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I've always liked the Camry, having owned two myself, and on that basis alone find it hard to find fault with its two-door sibling-- the 2007 Solara.
Since its redesign in 2003, the Solara has shed its modest lines, opting instead for swoopy curves, a steeply raked roofline and, from the rear, a strong resemblance to the very upmarket Lexus SC 430.
Solara has been slightly freshened for '07, with restyled front and rear bumpers, fog lamps and some nifty LED rear combination tail lights. My tester-- the Sport V6 Coupe-- even included new HID headlights and was wrapped in a full skirt package that visually lowered the car.
Yet after all that, Solara's sporty--even daring-- good looks lack one key ingredient: muscle. It's like many of the contestants on those makeover reality shows: too much time spent on clothing and makeup, not enough in the gym.
The base Solara SE comes standard with a 2.4-litre four with 16-valves and VVT-I (variable valve timing with intelligence). Although the base car is a few pounds lighter than V6 versions, 3,230 lb is still a considerable weight for the standard 155 hp (158 lb/ft of torque) to move from zero to whatever.
My tester, the Sport V6, was somewhat more up to the challenge. Powered by 3.3 litre, 24-valve V6 that delivers 210 hp and 220 lb/ft of torque, the Solara accelerates smoothly, if not robustly, and hits the occasional flat spot when pushed hard, as the computer sorts out gear selection.
Overall, however, Toyota's five-speed, electronically-controlled automatic (found in all 2007 Solaras) is a pretty slick unit, moving through the gears quietly and effortlessly. Its gated shifter also offers a manumatic mode where you can tap the stick forward or backward to choose your own gears. This will keep you a little busier, but performance is still more "family" car than "sports" car.
I lament the loss of Solara's manual option, which disappeared in the 2003 model year. According to Toyota Canada, "the Solara is aimed at a demographic that prefers an automatic." Maybe so, but offering a five-speed would give those of us who appreciate the styling, but are lukewarm on performance, a way to milk a little more fun from its easygoing engine.
Still, there's nothing wrong with a civilized ride. The Solara may not be the kind of car you toss into corners or otherwise push to its limit, but its suspension-- gas-filled Mac struts and stabilizer bars front and rear-- offers a comfortable and quiet ride, ideal for long hauls or just tooling around town.
Open the doors and here's where any griping ends. The Sport V6's interior is superbly outfitted, very Lexus-like in its materials, fit and finish. High quality plastics are complimented by metallic accents in the doors and dash. You get a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, attractive black "sport" fabric on well-bolstered seats and great ergonomics that include an attractive centre console with large soft touch buttons and rotary knobs.
Everything is easy to reach and read, and the standard Optitron instrument panel adds an illuminated splash of colour to this upscale layout.Even the base Solara SE, priced at $29,200, includes a long list of standard features that include keyless entry with lockout protection, A/C with air filter, digital compass, power lumbar adjustment on driver's seat, tire pressure warning system and power heated mirrors-- electrochromic on the driver's side.
The sound system, with MP3/WMA capability, 6-CD changer and steering wheel-mounted controls, is superb and the auxiliary jack allows you to plug in your MP3 player or other electronic gadgets. The high solar energy-absorbing windows work well at deflecting much of the sun's intensity, helping the A/C keep you cool.
Move up in price to the Sport V6 Coupe (MSRP $33,400) and you get all of the above plus power multi-adjustable driver's seat, sport fabric, skirt package, leather steering wheel and shifter, 17-inch aluminum alloys and power moonroof. The new leveling feature for the HID headlamps allows you to adjust your beam up or down to suit driving conditions.
Trim levels for the Solara top out with the SLE V6, priced at $36,975. For the added bucks you get such amenities as Bluetooth capability, automatic climate control and leather seating surfaces, which are heated in front. For added safety you also get Vehicle Stability Control and Traction Control.
But even without the latter two options, Toyota doesn't skimp on standard safety features. All Solaras are fitted with front and rear disc brakes with ABS and electronic brake force distribution, plus dual-stage front airbags, seat-mounted side airbags and side curtain airbags. The latter is only available on the coupe, not the convertible.
And speaking of the convertible, it is available at the Sport V6 and SLE V6 trim levels for an approximate $3,000 premium over each. I didn't get out in the '07 drop top, but have road tested the previous generation Solara and will note that the pleasure of open-air driving quickly overcomes any minor grumbling.
Still, I offer these suggestions. Swap the old 3.3 for a slightly-tuned version of Camry's new 268 hp, 3.5 litre V6; add dual exhausts, 18-inch alloys, bring back the five-speed manual and Toyota would have one heck of a sports coupe. And being a two-door, it wouldn't bite into Camry sales.
That aside, if you're looking for a stylish and sophisticated ride with reasonable fuel economy (I averaged 9.5 L/100 km city/hwy) and the kind of performance that doesn't wave a red flag in front of the highway patrol, this car's for you.
Brampton Guardian