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Base Price: US$ 23K (SE Sport V6)

225 hp / 240 lb-ft

Aerodynamics: Cd=0.29

Toyota has added a SE Sport model that steps up the performance quotient with stiffer springs, sport-tuned shocks and standard 17-inch wheels and tires. An exterior body kit adds a few more edges to the outside while the interior gets black graphite trim, a unique gauge design, a leather-covered steering wheel and aluminum-trimmed pedals.

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While previous Solaras leaned heavily in favor of ride comfort over performance, the completely revamped suspension of this year's model delivers a more balanced combination of the two. Additional efforts to reduce noise and vibration give the Solara a luxury-car feel while the retuned springs and sway bars reduce the constant dipping and swaying that plagued the previous model. The SE Sport model is particularly impressive as it is able to carve through corners quickly with solid road feel and little body roll while still managing to retain a comfortable ride quality on rough streets.

wakeech

cool Super, thanks.

finally, the top end Toyota i'd buy over the bottom end Lexus. nice.

Gord96BRG

Hmm, looks like they raided the first-generation Hyundai Tiburon styling bin for those fender curves.

I'm no fan of Toyota - this has all the excitement and sportiness of a refrigerator (and that goes for bottom-end Lexuses too! Well, ES300s anyway).

Regards,
Gordon

mikeb

those headlights look just like the lexus es 300 ones.
I don't like it

Spin9k

From the angle of that photograph, it's a dead ringer for a Hyundai for sure (maybe some Ford Taurus as well), what with that side sculpturing. Almost worse is that they must have decided to save money when it came to the ***-end, and just stuff a reasonable copy of the Lexus SC430 *** back there.

That SHOULD be a good thing, but IMHO the SC430 is a study in what not to do in 'styling' an attractive car. Result - bulbous bar of soap styling with no general theme in mind.

Lexus has Toyota's problem, only worse, because they apparently feel they must do SOMETING and end up getting it even worse! Take (please far away) the rear end of the new Lexus RX330, a breath-taking example of Toyota ugliness (I just couldn't bear to post the pic of how bad it looks!).

Sorry Supercharger, I think they have a DUD (Dead Until Discounted) new car there. Maybe it looks better in the metal... anyway the specs look better than the old version for sure.

blizz81

Man, that's ugly. Makes the accord coupe look like an F350 in comparative terms, and that's bad. Are they offering it in a MT? Not that I'd really believe any claims from Toyota about stepping more on the "exciting" line of balances...

loco4rx8

Yuck! The rear-end of the Solara looks like some dog that's been beat and is running away with its tail between its legs. Nasty. I dread seeing that on the roads.

Quick_lude

Yup, Toyota cars are bland for most of the line.. but it's now it the Big Three!
Full Story

cueball

I believe you can only get a 5 speed with the four cylinder base model. The V6 is auto only.
So I guess Toyota isn't too serious about performance.

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Car&Driver test data

___________0-60mph ____ 0 – ¼ mile ____ Price as tested

Toyota
Solara V6 ____ 6.9 s ___ 15.4s @ 92mph ___ US$ 23,830


The Solara V6 is the fastest automatic car you can buy for under $24K.

Solara report & ad: October issue Car&Driver (p.154, 28)

Spin9k

R&T comments:

"The Toyota Solara has never been a car that excites the senses of enthusiasts. ...jump into one and you will immediately realize that comfort and value, not sportiness are its core traits."

"Chief engineer Shigeki Terashi makes no apologies...{quote}The Solara is exactly what it sets out to be: a coupe for the masses. We have just as many, if not slightly more, female buyers as male.{end quote}"

"..I found the the changes (with the SE Sport) didn't result in a huge handling difference when compared with the stock car."

"..steeing felt somewhat numb and overboosted."

"If Toyota wanted to make a statement with the SE Sport, it fell short of its goal."

"..going from 0-60 mph in 7.1 seconds."

"..the best part is the price."
--------
My take, a decent upgrade from the lame last version, and likely a decent Accord competitor, with more leaning towards comfort, plus the Lexus derived engine is sweet...but the styling is NOT!!

The again, neither is the Accord. IMHO both Honda and Toyota (and some Lexus) styling is horribly bland, and in some cases, just horiible - forget bland. But if that doesn't bother you, have at it.

blizz81

3.5SE Altima and V6 accord can't hang? I'm not one to really be keen on numbers for automatics, but...I thought at least the altima could be had for ~$23k, maybe the accord a bit over 24.

mac

I rented a 3.5SE for a bit of fun in NM. I does have gobs of power but it is huge and feels very heavy in the twisties. The interior is spartan to say the least and the seat had no lumbar support which was painfully obvious after putting on 600 miles. The exterior looks better then the Solara IMHO.

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Car&Driver test data

_______________ 0-60mph ____ 0 – ¼ mile ____ Base Price

Toyota
Solara V6 (auto) ___ 6.9 s ___ 15.4s @ 92mph ___ US$ 23K

Acura
TSX (manual) ______7.2 s ___ 15.6s @ 91mph ___ US$ 27K

Donny Boy

Front wheel drive, slushbox only equipped, Tiburon (last generation) copy (things are really bad when Japan copies from Korea). I wouldn't but that car with all the other offerings out there.

Gimmieabreak Toyota

MSMAMBA

Slushbox for a coupe!
Even Honda can do better than that by offering a 6-MT on the top-of-the-line V6 coupe.

It took me a long time to convince my wife that I need to shift the gear on my own when I drive a sport(y) car.

Btw, I saw one without the optional ground effect and guess what my reaction was - THANKS MAZDA FOR THE 8.