Sporty & Refined

Some background: I'm a mid 20's guy that would rather have a comfortable drive on 200-300 mile trips instead of fly. I previously owned a '98 Camry LE sedan, which was ultra-dependable, but rather bland when it came to styling.

After test driving a few 2001 Solara's, I was all set to purchase an '01 SLE until I saw the brochure for the 2002. The only significant changes this model year were in the headlamps and tail lights, but it was enough for me. During the first week that the '02 was available for purchase, I picked up a SLE V6 coupe in indigo blue -- a very rare color for some reason.

The car is a great ride for all passengers - even big guys in the back seat. The Toyota design team did a great job of putting just enough luxury into the car without making it a Lexus: woodgrain trim, JBL 6-CD changer, climate control, etc. The leather doesn't even bake as much as some cars due to some small perforations. The trunk can easily fit a couple suit cases and still have room for a full set of golf clubs.

Acceleration for such a big car is just great - line it up against a comparable Accord coupe and then just look in the rear view mirror after the light turns green. :)

I am now at 13,500 miles and have had zero problems with the car itself. It's averaging 23.4 miles per gallon which isn't too bad for the 3300-pound automatic V6 on mostly local drives. And let's not forget, Toyota put a large 18.5 gallon tank on the Solara so you're good for 400+ miles between fuelings.

My only complaints around this vehicle are the inclusion of Bridgestone tires and the service I have received from various dealers. I've dealt with the Bridgestone's this far, but now looking for a nice deal on some Michelin's.

As for the service, I have been moving around the country with this car and do not have loyalty to one dealer or another. I've had two bad experiences in four trips in for regular service. The first was at Kenny Kent in Evansville, Indiana, where they tried to sell me an alarm which I already had (it's standard on SLE!) and the other at Haddad in Pittsfield, Mass. where they charged for a cargo net that they didn't install and then claimed that it was a pre-order hold fee when I caught them.

If nothing else, give this car a test drive, and bring four of your big friends to ride with you. Try to get a SLE with the traction control option and run it through some winding hills or a snowy road if you can. Then swing over to a freeway entrance and see how many cars you can pass while in the acceleration lane!

By the way, the 24.7k price I have listed is without any tax/registration fees, but still a great deal for this wonderful car.