What is a Camry Solara?  From 1999 to 2008, Camry had a sportier coupe version called the Solara.  It was a way of making Camry less boring and more appealing to those going for BMW and Mercedes sportier cars.  In this sense, this was a laughable attempt.  Mainly because it was not an actual sports car.  Toyota also had sportier models in production such as Supra, MR2 Spyder, and the Celica.  Why would anyone spend the money to get sporty coupe that was essentially a Camry?  The sales reflected this and despite their best efforts, it was discontinued after the 2008 model.  But today, they are fairly easy to find and a solid buy.

The Solara is perfect for those who want the reliability and practicality of a Camry but still want something a little more cause Camry is a a bit boring.  Diving into an actual sports car meant the practicality is out the window and the costs generally go up as they are more expensive.  Camry Solara is based off the Camry and is every bit a heart and soul of a Camry.  Some parts share the same number.  However, it has an upgraded suspension, better dynamics, and had an available tuned Lexus-class V6 engine.  It is also one of only convertibles in Toyota’s main lineup.  The only downside to this car is that it is a 2-door and dashboard cracks but all-in-all a solid performer.  Oil consumption is an issue in these engines so frequent checks are recommended.  

If you see a Camry Solara, it is a solid choice for a used car.  

So again, I was not into trucks in general as my option but since this was in my price range, I decided to check out the Ridgeline.  I also checked out the vehicle since itself and wondered why it was listed so cheap.  Turns out, the vehicle had 190k miles on it and it was sitting there for almost two years.  The owner left the truck at the friend’s home and went overseas for a job that was supposed to take a year but ended up moving there.  The vehicle just sat there for nearly 2 years. This is very bad for any car so you have to be thorough when you check the car.  I brought a mechanic who works on racecars to check it over.  There were some issues but nothing that couldn’t be fixed on a budget.  We did most of the work right there in the driveway such as fluid changes, belt changes, rotor changes, etc.

So other than being such a great deal, why did I pick this truck?  In the industry, this truck is not a very respected one.  In fact, people call it a NART which stands for “not a real truck.”  

• It’s a Honda
  Trucks are notorious for high maintenance.  This is very expected because generally they are treated rougher as a work truck.  Because of this, they design it for such things.  Everything about a truck is heavier, bigger, and is strained far more than say a compact sedan like a Toyota Corolla.  What intrigued me about the Ridgeline was the Honda badge.  Especially in the mid years of the Honda era, they didn’t just put their badge on cars they didn’t backup.  As their first and only truck in the lineup, they made sure it was reliable and worthy of the Honda badge.  I spoke with other Ridgeline owners who have frequently reached over 300k so I knew it was at least capable of such things.
• It is comfortable!
  This truck was built around an SUV.  Honda Pilot to be exact.  So inside is spacious as a Pilot.  It even drives and handles like a Pilot.  So I’d say it does lean more towards an SUV than it does a truck.  This was a huge plus for me because passenger comfort was a barrier to getting a truck for me.  That barrier is removed.  This does have its CON though.  Like a smaller truck bed and independent suspension which limits its truck-expected performance.
• It has tons of storage
  This vehicle has to most storage capacity I have ever seen for its size!  Yes, you can get an 8-foot bed trucks but those are huge, bad handling, limit cab sizes, and uncomfortable. For a car of its size, it has a respectable 5 foot bed with smaller wheel wells.  It comes with a trunk which is unique to this truck only… though as of 2023 there has been other variants.  It was underseat space and a spacious one at that.  And of course, the roof rack for additional space.  I put ladder racks on mine to sport a rooftop tent.  It limits vertical transportation but the tent is worth it for me.  
• Side open tailgate
  I didn’t think much of this at first.  I thought it was a marketing gimmick.  But I used this side-opening tailgate way more than the traditional way.  If you didn’t know, Ridgeline’s tail can open like a normal car door.  This allows me to reach into the back of the truck bed so much easier and access the trunk as well.
• It Performs Well
  Ridgelines are designed around comfort rather than heavy-duty.  So it performs like it.  It has a smooth comfortable powerful ride. But you won’t be zooming by anyone.  Even the V-Tech doesn’t add much to its overall V6 performance.  But all-in-all, it drives like an SUV.  Sometimes you forget you are driving a truck. Which to me a plus but could definitely be a minus for others.
• It Does Plenty of Trucky Things
  Though it is not designed to do full-size truck things, I found it plenty capable! Truck bed size is enough for most situations, the AWD system makes a lot of sense, the VTM-4 Locking system emulates a 4-wheel-drive system, has plenty of power, 8-inch clearance, 5000 pound towing with 1600 pound payload, etc. etc.  None of these specs are the best but they are enough to get most jobs done.

So are there any cons?

Of course!  Nothing is perfect.  The VTM4-lock for example is not a true lock.  So you can still get stuck where a true 4wheel drive will get out of.  Gas mileage is horrid!  My number one complaint!  I get about 14-15 mpg.  With gas prices as they are, feeding this thirsty V6 engine hurts the wallet a lot.  Another thing worth considering is a the lack of accessories.  Because Ridgeline market is small compared to others like the Ford Ranger or Toyota Tacoma, not enough mods are available for the Gen1.  Gen2 has considerably more.  The unique shape of the Gen1’s bed really gets in the way of most universal accessories.

All-in-all though, this has been the best vehicle I could’ve purchased for my needs.  It is the most versatile vehicle I have ever owned and quite possible ever own.

• Excellent Value
  Perhaps most people don’t look for Lexus cause they know it has high resell value, or maybe it is because these things were made crazy reliable so there are a lot on the road, or perhaps a combination of both, but for whatever reason they go for cheap.  I still see in 2023, some 2008/2009 models popup for $6000 at places like facebook marketplace.  And this is in Los Angeles, CA where car prices are crazy inflated.  That’s cheaper than most cars around here or at least comparable.  You will find most models for $10k or under.
• Incredible Reliability
  Like nearly all Toyota or Lexus vehicles, this SUV is more reliable than most.  They were designed and manufactured as Lexus brand’s introduction to the SUV market in America.  They went all out.  Bringing best of their engineering prowess to the RX line and eventually the GX line.  
• Solid Performance
  It has one of the most reliable variable timed V6 engines around.  It is designed for smooth acceleration and power (not the fastest, mind you).  Our’s were originally designed to punch out 230 horse power.  It conquers snow and the mountain roads while handling like a luxury car.
• It is COMPACT
  Despite it being an SUV, it is only inches larger than the Toyota Corolla.  It is unbelievable but true!  Compared to a 2023 Toyota Corolla, it is only about 4 inches longer and about 2.5 inches wider than the Corolla.  Which makes this SUV compact!  It is great in L.A. where parking is tight and limited!  Easier to park than Toyota Camry in most scenarios as it is considerably shorter.  
• TONS of space! 
  It may not be much longer or wider, but it is taller.  It comes with significant storage area and the seats comes down to make more room.  Has all the bells and whistles of an SUV as it is one. In my opinion, it has all the benefits of a Corolla’s size while having the benefits on an SUV.
• Luxury Features!
  Even for an older car, mine comes with dual climate controls and even seat warmers that still works like a charm.  And you will see details like faint lights added so you can still see inside the cabin in the dark without turning on the map lights.  There’s even features like headlight cleaners.
• OK fuel economy
  We get about 20-22 Highway MPG which is not bad for a V6 AWD vehicle.  It is also not good by modern standards.  But to put this in perspective, this was about how much a 2004 V6 Camry got.  It is a respectable fuel efficiency for a vehicle like this one.  There are also hybrid models of the RX in the used market if you are into CVT Transmissions.

So what’s the CON?

With all things, cons comes with the benefits.  The major CON we found is that the maintenance can get really high.  If you are into BMW, Lexus is still the cheaper repair in general but there are some luxury features that add unnecessary and, quite frankly, insane cost.  For example, there was a leak on our right headlight which burned out the bulb.  On vast majority of cars, I’d just reseal the headlight and replace the bulb for a total of $10-$40 (depending on how nice the bulb is).  On the Lexus, we spent… are you ready?… $1000!!!!  That’s right. Not a typo.  Why on earth would it cost that much?  It turns out the AWD variant that year used nice Xenon bulbs so when it blew, it blew the ballast that controls it.  AND the headlight assembly is also a motorized one that changes direction of the beam and no third party versions of those existed.  So to replace them was about $940 in parts alone.  Just to get the right side headlight to work.  I’m sure there are other unique features lurking in the vehicle that would cost ridiculous amounts but I haven’t had issues with them yet.  Other than these situations, parts are basic.  The gas cap was about $60 which was surprising.  My Honda Ridgeline 2008 gas cap was closer to $70.  

Can be outdated
Because RX models can date back to 2000, electronics in the Nav/Stereo department can be very outdated.  Like no bluetooth but comes with a cassette player outdated.  But this is expected on nearly all older vehicles so not unique to Lexus.  I thought it was worth mentioning since RX line has been around for a while.

So all in all, I think if you can snag one, you should!  Before people start discovering how awesome these are and demands spike.