Pontiac Solstice GXP
The two-seat Pontiac Solstice roadster is a head-turner, and the new-for-2007 hot-rod GXP version, with a 260 horsepower turbocharged engine and sport-tuned suspension, is supposed to add some sizzle to the Solstice's steak.
The two-seat Pontiac Solstice roadster is a head-turner, and the new-for-2007 hot-rod GXP version, with a 260 horsepower turbocharged engine and sport-tuned suspension, is supposed to add some sizzle to the Solstice's steak. 260 horsepower, two seats, removable roof -- the Pontiac Solstice GXP sounds like a winner, right? Yeah, I thought so too -- but after living with a Solstice GXP for a week I found the reality to be quite different than what I expected. Base price $22,115, as-tested price $29,584, EPA fuel economy 20-22 city, 28-31 highway.
First Glance: A study in contrasts -- and a work of art
I can't remember driving a car that was as much of a study in contrasts as the Pontiac Solstice GXP. How can a car be so good, yet so bad? The interior has a comfortable place for your butt but no comfortable place for your elbows. The ride is stellar but the steering is scary. The motor is engineering genius, but the convertible top is engineering ineptitude. The Solstice is a metaphor for its maker, General Motors: So much done right, yet so much done wrong.
What I like best about the Pontiac Solstice is the styling -- it's an absolute work of art. Mark my words, history will remember it as one of the most gorgeous American cars ever to grace the public roads.
The Solstice is mechanically similar to the Saturn Sky. Considering GM's reputation for "badge engineering" (producing similar cars differentiated only by their name badges), the fact that the Solstice and Sky each have their own unique look isn't just noteworthy, it's a flippin' miracle. From a styling standpoint the two cars are, as the British say, as different as chalk and cheese: the Sky wears hard angular lines while the Pontiac is all about the curves. Me, I prefer the Solstice; it manages to be cute and aggressive all at once. I can even forgive the idiotic practice of naming colors after emotions -- my test car wasn't yellow, it was "Mean". Now I ask you -- what the heck is so mean about yellow? Call it Happy, or Excited, or Poofy, but not Mean. Better yet, Pontiac, why not just call it yellow?
In the Driver's Seat: Comfy seats, pain-in-the-neck top
The interior is quite different from the Sky, and again I prefer the Solstice. I particularly like the broad, flat dashboard (link goes to photo) and the comfortable seats. The Solstice fits short guys like me just fine; taller people may find it a bit of a squeeze.
But what's with the lack of door pockets, the laughably small storage bin, the useless sun visors, the knee-bruising cupholder, and the hard, cheap plastics everywhere? And then there's the top.
Oh, the top.
Operating the manual top -- nope, there's no power option -- is a major pain. You start by opening the rear-hinged trunk lid, which must be done from outside the car. Next, get in the car to lower the windows and release the top. Then get back out, fold the top down and close the trunk lid. (The only indicator that the top isn't fully stowed is that the trunk lid won't close tightly. Of course, if you don't slam it hard enough the trunk lid won't close anyway. It's all guesswork.) Compare that to the Mazda Miata: Pull a release lever, give the roof a firm shove upwards, and gravity does the rest -- no need to get out of the car.
Putting the top up is the same deal: Get out to lift the roof, get in to guide it into place, latch it and raise the windows, then get out again to close the trunk and snap the little cloth buttresses into place (without them the top doesn't seal around the side windows).
Top down, trunk space is reduced to a narrow gap behind the folded top. I was able to squeeze in a couple of grocery bags, but forget about anything larger. Suitcases? Ha ha ha ha ha!
On the Road: Awesome engine, loathsome steering
The GXP is the hot-rod version of the Solstice. Next to the styling, the 260 horsepower engine, with a turbocharger and direct fuel injection, is the best thing about the Solstice. The engine is responsive and builds power progressively and smoothly, unlike many turbo engines which do nothing then suddenly fling you towards the horizon with no warning. This is, without question, a world-class engine. My tester had a 5-speed manual transmission; the clutch was smooth but the shifter was a bit stiff. (The GXP is also available with a 5-speed automatic.) The Solstice GXP is plenty quick -- in a straight line, that is.If only it were as good in the curves. The Solstice would been a lot more fun if I weren't so worried about it trying to kill me. My favorite twisty canyon roads leave no room for error, and the Solstice just isn't a no-room-for-error kind of car. The suspension isn't the problem; the Soltice's ride is firm but comfortable and very well controlled. It's the overly-abrupt steering that's to blame. Turn the wheel a bit and nothing happens; turn a bit more and look out, curb/guardrail/wall, here we come! You simply can't aim the Solstice with the same precision as a Mazda Miata or a Honda S2000. The wheelspin potential of directing 260 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels of such a light car doesn't help. Forget about switching off the stability control system and having a little tail-out fun -- too much throttle and the Solstice's tail will head straight off the road, with the rest of the car not far behind. With no side airbags, that's not a pleasant prospect.
Journey's End: A great car… for someone else
Quality is definitely an issue. My Soltice had uneven panel gaps, an odd buzzing noise coming from under the hood, and frequently emitted random burning smells (sometimes oil, sometimes clutch or brakes). Parts of the top mechanism are connected with elastic -- a bad idea, as anyone who's ever tried to keep a pair of men's briefs longer than 2 or 3 years will tell you.
Would I buy a Solstice? No. I would, however, want someone else to buy one. In fact, I want lots of someone elses buy Solstices, preferably someone elses that I know, so that I can look at it and maybe even drive it occasionally.
But for myself? No, I'd take a Miata -- it may be duller-looking and more common, but it's also more affordable, more practical, more fun to drive, and less likely to punish my curvy-road driving mistakes by throwing me off a cliff. If I had more self-control, I'd go for the speed-happy Honda S2000. If I wanted to take the kids with me, I'd get a Volkswagen Eos. If I had more money, I'd buy a Porsche Boxster or an Audi TT. And if I was trying to pick up women, I'd buy a BMW Z4. But the Solstice? Cool looking car, to be sure, but it's just not for everyone
Pros:
- Visually it's a work of art
- Looks totally different than its mechanical twin, the Saturn Sky
- Turbocharged engine is absolutely brilliant
Cons:
- Cargo space is a joke
- Scary steering
- A real handful to drive fast
Sun-worshippers who don't need to haul anything larger than a backpack
Who should not buy the Pontiac Solstice:
Anyone who values practicality and/or driver involvement over styling
Details and specs:
- Body style: 2-door convertible
- Seating capacity: 2
- Trim levels: Base, GXP
- Price range (including options): $22,115 - $32,514
- Base engine: 2.4 liter inline 4, 177 hp @ 6600 RPM, 166 lb-ft @ 4800 RPM
- Optional engine: 2.0 liter turbocharged inline 4, 260 hp @ 5300 RPM, 260 lb-ft @ 2500 - 5200 RPM
- Premium fuel required? Recommended, but not required
- Transmission: 5-speed manual, 5-speed automatic
- Driveline: Front engine, rear-wheel-drive
- EPA fuel economy estimates: 20 MPG city/28 MPG highway (2.4 manual), 22/26 (2.4 automatic), 22/31 (2.0 turbo manual), 21/29 (2.0 turbo automatic)
- Where built: United States
- Standard safety equipment: Front airbags, electronic stability control (GXP only)
- Optional safety equipment: Antilock brakes (standard on GXP)
- Major standard features: CD player, alloy wheels
- Major options: Air conditioning, power windows/locks, limited slip differential, leather seats
- Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles bumper-to-bumper, 5 years/100,000 miles powertrain, 6 years/100,000 miles outer body rust-through
- Roadside assistance/free maintenance: 5 years/100,000 miles roadside assistance
Best rivals:
- Saturn Sky
- Mazda Miata
- Honda S2000
- Volkswagen Eos
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