2008 Toyota Camry Solara Convertible Performance Review

• Overall
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability
• Specs
• Photo Gallery

Performance - What the Auto Press Says

The 2008 Toyota Camry Solara convertible gets good reviews for its smooth, quiet engine, but reviewers are less than excited about the handling and some find the automatic transmission sluggish. "Our main complaint has been an automatic transmission that seems to be eager to upshift but reluctant to downshift," says Edmunds.

Reviewers generally like the Solara Convertible's performance but they don't tend to gush about it. Though Autobytel calls it "an excellent choice for the general consumer looking for a fun-in-the-sun, four-seat ragtop," they add that "it's not engaging to drive." Several reviewers would prefer more snappy handling, but when pressed admit that this is because the ride is tuned for comfort instead. "Handling is luxury-car smooth instead of sports-car aggressive," says The Family Car.

Acceleration and Power

Toyota only offers one engine for the Solara Convertible, but it's their high-end engine from the Solara Coupe, a 3.3-liter V6 that produces 210 horsepower and 220 pound-feet of torque. Reviewers like its smooth performance and find its power acceptable, though Edmunds feels that when the engine is "pushed hard, a lack of low-end torque forces the indecisive five-speed automatic to downshift abruptly, resulting in agonizing pauses punctuated by awkward lurches." But About.com calls the engine "a glorious piece of engineering exhibiting great all-round performance and effortless high-speed capability." And Automobile.com calls it "silken." The Environmental Protection Agency rates the Solara Convertible at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 26 on the highway.

Toyota's five-speed electronically controlled sequential automatic transmission gets reviews that are at best mixed. Reviewers admit that it's smooth and engineered for a comfortable ride, but still complain about it. "The transmission upshifts early for the sake of fuel economy, hesitates a bit before downshifting and doesn't respond well to overly aggressive driving," says Edmunds. "Stomp on it abruptly in traffic and it leaves you waiting for a second or two -- long enough for the motorist in the next lane to close the gap you had your eye on." Automobile.com complains that there isn't a real manual transmission available: "Unfortunately drivers with a penchant for manually mixing gears will have to settle for Toyotas Sequential Multi-Mode feature, which is a manual-mode typical of the sort so often accompanying automatic transmissions these days."

Handling and Braking

The 2008 Toyota Camry Solara Convertible has smooth and comfortable handling, but this isn't really what reviewers want. They want their cars to be fun and they complain that the Solara Convertible isn't. "There is something very ‘grandma' about how the Solara convertible handles and looks," says Autobytel, "and it wouldn't be at all surprising if it were the best-selling soft top in Florida, fondly referred to as blue-hair country." Edmunds, while admitting that the Solara Convertible has "substantially improved handling dynamics" over previous model years, wishes that it was more of a performance car: "Crossing the Solara's low handling limits can be frustrating, particularly for enthusiasts who revel in the visceral thrill of performance driving." Consumer Guide simply calls the Solara Convertible's handling "less precise" than the Solara Coupe's.

Like most other aspects of the Solara Convertible's performance, the suspension is tuned for comfort. "Comfort is clearly the Solara's priority, as ride quality is excellent thanks to a relatively long wheelbase and soft suspension tuning," says Edmunds. Automobile.com adds, "In addition to the smooth operation of its refined drivetrain, this Toyota delivers a remarkably smooth ride, albeit with noticeable cowl shudder when passing over abrupt surface deviations." As for the steering, Edmunds feels that it has "a dead spot on-center that makes the Solara feel a little sloppy when cruising on the freeway. Off center, it's a very precise setup with light, but not too light weighting." Motor Trend likes the Solara Convertible's brakes, finding that "the four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes inspire confidence." Edmunds, however, doesn't like the way they sound: "Squeaking rear brakes...are an annoying recurrence for which there appears to be no permanent solution."