First Drive: 2004 Toyota Camry Solara

[NFS4]

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/firstdrive/100394/article.html?tid=edmunds.h..reviews..18.*

Front end looks cool, but I ain't diggin' the back

Interior looks nice though as is usual with Toyota/Lexus.

 

[Kenny]

Front looks like a Mazda 6 and the back looks like the Acura CL.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: t60
Front looks like a Mazda 6 and the back looks like the Acura CL.

I see more Camry SE + Toyota Celica GTS up front. Don't really see the "6" anywhere

 

[rh71]

Its ass is a total turn-off.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: rh71
Its ass is a total turn-off.

Yeah, they seriously need to do something with that ass. From the doors forward, I think that it's a totally kickass design...something you don't see too often from Toyota. Guess they hired Nissan designers to do the rear end

 

[BCYL]

The most important question is:

Is it available with a manual transmission???

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: BCYL
The most important question is:

Is it available with a manual transmission???

They took away the 6-cylinder + stick combo Guess the sales weren't that good which is why they dropped it (understandable). You can only get a 4-cylinder + stick combo.

 

[ElFenix]

Styled in the U.S. for American tastes

how come cars that are designed "for american tastes" always have some fugly part to them? are they really styled in SoCal for SoCal tastes with SoCal focus groups because i'll tell ya, that ass is just fugly.

 

[0roo0roo]

too bad the engines still sh*t.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
too bad the engines still sh*t.

225 HP and 240 lb-ft of torque is comparable to 240 HP and 212 lb-ft for the Accord Coupe which is really its only competition. In fact, I'd rather have the better low-end punch of the Toyota 3.3 than the Accord V6.

 

[Vic]

fugly...

 

[N8Magic]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
too bad the engines still sh*t.

The 3.3L V6 puts out some nice numbers and is as smooth as silk.

 

[psteng19]

Err... the whole thing looks like a CL.
The back would look better if the tail lights were bigger.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: N8Magic

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
too bad the engines still sh*t.

The 3.3L V6 puts out some nice numbers and is as smooth as silk.

I agree. I've only had extended time with the 3.0 V6 (about 8,000 miles worth) in a Toyota Highlander. It puts out 220 HP and 222 lb-ft and it is silky smooth with plenty of punch down low and through the rev band. I'd imagine the 3.3 to only be better.

 

[Cyberian]

Do they still make the convertible version?

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Cyberian
Do they still make the convertible version?

They most likely will make a drop top version of this one.

 

[ElFenix]

the convertible had problems, iirc

 

[N8Magic]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: N8Magic

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
too bad the engines still sh*t.

The 3.3L V6 puts out some nice numbers and is as smooth as silk.

I agree. I've only had extended time with the 3.0 V6 (about 8,000 miles worth) in a Toyota Highlander. It puts out 220 HP and 222 lb-ft and it is silky smooth with plenty of punch down low and through the rev band. I'd imagine the 3.3 to only be better.

I've rode in an RX330 with the same engine (may be tuned differently though), and the engine was sooooo smooth I could barely tell it was on at idle. Needless to say, I was very impressed with its smooth power delivery and overall refinement.

What's even better is the fact that the RX330 and Solara are both built about 5 minutes from my house.

 

[N8Magic]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
the convertible had problems, iirc

The only problem that the convertible had was that it didn't sell.

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
too bad the engines still sh*t.

If that's not enough for you, TRD makes a supercharger that retains the factory warranty while bringing HP to ~300.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
the convertible had problems, iirc

Not according to this:

http://www.edmunds.com/new/2003/toyota/camrysolara/100159831/ratings_jdpower.html?tid=edmunds.n.prices.vdpheaderratingslinks..0.Toyota*

 

[Dudd]

Doesn't do anything for me.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: ElFenix
the convertible had problems, iirc

Not according to this:

http://www.edmunds.com/new/2003/toyota/camrysolara/100159831/ratings_jdpower.html?tid=edmunds.n.prices.vdpheaderratingslinks..0.Toyota*

was an MT or C&D head to head with the chrysler and they said the quality was lower than the chrysler's

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: N8Magic

Originally posted by: ElFenix
the convertible had problems, iirc

The only problem that the convertible had was that it didn't sell.

Yes, that's because it was so goddamned fugly. Toyota is slowly going the Olds and Buick route. Smooth as silk, ugly as sin -- the sporty convertible/coupe for your grandfather.

 

[PeeluckyDuckee]

the late model Aleros, Intrigues, and Auroras were pretty nice looking, me thinks. And yes, the new Camry's ass is a butt ugly