Overview & Reviews
Introduced as sportier siblings to the mainstay midsize Camry sedan, the Toyota Camry Solara coupe and convertible quietly enjoyed a reputation for being reliable, well built and pleasantly styled, if not excitingly so. For most family sedans, such qualities are certainly considered desirable, but when it comes to coupes and convertibles, we think that a little fun and pizzazz should figure in as well. The Camry Solara never offered much in terms of excitement, but that didn't prevent it from being a popular choice for a midsize two-door.
For both generations of the Solara, rear-seat room was generous and safety ratings and feature content were impressive. Smooth four-cylinder or V6 power resided under the hood, and overall the Toyota Camry Solara was reasonably priced and offered great value considering all that it delivered.
If you're looking for a sport-oriented coupe or convertible, the Toyota Camry Solara isn't going to be your best choice. And the most recent Camry Solara convertible's traditional fabric top can be seen as a bit dowdy given that many competing models from the same time period offer retractable hardtop designs. But if you treasure overall quality, value and comfort, there are few coupes or convertibles that put it all together as well as the Camry Solara.
Most Recent Toyota Camry Solara
The most recent Toyota Camry Solara was the second-generation model and was sold from 2004-'08. It was based on the 2002-'06 Camry sedan and was available as a midsize coupe or convertible in SE, SE Sport and SLE trim levels.
The standard engine on the Camry Solara coupe was a 2.4-liter four-cylinder rated at 157 horsepower and 158 pound-feet of torque, mated to either a five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic (four-speed prior to '06). Optional on coupes and standard on convertibles was a 3.3-liter V6 rated at 210 horses and 220 lb-ft of torque. Prior to 2007, horsepower ratings will appear to be greater; however, this was due to a change in the way horsepower is measured rather than an actual output change. No manual transmission was available with this smooth engine, but the automatic was a modern five-speed with a manual-shift gate for those who like to select their own gears. On the road, the Toyota Camry Solara's suspension tuning delivered a comfortable ride. The added stiffness of the SE Sport model gave it enough capability to provide some fun through corners while still maintaining the civilized ride quality of the other models.
The base SE was decently equipped with most modern convenience features, while the Sport version added a firmer suspension, 17-inch wheels, an exterior body kit, xenon HID headlights and unique interior trim. The top-drawer SLE provided a few extra luxury-oriented standard features. Major options included stability control and a navigation system (which was upgraded for '07).
The Solara's front seats offer plenty of room for even the tallest drivers, but the rear seats are still best reserved for short trips. While Solara coupes can seat three passengers snugly in back, the Camry Solara convertible can accommodate just two. The Solara convertible's standard power top could be raised and lowered in just 10 seconds, and it stowed neatly under a tonneau cover that matched the color of the interior.
Past Toyota Camry Solara Models
The Camry Solara originally debuted for 1999 and was produced through 2003. Mechanically, it was related to the 1997-2001 Camry sedan. Toyota hoped its new two-door would appeal to consumers who wanted the style of a sporty car but the room and comfort of a larger, more practical vehicle. In the first year, only the coupe was sold, but Toyota added the convertible version for model-year 2000.
For this Camry Solara's run, Toyota offered the familiar SE or SLE trim levels. Initially, Toyota offered either a 2.2-liter, 135-hp four-cylinder engine or a 3.0-liter, 192-hp V6. Either engine could be had with a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic. For 2002, Toyota introduced a new 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 157 hp. Revised front and rear styling was also introduced that year. For 2003 and beyond, Toyota discontinued the manual transmission option for the V6.
At the time, we commented favorably about the Toyota Camry Solara's roomy cabin and smooth engines. Downsides included a lack of driving or styling excitement and the absence of some higher-end features, such as stability control and a navigation system.
User Reviews:
Showing 1091 through 1098 of 1,098.00-
Till death do us part! - 2000 Toyota Camry Solara
By Hal Kelly - January 22 - 6:47 pmThis is my second 2000 Toyota Solara. I purchased my first in 2009 when it had 103,000 miles on it. I really wanted a newer car, with less miles, but I "settled" for an old car with high mileage, wondering if I had made a mistake. Fast forward to September of this year, my mistake" now had 310,000 miles. It was beginning to show its hard, long mileage. So needing a reliable long distance vehicle for my job, I bought ANOTHER 2000 Solara with ONLY 176,000 miles from a couple that decided their poor old car was aging. Yay for me!
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Not So Pleased - 1999 Toyota Camry Solara
By Its Not All That - January 21 - 2:00 am-Replace EGR valve at 30k-- took it to the dealer 5 times to figure this one out!!!~ very annoying -Sruts in need of replacing at 40k-- I agree,this should be recalled -24 mpg, not so great -CD player skips, possibly as a result of the strut problem-- $1500 to replace- - 2 weeks to figure this one out -big heavy doors that ding and get dinged -$600 to replace window due to vandalism-- not cheap! -Severe windshield glare
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Super Car - 2000 Toyota Camry Solara
By nvhawki - January 21 - 2:00 amI havent had it to the shop once and it drives just like new. Still very, very quiet and solid.
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Wow what a winner - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
By DJE - January 19 - 1:16 amI always thought a convertible would not be practical in day to day living. Boy was I wrong... driving this car makes errands more fun and they seem to go quicker. I am looking for more reasons to drive every day. The back seat is extremely roomy and was easily able to accommodate even a six foot friend with ease. I thought I would tire of a convertible after a year and now I am thinking why didnt I do it sooner!
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Luv my Solara ! - 2003 Toyota Camry Solara
By SolaraMan2003 - January 16 - 10:00 amStarting engine not as instantaneous as American-made cars Ive owned in the past. Is this typical on this kind of car? Handles quite well. MPG from 19/city to 28/highway (high-speed ~75mph, non-constant). I dont necessarily feel Im in a luxury car, but you know youre in a nice one. Cruise control kept constant speed, but I think it should have a second dash light for "engaged" as well as "cruise". Had the car at 100mph for 7 seconds on a straight, smooth tpke with 4 passengers and all thought the ride was quite smooth. They didnt think we were going that fast.
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First car I will drive to the ground - 2002 Toyota Camry Solara
By Most reliable car - January 14 - 11:06 amI just realized today that I put 188,000 miles into my Solara. Normally I replace my daily commuter cars every 2-3 years , but that changed with my Solara. Every single time when I come back from business trip where I rent new cars and get back to my cars driver seat I fill that I own better car. It is my second car which I have almost no problem with ( another one was 1999 Pathfinder ). Only regular maintenance.
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Timing chain sprocket - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
By Bob - January 12 - 6:30 pmGreat comfort, ride, fuel economy, eye catching styling. At 40,000 miles I took it to the dealer for an engine noise. There was no check engine light on.They changed the belt tensioner. The moment I drove away the same noise was still there. The next week they found the timing chain sprockets teeth were worn. They changed it. Two weeks later the engine quit on me. The timing chain came off, bent the valves and dented the a piston and damaged the cam. They rebuilt all changed all these with the timing chain sprocket being the culprit again. They couldnt tell me why the sprocket teeth keep stripping and if it will happen again.This is the 2.4l 4cyl engine.
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My Baby - 2003 Toyota Camry Solara
By Wanda Lee - January 4 - 2:00 amThis car was the only car in a pile up accident to survive, with minor damages.
