CD Article: 2007 Toyota Solara SLE V6 Coupe

[CD_Editor]

Test Drive:

The Toyota Solara coupe is "one of the prettiest cars on the road," says Assistant Editor Jil McIntosh, with a design that draws the eye across it, and a luxurious interior to match. But the driving experience is "too polished", with "no emotional feel". The swoopy coupe may look like a tiger, but "this lovely feline needs some claws."         More...

[mdxtasy]

The premise of the article focused on the fact that this car is luxurious, comfortable, obeying, and lacking in fight.

Well, I agree that this car is not a true sports coupe.  If anybody goes into this car thinking it's a canyon carver or a performance coupe, you've barked up the wrong tree.  This is a cruiser.  A relaxed GT.  I think it does that very well, and Toyota hit the nail on the head when building a car that offers a GT look with creature comforts.  It doesn't pretend to be any sort of sports coupe competitor.  The closest car to compare it with is a Honda Accord coupe...and even then, it's plush. 

Toyota doesn't build sport no more. 

[Cord]

"one of the prettiest cars on the road,"

Maybe it's just the photo but it looks bloated and ungainly to me, in the same way an early Tiburon does.

[Benhaze]

I too don't think it's one of the prettiest design on the road. It was an exception in the Toyota fleet having a funky and original exterior design but its style is too busy to be called a true beauty IMO.

[xtrail1]

I too don't think it's one of the prettiest design on the road. It was an exception in the Toyota fleet having a funky and original exterior design but its style is too busy to be called a true beauty IMO.

Not a beauty for sure, I can't stand the bloated look, rear ballooning quarters look like the Azera. 

[safristi]

Just read the latest Pelicanos crime novel...............everyone in there says it's a LADIES CAR..in MORE EFFUSIVE terms....... ...................there is a Gold Convertible one in our neighbourhood.....driven by a Blonde business woman....hey and JILL thinks it's sexy too....

[Shemp]

Just read the latest Pelicanos crime novel...............everyone in there says it's a LADIES CAR..in MORE EFFUSIVE terms....... ...................there is a Gold Convertible one in our neighbourhood.....driven by a Blonde business woman....hey and JILL thinks it's sexy too....

How can a pelican be wrong , ungainly snout and bloated body  . What did Jack say

[UDB]

The closest car to compare it with is a Honda Accord coupe...and even then, it's plush. 

I think you forget the the G6 GTP coupe    The Solora 07 still offer the old 3.3 not the new 3.5 from Toyota.   The 3.6 in the G6, IMO, is superior to the 3.3.   At the design level the G6 looks way more sporty than the Solara.  And I guess the G6 is cheaper than the Solara.

[jww]

The people I see driving the Solara are from the same crowd that drive the Sebring convertible. Not my cup of tea at all. Toyota needs to bring back the Celica, Supra and SR-5 version of the Corolla. With all the focus on retro cars, one would think that the Celica would be a no-brainer to bring back into the marketplace. There isn't alot to choose from in that space any longer that are truly sports car oriented IIMO (the Mistubishi spyder is perhaps the only one).

[Bullet Blue]

I've heard they are pulling the plug on the Solara for 2008MY. It may come back in 2010, but if you like the Solara, get it while you can.

[ovr50]

My wife likes it a lot and it is a nice hiway cruiser. I agree with the non-aggressive comments of Jil's. It is for sure not a sports car; but it wasn't built to be one, not did wife want one. It does what she wants very well. It does have lots of power and is very smooth delivery of same.

For me, I prefer to drive my Mustang and Highlander.

[haris]

I liked the previous generation Solara much better. As for it being sporty, it's a Camry. How sporty could it be?

[safristi]

This little old lady in Pasedena takes it to church SUNDAYS..............

[NY3UVL714]

The writer of this article misses the point of the Solara. Solara isn't Toyotas equivalent of an Accord coupe nor meant to provide sporty performance. Its more like a refined competitor for the Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Chrysler Sebring Coupe/Convertibles.
A few years back, Solara would have been called a personal coupe/personal luxury car. The personal style coupes provide a measure of unique "personal car"  styling (distictive and somewhat sporty looking) and a smoothly comfortable driving.  Basically they looked good and drove in a laid back relaxed way.  Sporty?  NOT!

[safristi]

Did Kintergarten get out early taday?.............

[Bullet Blue]

This little old lady in Pasedena takes it to church SUNDAYS..............

It looks like a Christmas blob or something 

[safristi]

Hmm de Colours match the "flag"...avatar.....

[mike b]

Jil is out of her mind. I've always thought the Solara to be the UGLIEST on the road.  It's obvious that it's a Camry mid-section with a swoopy front and rear added on as an afterthought to try to make the conservative Camry design more sporty in a two door.  This type of patchwork design never works.  The square door and mid-section don't match the car's front and rear.  Whenever a manufacturer goes this way because of budget concerns, rather than create an entire new cohesive design from the ground up, the result is always a mess like the Solara.  No wonder why it's a sales flop.     

[Minou]

Jil,

Why didn't you mention in your review that The new Camry SE V6 pack B is available for the same price ($36945.) as the Solara you tested ($36975.) and comes with Toy's superb 3.5 liter powerhouse and 6 speed automatic?  And doesn't have the Solara's shaky structure.

[ovr50]

Jil,

Why didn't you mention in your review that The new Camry SE V6 pack B is available for the same price ($36945.) as the Solara you tested ($36975.) and comes with Toy's superb 3.5 liter powerhouse and 6 speed automatic?  And doesn't have the Solara's shaky structure.

Can you provide some proof that Solara's have a "shaky structure"?? If not, I suggest you are full of BS.

My wife has had 2 Solara coupes, a '99 and the current '06 one. Both car are extrememly solid, with no flexing, no creaks or rattles and generally feel as if they were carved out of granite. People have often commented on how solid and well-built the Solara feels. Shaky? No way, fella.

Care to back up that statement?