017 Lexus ES
$38,900 | U.S. News Score: 8.7/10 (Details Below)
The 2017 Lexus ES is like the Camry’s affluent cousin. It shares many of the Camry's characteristics, but offers them in a more upscale package. It scores a spot in the middle of our rankings of luxury midsize cars and won our 2017 Best Luxury Midsize Car for the Money award.
With a base price of $38,900, it’s one of the most affordable cars in its class. Like the Camry, it has a predicted reliability score that can’t be beaten. For 2017, every ES includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, plus lane departure warning and lane keeping assist.
The sedan’s middling ranking stems from its soft handling, which is eclipsed by the handling of several European models in the class.
2017 Subaru Legacy
$21,995 | U.S. News Score: 8.1/10 (Details Below)
While the 2017 Subaru Legacy can’t match the 2017 Toyota Camry’s top-tier ranking, buyers who need all-wheel drive in a reasonably priced sedan ($21,995) need to give the Legacy a look. It’s the only midsize car that features all-wheel drive standard on all trim levels. All-wheel drive is not available at all on the Camry.
The Legacy doesn't have the top-notch predicted reliability score of the Camry, but it beats it handily in terms of safety. It was awarded a Top Safety Pick+ score from the IIHS, and its available EyeSight suite of advanced safety and driver assistance features includes rear automatic braking, which is uncommon in the class.
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Which Camry Competitors Should You Consider?
There's no doubt about it: The 2017 Toyota Camry is a good car. It has been the top-selling car in America for the last 15 years, and it holds a spot atop our rankings of midsize cars. Its exceptional predicted reliability score is the envy of its class rivals. The 2017 Camry was also a finalist for the U.S. News 2017 Best Midsize Car for the Money award.
It’s not the car for everyone, though, and with so little separating the best from the rest in our midsize car rankings, you should cast a wider net before you decide on the Camry. On the following slides we'll explore some alternatives to the 2017 Camry, starting with its 2018 replacement. You’ll see what these cars can offer that the 2017 Camry can’t.
The 2017 Toyota Camry costs $23,070 and scores an 8.9 out of 10 in our midsize rankings. U.S. News scores are updated constantly as new expert reviews and data become available. The scores in this article were accurate at the time they were published.