2004 Toyota Camry Solara Test Drive

Always a pleasant, well-built coupe, the Solara lacked any kind of excitement. With the 2004 Toyota Camry Solara, all that has changed. Attractive styling plus new performance and handling have made it a car you can actually have fun driving. Prices: US $19,120 base, $20,615 as tested. Warranty: Total Vehicle 3 yrs/36,000 miles. Powertrain 5 yrs/60,000 miles.

Heritage

Having been in production only a few years, the Solara has no heritage to speak of. But remembering that it is at heart a Camry gives the 2004 Toyota Camry Solara some history, for the Toyota Camry has been with us since the 80's. Indeed, if you really want a reference point, you might include the Toyota Crown, the first mid-size sedan the company exported to North America. And that was in the mid-60's. So in a way, the 2004 Toyota Camry Solara has a long and distinctive family tree from which to draw its genes. And since modern coupes are basically two-door sedans, the lineage is valid enough and your assurance of traditional Camry quality.

Coachwork

Just like its Camry sedan sister, the 2004 Toyota Camry Solara has grown larger in every significant dimension, gaining interior space plus, in the case of the coupe, a sleeker, more aerodynamic shape. A high waistline and reduced side glass might lead you to suspect its a tad claustrophobic in the cabin but such is not the case, as long as you're sitting up front. Fortunately the Solara is a genuine four-seater in which the folks in back don't suffer the usual rear seat squeeze. A long trip would not be out of order for four people. Those front seats are deeply contoured and provide support when cornering though they're not sports car snug, so a large-bodied person will be comfortable enough. The doors are long, which makes disembarking in tight places a problem but thanks to front seats that slide forward with the touch of a handle, egress to the rear seat area is not difficult, as our friend Jacques Duez happily demonstrates. If there was an annual award for the best interior, the 2004 Toyota Camry Solara would be a contender because of an elegantly simple console and dashboard featuring a minimum of controls, all of them large and legible. As well, the interior is very attractive, with trim unique to each model.

On the Road

Our test car was an SE Sport with a 157 hp 4-cylinder DOHC engine and 4-speed automatic. It can also be had with a V-6 but we were impressed with this engine, in part because of its 162 lb.-ft. of torque. That may not be enough to smoke the tires but believe me, it's all the 2004 Toyota Camry Solara needs to make it fun and enjoyable, as well as being easy on fuel. Quiet and smooth, too, without the drone typical of some 4-cylinder engines in foot-to-the-floor moments. It can also be mated to a 5-speed manual but we were reasonably happy with the automatic, wishing only that it had one more gear. With 5-speed automatics becoming more common, this is an oversight that Toyota should correct if it wishes to attract enthusiast drivers to the Solara. On the other hand, the gated shifter is one of the best we've seen, making manual gear changes intuitive and quick. All Camry Solaras are fitted with a sports suspension but the SE Sport gets 17-inch alloy wheels and more aggressive suspension tuning. You can actually have some fun on your favorite winding road as long as you remember that you're in a sporty, not sports, car. The steering is nicely balanced, with just enough response to meet the needs of skilled drivers and those less so.

Summary

There are cars you can sit in and like from the beginning. The 2004 Toyota Camry Solara was not one of them. For reasons I can't explain, neither I nor my driving companion took a liking to the Solara during the long drive and ferry ride from the city of Vancouver to my home on Vancouver Island. But then, a strange thing happened. With each day the 2004 Toyota Camry Solara's approval rating began to climb, to the point where, at the conclusion of the test, I didn't want to give the car back. Perhaps it was the interior, so easy to live with. Or maybe the unruffled performance of the 4-cylinder engine. The handling, a nice blend of ride and roadholding, obviously had something to do with our growing affection. As did the quality, a Toyota hallmark. Most likely it was a combination of all these things, making me feel at ease anytime I slid behind the wheel. Incidentally, the number of approving glances, and there were many, was evenly split between guys and girls. The Camry Solara, once bought mostly by women, is now coveted by everyone, including me. And yes, I did give it back, but only because it wasn't silver and lacked a sunroof (available in the SLE). At least, that's my excuse.