2002 Toyota Camry Solara Review

2002 Toyota Camry Solara

Sport and comfort.

by: Dan Jedlicka

Kids left home? Mortgage paid? Then maybe you're ready for the suave Toyota Camry Solara sports coupe. The front-drive Solara was launched in late 1998 and is based on the high-quality 2001 Camry sedan, which has been revamped for 2002. Toyota keeps the Camry name in front of the Solara name to reassure its generally older, rather conservative buyers that the coupe is solid and reliable. The Solara is for consumers in peak earnings years who want something sporty, but not too sporty. Toyota says some yearn for the sports cars of their youth, but want a comfortable, polished car.

List prices of the coupe range from $19,365 to $24,675. Even the base SE model is well equipped, while the higher-line SLE has uptown items such as leather upholstery. The 2002 Solara gets a restyled front end and revised taillights. There also are sportier looking wheels and new interior features such as added wood trim. An SE appearance package with a three-spoke leather-covered steering wheel is offered with a charcoal interior. Other new features include daytime running lights that can be turned off, optional heated seats for the SLE and remote keyless entry with a trunk release feature that worked erratically on my test coupe. Options include a power moonroof, side air bags up front and a traction control system for the SLE.

A new 2.4-liter, 157-horsepower four-cylinder engine replaces a smaller, 135-horsepower four-cylinder without sacrificing fuel economy and provides decent performance. But the best engine for this car is the carryover 3-liter V-6; it's very smooth and produces 200 horsepower and strong acceleration. Both engines come with a decent five-speed manual transmission or responsive four-speed automatic that conveniently stays in downshift mode until 75 mph. This car won't leave drivers spending lots of time at filling stations. The four-cylinder version provides an estimated 24 mpg in the city and 32-33 on the highway, while the V-6 delivers 20 city and 27-28 highway.

The Solara is fun to drive, but is designed more for relaxed cruising than the typical sports coupe. For instance, steering is average and the all-independent suspension provides a ride designed more for comfort than tackling twisting roads. Even the brake pedal is soft, although stopping distances are short. Anti-lock brakes are optional for the four-cylinder model, but standard for the Solara V-6.

Many sports coupes have tight rear seats, but the quiet, well-finished Solara interior allows decent room for four 6-footers. However, there isn't lots of room to spare up front and long-legged drivers might wish that their seat moved back farther. Visibility is especially good up front, thanks to a low cowl and big windshield. The white-on-black gauges can be quickly read. The large dashboard controls are easy to use, and sturdy front cupholders are nicely placed.

But the long, heavy doors are awkward in tight spots, and it's hard to gracefully get in and out of the back seat, which has flimsy cupholders. The cargo area is fairly large. But the trunk has a rather high opening and its lid has manual hinges and no inside assist grip or strap to help close it. The Solara--also offered as a costlier, low-volume convertible--offers a blend of sportiness and comfort, along with Toyota's respected reliability.

TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA COUPE

Prices
$19,365-$24,675
Likes
More power. Slicker styling. Lively acceleration.
Dislikes
High trunk opening. Driver seat should move back more. Soft brake pedal.

Dan Jedlicka

Dan Jedlicka joined the Chicago Sun-Times in February 1968 as a business news reporter and was named auto editor later that year. He has reviewed more than 4,000 new vehicles for the Sun-Times--far more than any newspaper auto writer in the country. Jedlicka also reviewed vehicles for Microsoft Corp.'s MSN Autos Internet site from January, 1996, to June, 2008.

Jedlicka remained auto editor at the Sun-Times until October, 2008, and continued writing for the newspaper's AutoTimes section, which he started in 1992, until February, 2009. While continuing his auto writings at the Sun-Times, he served as assistant financial editor of that newspaper from 1970 to 1973, when he began his automotive column.

He has appeared on numerous radio and television shows, including NBC's "Today," ABC's "20/20" and "The CBS Evening News." He was a host, consultant and writer for Fox-TV Channel 32's 1991 New Car Preview show and that Chicago-based station's 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995 Chicago Auto Show Previews.

Jedlicka's auto articles have been printed in national magazines, including Esquire and Harper's. His auto columns have been reprinted in U.S. government publications and economic textbooks and he is profiled in the "World's Greatest Auto Show" history book about the Chicago Auto Show. In late 1975, Jedlicka was host and technical advisor for three one-hour television specials, "Auto Test 76," which aired nationally on PBS and were the first nationally televised auto road test shows.

In 1995, Jedlicka was the recipient of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois Inc.'s Consumer Education Award, given annually to a person who has gained distinction in the field of consumer education. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award in the Media category and inducted into the Legends of Motorsports Guild at the Carquest World of wheels custom car show in Chicago in January, 2006.

Jedlicka was a member of the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury, composed of a select number of auto journalists from throughout the country, from 1995 until 2009. From 2010 to 2012, he was a member of Consumer Digest magazine's auto experts panel that gave Best Buy new vehicle recommendations.

He is a 1987 graduate of the Bob Bondurant Race Drivers School and later of the BMW "M" and Skip Barber Advanced Driving schools. He was a member of the U.S. team that participated in the 1987 1,000-mile Mille Miglia race/rally in Italy and has been a race winner at the Chicago area's Santa Fe Speedway.

Jedlicka has owned 25 classic cars, including 1950s and 1960s Ferraris and 1950s and 1960s Porsches, a 1965 Corvette, a 1967 Maserati and a 1957 Studebaker supercharged Golden Hawk. Jedlicka resides with his wife, Suzanne, in the Frank Lloyd Wright historic district of Oak Park. They have two children, James and Michele.

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