Which 2018 Toyota Camry Trim Should I Buy: L, LE, SE, XSE or XLE?

CARS.COM — The redesigned 2018 Toyota Camry turns the best-selling sedan for 15 years on its head with a significant reworking from the ground up. If you asked me which one I’d choose after driving nearly every version, the answer would be the entertaining 301-horsepower XSE V-6 — but that’s a $36,000 car. There’s a lot to like in the more frugal versions, so we sorted through the 2018 Camry’s trims to find the perfect balance of safety, technology and convenience features for the money.

Related: 2018 Toyota Camry Review: First Drive

The Camry is already off to a good start with a stout safety package standard, including forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with lane keep assist and high-speed adaptive cruise control. That’s right, on every Camry — from the least expensive L trim all the way up through the XSE trim — is Toyota Safety Sense P.

Which Camry to buy: The 2018 Camry SE is the balanced diet in Toyota’s lineup. It’s reasonably priced but not boring, and it has a comfortable ride quality with a surprising amount of capabilities on twisty backroads thanks to its sport-tuned suspension. The SE adds automatic climate control and features a folding backseat and power driver’s seat. Add in Toyota’s optional convenience package with proximity keyless entry and push-button start ($625) plus blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert ($600) and call it a day. All in, that would be a $27,310 Camry SE when the sedan goes on sale later this summer.

An SE is only the tip of the iceberg of what’s available on the 2018. To make the 2018 Toyota Camry’s many trim levels and features easily digestible, we gathered all the important features and listed what you get with each trim below.

Standard features (L trim level, $24,380 with destination):

• 203-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine
• Eight-speed automatic transmission
• 16-inch wheels
• Manual air conditioning
• Backup camera with fixed backup lines
• Bluetooth
• Cloth seating
• Six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat; six-way manually adjustable front passenger seat
• Adaptive cruise control (over 25 mph)
• Single USB port
• Tilt/telescoping steering wheel
• 7-inch touchscreen with Siri Eyes Free, Google voice controls, iPod connectivity and Scout GPS smartphone application compatibility to port navigation from your phone to the touchscreen

The LE trim level ($24,885) adds:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
• 60/40 split-folding backseat
• Overhead console with map lights and sunglasses storage
• Anti-theft alarm

The SE trim level ($26,085) adds:

• Single-zone automatic climate control
• Sport SofTex-trimmed front seats (faux leather/cloth combination)
• Leather-trimmed steering wheel with paddle shifters
• 18-inch black alloy wheels
• Performance-tuned shock absorbers
• Performance-tuned springs
• Performance-tuned stabilizer bars
• Rear spoiler

The XLE trim level ($29,335) adds:

• Standard suspension
• Regular steering wheel without paddle shifters
• Dual-zone automatic climate control with backseat vents
• Blind spot monitoring system
• Three USB ports
• Backup camera with dynamic predictive backup lines
• Seven-inch high-resolution gauge cluster display with vehicle vitals and options
• Leather-trimmed upholstery
• Eight-way power passenger seat
• Heated front seats
• Adaptive cruise control (all speeds)
• Eco, Normal and Sport modes
• Proximity keyless entry with push-button start
• HomeLink

The XSE trim level ($29,885) adds:

• 19-inch black alloy wheels
• Performance-tuned shock absorbers
• Performance-tuned springs
• Performance-tuned stabilizer bars
• Steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters
• Smoked headlights and taillights
• Rear spoiler
• Dual-exiting exhaust with quad tips

The optional 301-hp V-6 engine on the XLE ($35,285) or XSE ($35,835) adds:

• Panoramic glass roof with power tilt/slide moonroof
• Qi-compatible wireless smartphone charging
• Head-up display
• 8-inch touchscreen
• JBL stereo

For complete pricing and available options, see our 2018 Toyota Camry pricing breakdown here.