Classy luxurious looking and feeling car
A/C was awesome
Safety was TOP NOTCH
Sound system JBL Premium was great--best I've ever had in any car
Lots of room in the back seat
All features were good quality except the console between the front 2 seats and the back cup holders
Holds it resale value

Reliability wasn't what I expected
Seats stained very easiy
5SpManual clutch good but after 45 minutes in traffic my leg was sore--I live in SOCal so LOTS of traffic

I traded in my 94 Tercel for the Solara in 2006. I got the 2001 Solara SE with 5 speed maual. My Tercel had almost 200K miles and was an excellent car.

3 days after I got the Solara I brought it in for a brake problem. Turned out to be the Master Cylinder. 8 months after that had a loud sound under the car--turned out to be the exhaust system. Then 4 months ago the car wouldn't start. Towed to dealer 3X--couldn't figure it out. After several weeks finally figured it out (A1C valve). All these covered under my extended warrantly.

Mileage when I bought the car was 44K. It had 57K when I totalled it last Monday in a very bad car accident.

I had both my kids in the back seat and we were T Boned at an intersection. Other car was going about 30MPH and I was going about 10MPH. Both air bags deployed, side impact door beam held, and my 2 kids and I walked away with only minor injuries (bruising, black eyes, airbag burn for me).

I am very happy with the safety of the Solara. It did what it was supposed to and what was promised.

As far as reliability--I'm actually looking at other cars than Toyota's for my next car. I was not overly impressed with the fact its been back to the Dealer at least 8X in 20 months. My Tercel had $4K of work over almost 200K miles--ALL routine. Best car I ever owned.

Overall though I can recommend the Solara. Its a dream to drive, very stable, solid. Interior is luxurious (back plastic cup holders were cheap as is the console box but everyhing else was awesome!). I had the premium sound, spoiler and the moonroof--all really gave that extra pizzaz to the car. Cloth seats stained easily---if I ever bought another one I'd buy the leather.

Trunk was very spacious---in fact I'm worried about fitting all the Solara trunk items into the Kia Sorrento that I rented until I buy a new car!

RIP to my baby.

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None--always had trucks or compact cars

Sporty styling Great gas mileage Roomy Interior Excellent acceleration for a 4 cylinder Very smooth transmition Cabin is quiet

Not sure why there are two different colors between the instrument panel and the radio/temp gauges differ. Can't figure that one out. Feels a little heavy in hard turns

What can I say? This car rocks. It's my first brand new car and I can honestly say that I have been very happy thus far. This is the kind of car that you look at and expect to pay a lot more for. There are very few on the road because the 4 door camry is apparently Toyota's "bread and butter." I have a silver sport coupe but it's cool in red. Just go get it.

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1996 Grand Am 1999 Cougar

interior, the look of the car, music system.

overall the car is geart, but there is a problem with the emissions(like every one else)paid $1800 to fix it. runs great.

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camry, celica

interior, the look of the car, music system.

overall the car is geart, but there is a problem with the emissions(like every one else)paid $1800 to fix it. runs great.

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camry, celica

Ride, interior, stereo

poor paint, VERY diffucult to get into back seat.

Owned car for 5 yrs. 60k on it now. Great car but brakes aren't the best even when new. Just had to get new pads and rotors on front. Odd banging noise when raining under floor and belt squeeks when humid. these problems since the day I brought it home. Cheap paint chipped like crazy. Powerful and responsive. Tires it came with were lousy. Check engine light on at 40k. needed new sensor. Solara is way above the camry in ride and interior appointments. More like a lexus.

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camry

Ride is smooth as butter, V6 engine compliments the ride, Decent interior, V6 moves as long as its not at a dead stop, after 5 years still reliable and still great styling.

Here are the bones- 1. Piece of crap stock tires needed to be replaced after 20k and car felt "fat" with them. 2.Car does tend to pull to the left 3. Engine check light went off at 40k- 0xygen sensor problem with California cars-$350 to fix (I am not alone here)

I bought the solara when it first came out in the end of 1998. It now has over 60k miles on it and I'd say overall, a pretty good car. However, there are some bones to pick, but that goes for almost every vehicle.

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Mitsubishi Eclipse, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Acura Integra. I have mixed opinion on the new solaras. I hope to test one out soon. I like that they increased the power which I think was necessary. The interior looks a lot better. The styling is still questionable. When I first saw one on the road I thought they looked more like the old Hyundai Tiburon from the rear/side than the Lexus like front.

Plenty of power in the new V6 but with great gas mileage. Handles really well with a smooth, quiet ride and also has skid and traction control. Subtle good looks - perfect for someone who wants the style and fun of a sports car and the practicality of a sedan but doesn't really need 4 doors. Luxurious and comfortable leather interior with a 6-CD in dash changer, auto dimming rear view mirror (with a compass), outside temperature gauge, and oh so much more.

Have still not found any!

Great car! Traded in a 2000 Toyota Solara SE-V6 and moved up to a 2004 Toyota Solara SLE-V6 ... there was really nothing else I would even consider.

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In 2000, after driving Datsun/Nissan for 25 years, a 1986 200SX for the most recent 15, I looked at/drove the Honda Accord (2-door), VW Golf and Jetta, Ford Focus, Nissan Altima, Acura Integra, and Toyota Celica ... and then I discovered the Solara! Have also owned a Saab and an MGB-GT.

Great new look with a little more room interior. More options, bigger engine. Same great mileage and ride.

I did not find any weaknesses with my old Solara, or with the new one.

This is my second Solara. New models have several more options now along with a GPS Navigator that is great to have.

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Test drove Grand Prix's, not as many safety features, high insurance compared to the Solara, rather a "jerky" ride. Does not hold it's value like the Toyota's do.

Nice interior. Good Value

No warrantee support. Letters to Toyota Customer Support and even the President of Toyota N. America went unacknowledged. Horrible handling. Pulls to the left (not unique to my car. It is a pervasive problem.)

A great car with a few problems that Toyota cannot/will not fix. Before you buy, search the web - forums are rifle with complaints of steering pulling to the left. It is unadjustable and Toyota denies the problem even exists.

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Older Toyota Camrys, prior to Gen3 were excellent.

Beautiful design, comfortable interior.

CD player skipping...weak paint job.

Awesome feeling car. Although it is a recent purchase, I can tell the car is sound and exactly what I need...that being enough sportiness, and enough luxury.

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Test drove Ford Mustang, Chrysler Sebring and Mitsubishi Eclipse....The Solara got them all beat!!!