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:
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Best of the reasonable priced cars - 2008 Toyota Camry Solara
By jeepers - September 9 - 6:16 pmGot an electric blue with all goodies. Have had convertibles for 40 plus years. This is the best all around car I have had. Why are they stopping making it??
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Bad Blind Spot & Sound, No trunk release - 2003 Toyota Camry Solara
By Thang Nguyen - September 6 - 2:06 pmDont take me bad, I really like the car for both performance and exterior design. However, blind spot is really big problem, you should buy extra blind spot mirror. Dont trust advertised JBL sound system, I give a 6 on 10 scale. No trunk release inside the car, very inconvenient. Also, you cant read the sound system face plate when there is sunny because of the weird angle.
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Excellent - 2003 Toyota Camry Solara
By daku - September 2 - 10:00 amVery good blend of sportiness,comfort
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Problems - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
By mad - September 1 - 9:03 pmi have had my car almost for 5 years and in the three months i have had to take it because of the engine light coming on. 400.00 for a new sensor and right now waiting to see what s wrong this time. Toyotas used to last for 150,000 miles or more but this is crazy my car is maintenanced regularly and this is what i get. never never again will i purchase a Toyota
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Best car I have ever owned - 2002 Toyota Camry Solara
By ToyotaForever - August 28 - 1:06 pmI decided to give Toyota a try with the purchase of my 2002 Toyota Solara. This is by far the best vehicle I have ever owned. The only thing I have had to replace on this car in 4 years is tires and a battery.
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Auto Trans lags badly - 2008 Toyota Camry Solara
By Torx55 - August 15 - 12:06 pmThe auto trans is very very slow to downshift, in fact, there is at least a 2-3 second lag when you push the accelerator, to the power getting to the wheels. The motors revs then trans engages. Dealer loaded the new ECM software, but it made little if any difference. Dealer said he did all he could and the trans is considered fixed and normal by Toyota. Sure shocks me if Toyota engineers consider this normal. If you get one, be careful when pulling into traffic or when quick acceleration is necessary. The trans will scare you. I wont keep this Toyota for 150K miles as I did with the car I sold to get this 08. Very disappointing.
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An Excellent Lux Sporty Car - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
By dannychen - August 15 - 2:00 amAn excellent luxuary sporty car... a good car for people age 40+... But I love it... though Im only 30...
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Great Ride - 2006 Toyota Camry Solara
By Happy w/Toyota - August 6 - 11:06 pmThis is my first Toyota and I had very high expectations from reviews I had read about the Toyota brand. I looked at many other cars before I bought the Solara, but decided on the Solara because of its quality and driving experience. Ive had the car for about a year now and I am extremely happy with the decision to buy it. Overall fit and finish is excellent and the car is very quite. Wind and road noise is very low. You really cant hear the engine when the car is in park either. The back seats are quite large and can comfortably seat two adults. I chose the 4 cyl engine for better gas mileage and I am averaging about 29-30 mpg in mixed highway and city driving (thats with air/heat).
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Solara - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
By armor - August 4 - 10:00 amGreat car and handling, excellent mileage, nice styling and quality, seems to have the same v-6 engine as the 330 Lexus.
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Perfect if u want a "luxury+sporty car" - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
By DD79 - August 4 - 10:00 amMy first car after i graduate (drove a 88 volvo, but that dosent count). Compared it with Celica, Acura RSX, Accord coupe but Solara was the best you can offer for the price. The main features i wanted in a car were: Good looks and Smooth drive without being deprived of "standard" stuff, like on-steering controls, everything automatic, etc. Its everything of a luxury car that a coupe can offer.
