1999 Toyota Solara SE review from North America

EGR position sensor went bad and caused CEL light. $100 for a part the size of a quarter. 90k miles.

The engine developed hesitation, stumbling, and stalling at around 105k miles. Throttle body/injectors had to be cleaned.

O2 sensor went bad and caused a CEL light. 105k.

Serious vibrations from the brakes that required complete caliper/rotor hardware overhaul of the front axle at around 110k.

Broke a bolt off into the transmission case when servicing the fluid and pickup filter. Probably my fault for manhandling like was a 727 torqueflite.

Toyota is known for its reliability and this car I believe has lived up to this reputation. As is the case with many imports they tend to remain rock solid up until the regular service intervals when all of a sudden a snowball effect of various items and issues will develop. I happened to buy mine right before a major service interval and therefore wasn't shocked by the multitude of issues. However, the car hasn't left me stranded, doesn't burn oil, and remains rattle free.

The 1MZ v6 3.0L engine is highly refined and very smooth. This engine makes 200HP and 200ft/lbs of torque at the crank. The power bands are thoughtfully placed to offer good low end grunt and effective high speed power. It feels like it actually makes more power then advertised. It clears the 0-60 times in 7.5 seconds and can actually squall the tires pretty good at a stand still if one mashes the gas pedal straight to the floor. It lags a bit in the 45-65 mph range, but then at about 75 it feels like it gets a second wind and really starts to scoot up to triple digits. It does all this while getting an impressive 23.5 mpg in mixed driving. I've even gotten it up to 28 mpg mixed with Lucas upper cylinder lubricant fuel additive.

The 4 speed AT transmission offers smooth yet crisp shifts. While merging and passing I've noted that the passengers heads do not bob around with the transmission shifts. Most of the time it is pretty good about learning your driving intentions and knows when to kick down the gear to suit your needs. However, I find that it occasionally will decide to stick in the same gear despite having the gas floored if trying to merge or pass someone. I'd imagine the lines of code buried in the ECU are probably better able to determine the optimal performance given the present conditions. However, when it doesn't downshift and your trying to merge, all the programming sensibilities aside, it still makes the hair stand up on your neck wondering if I can clear the line of cars hurdling toward me.

The differential is pretty good at removing most of the torque steer. At times you can feel the power jab at the steering wheel and bounce it from side to side, but it quickly fades away on its own and doesn't require much of any correction.

As with many a Toyota and Lexus it is well known that they are not the most thrilling or inspiring rides. They are compliant to drivers inputs and have reasonably taunt suspension setups, but the Solara specifically has some body lean issues and the nose dives a bit under braking. This car starts with safe understeer quickly and then turning in more aggressively will eventually move into a more neutral and compliant posture if enough speed is scrubbed. The steering feel is muted and there is a large dead zone in the middle that leaves one wondering what the wheels are doing sometimes. Also the steering is a little on the slow side and this car doesn't have a progressive power steering option so turning the car in parking lots can be a bit of a shoulder workout. The turning radius is adequate for most urban locals.

I had an incident where someone pulled out of a gas station right in front of me as I was going down a fast frontage road. I stabbed at the brake pedal and the ABS system immediately kicked in with a growl and the car received my emergency steering inputs very well indeed. I ended up missing the other car's back bumper by literally 2 inches as I swerved around behind them to avoid a t-bone collision. As a good driver with a good car will always say, "eh, 2 inches, that's all I needed." One silly yet satisfying thing about the Solara is that during such situations the horn on this car is loud and masculine sounding. It certainly gets people attention.

Overall, I would say I'm happy with the Solara. I bought it as a daily cruiser to get me to and from work. The power adjustable drivers seat also has adjustable lumbar support control and I think most anyone can find a comfortable seating position; I'm 6'2". The cabin is quiet and and the fit and finish of the materials is excellent. The driver and passengers alike are well isolated from road imperfections and bumps.

I've had the car up over 100 mph and was able to carry on a conversation at normal volume with the passenger seated next to me. In fact its smooth and quiet to the point where its easy to get up to 90 and not realize it till you look down at the speedo. It's a great daily driver and highway warrior mobile. In fact, this car is elusively fast in the urban jungle setting because of its extremely good driveability. Sure a sports car will spank the Solara on a track or road course. But get this car out into a realistic setting where you don't know exactly how rough the next section of road will be and you will be bounding right alone. While those in the sporty cars will be letting up to save themselves a trip to the dentist to have their fillings glued back in.