The Toyota Camry presents a sculptured appearance, with slightly flared wheel arches and a distinct dual crease line in the hood, the latter leading nicely into the grille. To some extent the smooth lines of the sedan camouflage its height; the current car stands 2 inches taller than the pre-2002 model. Overall, it's a solid-looking car, stylish yet conservatively so.
The new Toyota Camry Solara looks rounder and more massive than the previous-generation Solara, and it is larger. Solara shares the Camry sedan's 107-inch wheelbase. It is 3.3 inches longer overall than the sedan measuring 192.5 inches from bumper to bumper.
The Camry Solara coupe looks like a stylized version of the sedan. It's a more adventurous design. The roofline is sleeker and the rear is totally different from the Camry sedans, reminding us of the Lexus SC430. The arc-shaped theme features a continuous line from the front bumper, over the roof, and down to the rear bumper. Just below the beltline, a character line flows in a gentle S-curve from the teardrop headlamps to the teardrop taillights. The Toyota Camry Solara looks aerodynamically efficient, and it is, with a Cd of only 0.29, making it slip through the air much more easily than the previous Solara, good for wind noise, gas mileage, and speed. The outside door handles are easy to grab, much better than lever-style handles.
The Camry Solara convertible features a glass rear window. The power top folds down in just 10 seconds. One touch of a button lowers all four windows. Toyota says the convertible's body structure was designed from the ground up for topless motoring, unlike the previous generation convertible, which was adapted from the then-current coupe. Toyota tells us to expect improved torsional rigidity, which should translate into a more solid feel and a quieter ride. The design, styling, engineering of the Solara was completed in the U.S. and it is built in the U.S.
The Toyota Camry has a comfortable interior with controls that are simple and easy to operate. Everything is laid out simply. Optional power-adjustable pedals ($120) help shorter drivers find a more comfortable and safer driving position (farther from the airbag-armed steering wheel).
Radio and climate controls are mounted high in the center of the dash for easy access. Three big knobs mounted prominently in the center of the dashboard are used to manually control heating, ventilation, and air conditioning on SE and LE models. XLE models get automatic climate control with a smooth tactile feel that reminds us of Lexus, which set the modern standard. The stereo uses big tuning and volume knobs and big buttons that make it easy to operate, whether scanning for radio stations or moving between songs on a CD. We found the audio quality on the available JBL sound system a bit lacking, however.
The instruments are located in a relatively small pod right in front of the steering wheel, with a large half-moon tachometer and matching speedometer. The fuel and temperature gauges are located within the two larger instruments. Lights and windshield wiper/washer controls are on stalks on the steering column, leaving the left lower edge of the dash free of switches.
The sedan's dashboard is relatively plain, with no large curved surfaces, and it is set relatively high. The dash blends nicely into the door panels, but the cover for the passenger-side air bag is noticeable as the seams show clearly. Many other manufacturers have managed to make the passenger-side air bag invisible.
A wide center console separates the two front bucket seats and contains useful storage areas. The parking brake on the LE and SE is located in the center console, whereas the XLE gets a foot-operated parking brake.
Rear-seat passengers will find the accommodations quite pleasant for a mid-size sedan. Head- and legroom have increased compared to the previous Camry. The rear seat splits 60/40, allowing long objects to pass through from the trunk, although the opening is smaller than it might be. The trunk itself is a decent size and shape. Gooseneck hinges steal some space, but are hidden under a cover, reducing the chance that they will damage trunk contents as the lid is closed.
Inside as well as out, the Camry Solara adds a dash of panache. The sweeping console invokes the intimate atmosphere of a sporty coupe. the seats are relatively flat, which makes sliding in and out easy, but they could use a little more side support. The cloth is nice, though it's a bit bland. All in all, it's a very nice interior.
In sharp contrast to the sedan's flat dash, the Camry Solara's shapely instrument panel suggests separate nacelles for driver and passenger. Instrumentation is divided into three pods, with a five-function trip computer sharing the left pod with the tachometer. Another futuristic multi-function display dominates the bulging center stack. The separate HVAC (heater) controls are easy to operate. Silver painted trim around the center stack and center console looks tidy. On V6 models, a gated shifter for the automatic transmission allows easy manual gear selection.
The rear seats are surprisingly roomy, though less so than the Toyota Camry sedan. Compared to the Honda Accord Coupe, the Camry Solara provides significantly more rear-seat hip room (50.3 inches vs. 46.1) and leg room (35.4 vs. 31.9), and a bit more rear-seat headroom. The convertible is roomy as well. With the top up, there's actually 2 inches more rear-seat headroom than in the coupe.
The Camry Solara also carries a bit more luggage than the Honda, 13.8 cubic feet vs. 12.8. The rear seats fold down to reveal a big passthrough.
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