Best Used Toyota Coupe - Echo, Celica, Camry

Two-door coupes are an exciting and vibrant part of an automaker’s lineup. Car companies often position their coupes as sporty, premium offerings set apart from the rest of their vehicles, targeted towards those buyers who are looking for something with a little more personality than a standard four-door sedan. Even at the lower end of the price scale, coupes often inject a dose of fun into a part of the market that is usually stripped of other amenities like air conditioning or leather seats.

Toyota’s history in North America began as an importer of small, fuel-efficient vehicles that were exactly what the country’s fuel-squeezed population needed in the mid-1970’s. Despite their small size and low horsepower, vehicles like the Toyota Corolla and Celica began to develop a following based on their sporty two-door styling. This popularity continued into the 80’s, where coupes and hatchbacks blurred the line between practical economy car and thrilling sports vehicle.

Conspicuous by its absence was the lack of a larger coupe in American showrooms. While their Lexus luxury division had stepped up with the SC 300, it took Toyota until the late 1990’s before they rolled out a mid-size vehicle specifically to flesh out their two-door offerings. With the year 2000 just around the corner, Toyota decided to end production of the powerful rear-wheel drive Supra sports car, moving their entire coupe lineup onto their front-wheel drive platforms. The introduction of a fresh entry level coupe helped to bump the Celica up into a new status as a more upscale alternative to basic transportation, as Toyota re-arranged their entry-level vehicles to better reflect their changing approach to the market.

In the past ten years, three coupes from Toyota have stood out as used vehicles that separate themselves from some of the more staid examples to be found wearing the Japanese automaker’s badge. Whereas most people associate Toyota with top-notch but unexciting designs, these vehicles help to add a bit of panache that adds an extra dimension to the standard Toyota driving experience. While these used coupes might not light any fires in the hearts of performance aficionados, they are definitely an interesting compliment to the company’s regular sedan offerings. This article discusses both the most and least expensive used Toyota coupes, as well as the sportiest two-door Toyota currently available as a second-hand vehicle.

2000 – 2005 Toyota Echo

The Echo is an excellent example of the new breed of economy cars that emerged from Japan at the end of the 1990’s. Long reluctant to import their unique city-cars and subcompacts for fear of American reactions to their utilitarian styling and strict focus on function over luxury, Toyota finally relented in the year 200, bringing over the first generation Echo. At first glance the Echo’s tall roof and bulging appearance make for somewhat awkward proportions in sedan form. The coupe, however, straightens things out and adds a touch of charm that improves the vehicle’s lines considerably.

The 2000 – 2005 Echo may only have a 1.5-liter, 108 horsepower 4-cylinder engine, but when paired with the vehicle’s 5-speed manual transmission the car almost feels like a go-cart. Acceleration is brisk, and while the Echo is far from fast, this econo-coupe never feels like it is lagging behind traffic. A stiff chassis helps to take care of the buzzing and vibration that sometimes accompanies 4-cylinder cars in this class, and fuel mileage is predictably excellent for such a small vehicle: 34 miles per gallon in city driving and an astonishing 41 miles per gallon on the highway.

The Toyota Echo’s interior changed little over its 5 years of production. The car provides the bare necessities when it comes to controls, gauges and features, all in an effort to keep costs down to the lowest possible level. The speedometer is located at the center of the dash along with all the other standard indicators, a reminder that Toyota also builds this car for their own right-hand drive domestic market. The Echo makes the most of the internal space provided by the domed roof, and the vehicle has a reasonable amount of room for most passengers. Air conditioning is available as an option, as are power windows, but past that the Echo is designed to be a simple car to drive to work or to the mall on the weekend.

The 2000 – 2005 Toyota Echo is an interesting option for used car buyers who don’t mind a coupe with a non-traditional profile or a minimalist interior. With amazing fuel economy and a peppy power plant, a used Echo is a good way to stretch entry-level dollars.

2000 – 2005 Toyota Celica

The Celica had long filled the role of sporty compact coupe for Toyota, but in 2000 the vehicle received a re-design that saw it strive to reach a higher level of desirability than it had in the past. Gone were the bulbous curves of the previous model and in its place was an aggressive body with sharp angles and straight lines. The improved Celica coupe was an immediate hit, and the first few years of production were met with a surge in sales.

Helping to steer buyers towards the Celica are two excellent and efficient 4-cylinder motors. A 140 horsepower, 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine is found in the base model GT, while the more upscale GT-S is fitted with a 180 horsepower version of the same motor. The GT-S mill makes use of variable-valve timing to not only increase horsepower but also maintain good fuel economy. Each version of the car comes standard with either a 5-speed or 6-speed manual transmission, and a 4-speed automatic can also be paired with either engine. The GT-S provides great acceleration and a performance-tuned suspension that works well with the vehicle’s overall platform helps to make the vehicle easy to keep pointed in the right direction during hard cornering.

The 2000 – 2005 Toyota Celica’s passenger accommodations reflect the vehicle’s small exterior dimensions. The car is clearly not meant to transport 4 passengers for an extended period of time, but forward accommodations feature seats which provide great grip and a good fit for drivers who aren’t much over 6 feet. Leather seats are available, and the quality of the materials used in the cabin have an overall high quality feel.

Buyers in the market for a used sporty compact coupe could do much worse than the 2000 – 2005 Toyota Celica. With aggressive good looks and the availability of an almost 200 horsepower engine, it is possible to pick up a good used example for not much money when compared to the competition.

2004 – 2007 Toyota Camry Solara

After the success of the 2-door Honda Accord, Toyota felt the need to respond with a coupe version of their own best-selling Camry sedan. The Camry Solara, or just plain Solara is an elegant interpretation of the four-door car it is based on, adding a grace and presence not found in the original vehicle. The vehicle’s smooth flowing hood and side panel style lines come together to form an elegant coupe which does not look out of place when placed side by side with some of the more expensive two-doors on the market. A minor re-styling took place in 2006, subtly updating several exterior aspects of the vehicle’s design.

The second generation Camry Solara can be had with a 2.4-liter, 157 horsepower 4-cylinder engine that is equipped with variable-valve timing, but given the somewhat heavy weight of the vehicle the optional 225 horsepower V-6 is a much better engine choice to look for on the used market. Both cars can be ordered with a 4-speed automatic transmission, with lower trim 4-cylinders making use of a 5-speed manual. A 5-speed automatic replaced the 4-speed for the 2006 model year. The V-6-powered Solara can reach 60 miles an hour in just 7 seconds from a standing start, which doesn’t particularly distinguish it in terms of performance but which does place it solidly in the middle of the pack when it comes to mid-size vehicles.

The 2004 – 2007 Camry Solara can be equipped with a fair amount of luxury equipment, making it the most comfortable Toyota coupe available on the used market. Leather seats, automatic climate control, wood trim and a fine stereo system are some of the extra features that can be ordered in the large coupe. Four full-size adults will find themselves quite at home and without complaint when riding in the Solara, which provides more room for rear passengers than the Accord it is aimed at. Overall, the coupe’s interior is a well thought out design.

There are few front-wheel drive coupes available as used vehicles that can match the quality built into each edition of the 2004 – 2007 Camry Solara. The Toyota Solara is a good choice for anyone needed a comfortable cruiser with a lot more style than the regular Camry sedan.