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Walkaround
The Camry SE Coupe looks impressive. See it for the first time and you immediately want to know who makes it. It looks more lean and trim than the Thunderbird or Grand Prix-it's less massive-looking than the Thunderbird, and its styling has more forethought than that of the Grand Prix, which has added-on body cladding.Toyota stylists have hit a high water mark here. The Coupe SE bears an unmistakable resemblance to the Camry sedans and wagons, but it's also a fine-looking coupe on its own. The Camry Coupe has a mono-chromatic paint scheme with body-colored protective side molding and bumpers. Our SE model was finished in Cashmere Beige Metallic. There are a number of distinctive design touches such as wraparound parking, turn signal and side marker lights. Another nice detail: We opened the gas tank access door and found a small, tray-like device that held the gas cap while we filled up. Fit-and-finish were of Toyota's usual quality-which is to say, the best.
Interior Features
The front bucket seats were comfortable. The six-way adjustable driver's seat (standard on the SE coupe) easily accommodated short and tall members of our test team. All controls and switches were readily available and well-marked, and they operated smoothly. We predict this car's interior will be popular with coupe fanciers-it is definitely in the cockpit format. Speedometer, tachometer and all other gauges and lights are mounted above the steering wheel in a panel shaded by an eyelid" that curves to the right and down to encompass air-conditioning/heating vents and controls and a premium sound system. This all blends into a console that holds a storage bin, cupholders and a gear selector for the four-speed, electronically controlled "Intelligent" automatic transmission. The optional leather seating package includes a leather-wrapped four-spoke steering wheel. Dual air bags are standard, as are a host of other items such as power windows and door locks, cruise control, automatic illuminated entry, air conditioning and a 60/40 split rear seatback that provides access to the trunk and enables longer cargo such as skis to be stowed while still accommodating a passenger. This is an idea borrowed from sport utility vehicles and is so handy we wonder why all coupes don't offer it. When we tried the moonroof, we found it to be a worthwhile option. When it was open, there was some noise intrusion-but a lot less than we expected. And while it did ventilate the cabin, it didn't blast us out of the vehicle. In fact, this was a moonroof that could be used in the winter - even in cold-weather climates."
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