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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Great job Toyota!!!!!!! - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
By Walt26 - July 14 - 2:00 amThis is my first toyota car. I use to drive all american cars. This car is very good looking especially the lexus like rear end!! It drives very smooth and i was very satisfied with it so far. No problems so far. I almost purchased a Mazda 6 but then i fell in love with the solara. looks and drives way better! i never thought i would buy one cause the old ones looked like chick cars. Also i was not about to buy a ford quality car. Hope that this will be a good experience with toyota. Love the car interior looks good and so does the outside keep up the good work toyota
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V-6 5 speed - 2001 Toyota Camry Solara
By Stu2001 - July 12 - 10:00 amThe car is almost perfect. I have a special order V-6 5-speed with cloth seats, side airbags, power driver seat, 15" aluminum rims, and CD player. Great power, although the springs are a little soft and cause some wheel hop on hard acceleration. Smooth and quiet and you would swear you were in a Lexus. Great build quality. Runs 15.5 secs in 1/4 mile with 2k miles on it.
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Toyota Camry Solara SE Couple - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
By Kent - July 5 - 8:46 pmGreat looking car, mechanically sound, fantastic mileage. Lack comfort. Very poor seat design. Handling is a little stiff/awkward. Sound system is fine, trunk space roomy.
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Solara 1999 - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
By LitlSicily - July 3 - 10:00 amwonderful car for a woman. Very reliable & "bullet proof" performance. I will buy another one next year
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best car I have owned - 2005 Toyota Camry Solara
By robert pipher - June 27 - 10:00 amI had a 2001 solora and loved, The 04 was redesigned and love it even better, fun car to drive, people are always asking how nice it is and what kind of car it is, need more promotion by toyota. great fun car
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So much for Quality and Reliability - 2004 Toyota Camry Solara
By HJ - June 21 - 4:46 amI am completely dissatisfied with this vehicle! My wife and daughter drive 140 miles round-trip every day. I bought a Toyota because I thought it was a high-quality, safe, and reliable vehicle. I have had many many problems with this vehicle. While most of the problems do not affect the safety and reliability of the vehicle, one problem most certainly does intermittently the car will not start completely dead no clicks no nothing. I have to jump the vehicle to get it started. I have had the car in for service several times and they keep telling me they cannot find anything wrong. I guess its a figment of my imagination.
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A Great Car - 2001 Toyota Camry Solara
By CaptainKirk - June 13 - 10:00 amGreat car. Fun to drive. Toyota reliablility and an outstanding value.
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Future Classic - 1999 Toyota Camry Solara
By Bob - June 5 - 10:00 amMy last car got totaled by an idiot. Her insurance paid $4.5 K to buy another car.I saw this pearl color Solara SLEV6 99 with 123K miles on it. It was clean inside out and was fully loaded. Tinted glass, Climatic control, leather seats, spoiler, even 3 remote garage door openers. The seller wanted 6K but sold it for 3.9K so I spent the rest of the money on a timing belt. Now the car has 160K miles on it and over this period it has had 4 new tires, break pads battery, Starter, and is trouble free touch wood. It looks nice and modern and I have no car payments. Cant be bad.
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Best car ever had - 2000 Toyota Camry Solara
By Lane O. - June 5 - 10:00 amBought new in 2000. Ive had 15-20 vehicles over my lifetime. This is clearly the best vehicle Ive ever owned. Put 135k on it before giving it to my daughter and her husband. Theyll probably put 100k on it and sell it to someone who will get another 100k or more. Reliability is freaky good. Replaced a battery, the exhaust, etc. as expected over the long period of time owned. No quality issues whatsoever.
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Oil consumption - 2007 Toyota Camry Solara
By angie5768 - June 2 - 5:06 amIve enjoyed my Toyota Solara, except that at EVERY oil change its been 1 quart low of oil. We took it to the dealer for an oil consumption test and were told that its normal for it to consume that amount of oil every 5,000 miles. Ive never driven a new car that I had to put oil into at that rate. It doesnt seem to be leaking, but still concerns me. Other than that, its a comfortable car that handles well. View over the shoulder is a bit obstructed, but you can use your mirrors if adjusted properly. 6CD changer has already been replaced once by factory and appears to be going out again.
