What Is It?

2004 Toyota Camry Solara Convertible

What's Special About It?

By the halfway point of the winter season, the novelty of the snow-covered landscape begins to wear off and the reality of slippery roads, wind-burned skin and wet socks becomes tiresome. Well, for some of us it does. Whatever your state of mind, it's never too early to start thinking about warmer, sunnier days. Toyota, for one, is ready to give the press and the public their first look at the convertible version of the Camry Solara.

The coupe's sleek yet unexpectedly forceful lines transfer to the drop top, but this time the convertible has a body of its own that was engineered from the beginning to be an open-top vehicle. The fact that the Solara convertible hasn't undergone a "top chop" conversion job has resulted in a significant increase in torsional rigidity, according to Toyota. Out on the road, this means better handling and less cowl shake. To our eyes, the tail end of the convertible is better resolved than the coupe's, thanks to a tasteful rear lip spoiler that reduces the sag effect.

Inside, the convertible has all the style of the coupe. The soft leather upholstery, silver-toned controls and white-faced gauges look more Lexus than Toyota, giving this midpriced convertible a level of sophistication unmatched by any Chrysler Sebring. The standard power top raises and lowers at the touch of a button in just 10 seconds and stows neatly under a tonneau cover that matches the color of the interior. With the imposition of a removable top, seating capacity drops from three to two in back. Trunk capacity is just under 12 cubic feet.

As the convertible weighs in at over 3,500 pounds, Toyota has made the 225-horsepower, 3.3-liter V6 standard equipment. A five-speed automatic is the only gearbox available, though Toyota does include an automanual gate for drivers who would like a little more control over shift points. Handling assumes greater importance on the second-generation Solara convertible, as both a sport-tuned suspension and 17-inch wheels and tires are standard. Toyota will sell the Solara convertible in both SE and SLE models. Standard features on the SE include cloth upholstery, silver metallic interior trim, a six-speaker CD stereo and full power accessories. The SLE provides a leather interior, wood grain trim, a 315-watt JBL stereo with an in-dash CD changer and automatic climate control.

What's Edmunds' Take?

Looking for a stylish, comfortable and refined summertime companion with room for the kids? We can't think of a better $30,000 candidate than the Solara convertible. And, unlike its predecessor, this drop top should have the moves to handle a spontaneous back-roads detour. — Erin Riches