I happen to pass by this Pontiac Solstice and took a couple of images to share. These were built for MY 2006-2009. Of the approximately 64,000 that were produced I have maybe seen maybe ten in the tens of thousand miles I’ve driven since 2006. 7,000 units were ordered in the first ten days of availability. Pontiac struggled to keep up with demand. And then the 2008 recession hit, and sales dried up, as did Pontiac shortly after.
I’m not sure of the year and or model of this unit. If you can find a Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe, there were only 226 ordered with the manual transmission, your dollars-to-fun ratio should improve greatly. It appears there won’t be any more Pontiacs produced and we know this was a “small” production run. The car, in my opinion, has a nice aesthetic and I believe will be a future classic. Oh, wait, I should have purchased one or two before this publishes….
Attractive car like its twin the Saturn Sky. But they get uniformly poor reviews. Like the Fiero, they were half-baked and ham-fisted efforts.
As was GM’s way since the Corvair.
“In reviews, we found the Sky’s driving dynamics to be subpar. Ride quality was acceptable for normal daily use, but the base 2.4-liter engine was only adequate in terms of acceleration and refinement, and the manual transmission was sourced from the Chevy Colorado pickup truck (and felt the part). The Red Line could really scoot with its turbocharged four, but it sounded strained at full throttle. Moreover, the Sky was a rather blunt instrument when driven hard on twisty roads. The steering lacked feel, and the overall experience was less enjoyable than what’s provided by the Mazda Miata.”
-Edmunds
This subject car shares a trait displayed on a brand new Solstice in an original Car and Driver comparison test between it and the Miata: an ill-fitting wrinkled top… Makes the car look awful to these eyes.
As a 5 Pontiac owner (’86 Grand Prix, ’87 Fiero, ’94 Sunbird Convertible, ’01 LEMON Trans Am Convertible, and ’02 V6 Firebird convertible), I was very excited when the Solstice appeared. Until I checked it out…Hundreds of pounds heavier than a Miata, limited instrumentation, and a a top that swallowed the trunk. Not to mention the Saturn Sky was more attractive, IMO. The Fiero was a far better design, and the Solstice was no substitute for 36 years of Firebirds. 🙁 The sad thing is the Solstice/Sky were built in a dedicated factory (Delaware?) so one of them could have continued, say as a “Buick SKYlark”?
Also rebadged as Opel GT.
As well as the (surprise!) Daewoo G2X:
Only 10 for sale in whole country, and asking prices in crack pipe territory.
http://www.encar.com/dc/dc_carsearchlist.do?colortext=&locationtext=&method=&mnfcnm=%BD%A6%BA%B8%B7%B9%28GM%B4%EB%BF%EC%29&mdlnm=+G2X+&filter_grade=001&wtClick_encarccnew=&carType=kor&pageid=dc_carsearchnew_l01_pp1&colorvalue=&companyOrderType=&company=003&modelGroupOrderType=popular&modelgroup=035&modelOrderType=name&model=058&mdlgroupcd=&gradeOrderType=name&filterfuelcd=%B0%A1%BC%D6%B8%B0&filterdsp=2000¶mGrade=&gradeheadval=&filterfuelcd_param=&filterdsp_param=&filtermsrm_param=&filterwd_param=&filterNowCheck=filterdsp&gradeDetailOrderType=name¶mGradedetail=&gradedetailval=¶mStdmndprc=&stdmndprc=¶mEnddmndprc=&enddmndprc=&stdmndprc_direct=&enddmndprc_direct=¶mYear1=¶mMonth1=&year1=&month1=¶mYear2=¶mMonth2=&year2=&month2=&model_firstcd=058¶mStdmndprc2=&stdmndprc2=¶mEnddmndprc2=&enddmndprc2=&stdmndprc_direct2=&enddmndprc_direct2=¶mYear3=¶mMonth3=&year3=&month3=¶mYear4=¶mMonth4=&year4=&month4=¶mStcarleng=&stcarleng=¶mEndcarleng=&endcarleng=&colorcnt=0&locchk=1&locationcnt=0&locationvalue=¶mCntcsd=¶mCntcsgng=&listType=list&ordType=mdfdt&searchType=model&totalCnt=63098&ctgrnm=&comflag=&gradeCnt=&pagenum=0¤tPageNum=1&tsSearchType=option&scn=encar&searchFlag=Y&tabcnt=&wtClick_korList=&listCount=16&pagerow=20&listCount=28&directRollCnt=5
Fairly sure there was a Vauxhall version also. I only saw one Pontiac Solstice in Lytham near Blackpool a couple of years ago at the splendid War Time Weekend
My wife has a Sky. It is a microcosm of GM…great looking, quick enough (turbo), nice ride and adequate handling. Then the fun starts, absolutely NO storage, the interior has a tiny glove box and that’s it. Cup holders come from between the seats and are almost unusual. The top doesn’t “swallow” the trunk, there’s no trunk even with the top up, it’s all gas tank, so maybe one soft overnight bag, it redefines the “getaway weekend”. The automatic is a 5 speed, but no manual shift gear, either paddle or shifter, just the standard sedan quadrant. The top is beyond comprehension…a four step in and out operation, absolute precision required and a feel that you are counting down to the day that something will bind up. Yeah, the headrest coves and the roadster look is great, but come on, the Miata top is a one hand, never leave the driver’s seat, 10 second job. What were they thinking, where was Lutz?
Nevertheless, she absolutely loves the car!
What were you expecting from GM, a real car or something?
This car held so much potential. I still kind of want one. I do like the Pontiac better than the Saturn.
The Solstice always appeared kind of feminine to me. I like the Sky, but.. Really both names turn me off to the car.
The Solistice/Sky may be the ultimate folly of the Lutz Era at GM. The flamboyant styling Lutz demanded required a complex and expensive hydroforming process which made the vehicle hideously expensive. The result was a Pontiac which would have needed BMW Z3 pricing to turn a profit – needless to say, not an easy sell.
Regarding the body panel forming process, you’re not getting that confused with the SSR, are you? The engineers that worked on the SSR body needed to use a special “deep draw” process to stamp the body panels. I remember reading that they researched how vehicle panels were stamped in the 1940s and 50s.
Nope. The Solstice/Sky was made using exotic hydroforming tech to get the concept car look Lutz demanded:
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2005/09/16/143195.html
Almost all the curvaceous body panels on the Solstice are produced via sheet metal hydroforming – a first for a production vehicle. A relatively new process which uses water pressure to help form the desired panel shapes, sheet metal hydroforming is used to create the Solstice’s unique clamshell hood, outer door panels, rear deck lid and quarter panels.
Sheet metal hydroforming of exterior body panels has seen limited use in other markets around the world, but predominantly for small runs of specialty aftermarket panels. Solstice’s body panels represent the first exterior application of the technology, which enables the transfer of original concept vehicle design without compromises, in a mass-produced automobile.
More precise than conventional body panel stamping, sheet metal hydroforming (also known as hydromechanical deep drawing) allows the much deeper draw – or depth of the component – necessary for creating panels with complex curves. The process allows the body curves of the original Solstice concept to be reproduced on a mass production scale. Many of the Solstice body panels, in fact, such as the unique clamshell hood and its compound curves, could not have been formed by conventional stamping methods. The only conventionally stamped portion of the Solstice exterior is a small, almost flat panel between the front wheel well and door edge.
Achievement of the Solstice’s curvaceous contours was aided by hydroforming in other ways. The strength of the lower-dominant foundation of the vehicle’s hydroformed chassis freed engineers from having to use body panels as structural members, thus eliminating restrictions to applying the concept vehicle design to the production model.
Interesting, thanks!
“Lido” gets roasted often here. It’s just a matter of time before “Maximum” Bob gets his due.
Bob’s fixation on saving struggling brands with Magic Bullet retro-styled niche vehicles is certainly roast-worthy.
I recall that the Solstice launched in the middle of winter or something. Given the name and that it is primarily a fair-weather plaything, it would’ve been a no-brainer to launch the model coincident with the SUMMER SOLSTICE!
I sat in a Solstice at a car show once. It had a stick. The footwell was so cramped that I couldn’t put either of my (size 13-wide) feet down without mashing two pedals at once. I couldn’t have even driven it!
Personally I like the styling of the Saturn Sky over that of the Solstice. Never see many Sky on the road in comparison to the Solstice though. I remember seeing an Opel version in red when my wife and I were honeymooning in Germany though.
I watched an interview with Bob Lutz at his home and he has a Solstice coupe in his personal collection
Parked next to his Plymouth (nee Chrysler) Prowler?
I bought a Solstice in Jan 2014 and love every minute I drive in it. People who think a ride like this is about cup holders or trunk space should move on faaaast. That is not what this car is about. This car has permagrin, THAT is what makes it special !
And you are a GM fanboi par excellence .The worst kind. GM needed to go away while it had the chance.
… and you are clearly a GM hater par excellence.
Stay off the boose kev
So because someone bought a Solstice and actually likes it — the horror! — they become “the worst kind” of “fanboi par excellence”? Get over yourself. No need to turn a well-publicized GM hatred into bashing someone’s personal ride.
They are great looking cars. I wouldn’t kick one out of my driveway.
Wil,
I like it, also. My comments alluded to the fact that this car was to compete with the Miata and the practical features just couldn’t hold up, nor could the handling. The Sky is so good looking that it is a shame that GM didn’t finish it. Ours was also bought in ’14 and as long as we have other vehicles, it’ll be fine. Obviously, lots of other potential buyers were put off when it was new to make the obvious choice to go elsewhere.
I owned a 2006 Solstice for about two years. Bought it in the spring of 2013, sold it about two months ago.
As a driver’s car, it was quite nice. One hell of a good runner on twisty back roads, handled nicely. Test drove it back to back with a 2006 (NC?) Miata, and, to my surprise, found I liked driving the Solstice better. Thus the purchase.
Then, why did I only keep it for two years? First off, it had the misfortune of following my five year ownership of a 1987 Porsche 924S. Between the two cars there is absolutely no comparison. The Porsche handled every bit as well, but did so with much more elegance. The Porsche gave me better gas mileage, was more comfortable, was more practical (if anything I consider the front engine Porsches the ultimate in practical sports cars – easily the best grocery getter I’ve ever owned), and was more pleasant to own in every way. I’ll second every grump that Glenn Kramer has about the car. If anything, I regret getting rid of the Porsche, and am quietly looking for another one. Preferably with a bit less mileage that mine.
So, why did I trade? Two months earlier, my wife died at the (not) ripe old age of 61. I’d never owned a convertible sports car, and her death got me thinking that maybe I just better quit putting off some of my long term promises to myself. So I finally got my convertible sports car.
And realized that as much as I like sports cars, my motorcycles are still more important to me and will always be so. So I replaced the Solstice with a minivan, and no, I don’t have kids and never will. However, I needed something I could haul a reenactment sutlery and camp out at racetracks more than I needed a sports car.
Great story, very sorry to hear about your wife. Good luck on your Porsche hunt.
The coupe is really the cream of that crop and with a modest amount of chassis and engine tuning you can make these cars run with cars twice as costly. 375 bhp is a couple of thousand away from stock.
Except there are only 781 GXP’s that exist. Want a manual? My bad, only 226… Cheap “mods” aside, the people who already own them aren’t letting them go for anywhere near what they are really worth. I do agree the coupe made the car logical, and was the choice of the litter, but too little, too late, they say.
Nice, it looks like a TVR Sagaris that just calmed down.
Nice analogy!
I sat in one of these at the annual Auto Show and was disappointed at the low-grade plastics used in the interior. I’m sure it was fun to drive and all, but damn…to me the dashboard felt like a Fisher Price kiddie car.
I agree. I too, checked these out at our auto show here in Portland, and while build quality seemed ok given the manufacturer, interior plastic was Fisher-Price grade. Typical GM, always screwing something up due to their bean counters. And I get the fact that products are built to a price point; but some of us don’t mind paying a buck or two more for a better product. A great example is McDonald’s. Seen the prices there lately? For just a couple bucks more you can go to a real restaurant and have a real meal.
People have figured that out. McDonald’s is going through hard times these days.
The Solstice was indeed the McDonalds equivalent to a Z3 Roadster.
You could even think of the garish styling as the automotive version of the Happy Meal toy.
I bought my 07 Solstice gxp in Dec ’13 I love in Florida so weather not a factor.
My car was a one owner and had 12.200 miles when I purchased.
BTW This is my weekend toy.
I had a standard $200 tune added and that bought the HP from the 260 factory to approx 290-305+-.
Any way my point is that for the price (I paid $15k) it’s about as much fun as you can have without paying Porsche or BMW money.
I can see some points that people say that body panel alignment, trunk space,cup holders etc etc bit as the earlier poster said, if that what you want get a Minivan or an SUV.
BTW, I’m 5:11″ and 225lbs and I have no issues with the room within the car.
I also have the permagrin
Proper body panel alignment is not a specialty of “normal” production cars. I was unaware this was an issue with these. I wanted to like the Solstice when it was new, so it’s not just me trying to shoot fish in a barrel like some choose to regarding GM. Sad.
i think everyone should love in florida… but seriously, you have the right attitude for making the car a successful secondhand purchase.
think of it from a business perspective. gm builds a halo car using cutting edge body panel technology. this would be the focus and pride of almost any other company but the general treats it like an afterthought. they throw some pieces in from the parts bin and don’t bother to figure out the ragtop. internally, they are probably grumbling about why are they wasting money on this project while their customers are too stupid to appreciate what they have accomplished.
These Kappa twins are pretty but GM shouldn’t have wasted their money on these, and should have instead poured money into projects that were going to be more profitable. The sport convertible market is not only a niche market, it’s one vulnerable to changes in taste. What’s hot one season may be passé the next.
Another product I felt existed at the continual expense of the then on hiatus Camaro and potentially Firebird. GM just kept cranking out more of these completely marketless niche products, as if they were using 10 year olds as their Focus groups. These may have been great cars for what they were, but they have no heritage to play off, no reason to exist when they did and certainly and predictably flopped at point in history where the corporation was rapidly heading for a cliff. What a stupid gamble.
It wasn’t even very good at what it was…which was a Lotus Elan/Datsun 240Z/Miata wannabe. The GM wannabe was way overweight and that ruined it as a track car. It was a cartoon caricature of a Miata designed to make immature punks stare, but was priced out of an immature punk’s range. In otherwords, it is a joke.
i have owned my solstice for a couple of years now.sure,the trunk and glove box are tiny but it is a sports car,if you want to haul plywood get a pickup truck.i tried the honda s-2000 and miata.since im 6’2″ and 225 i couldnt be comfortable in either one i went with the solstice.no regrets,unlike the bellybutton mustang or camaro you dont see them every day.
I probably had six of them as test cars, between the Solstice and the Sky. When it arrived in my driveway, my thought was that I’d have bet GM couldn’t make something like that.
As luck would have it, I had two test vehicles that week. The other was a Miata.
If the Solstice had been as good as it could be, it still would have lost. But it wasn’t. The trunk, the glovebox….what I recall as a ridiculous position for the cupholder…the substandard plastics….and the cover for the convertible top that took three slams, every time, on every car over the years, to close properly.
I was kind of surprised to see a Solstice here on Curbside Classics. These are still – very- common here in Dallas. I probably see at least one a week in traffic, often more. This isn’t counting the one I frequently see parked across the street from my house. Someone who frequently visits my new (and so far unmet) neighbors.
I have never driven one, although I’ve sat in one at an auto show, when they were on the market. A friend who is also a ‘car guy’ drove one for a few days though and came away memorably unhappy. Engine rough as a tractor with a transmission ill-suited to the engine was his verdict.
I was proud of Lutz for introducing these – it seemed an attempt to reinvent GM – Pontiac was supposed to be the performance division and that’s the niche the cars filled. However, the bean-counters held the day and the car was as big a disappointment as the Fiero to me. Surely, in a company as big as GM there was a sweet little engine and transmission they could have used…..
I have always wondered what these would be like with an SBC transplant and a custom interior. Perhaps, if they get cheaper in a few years ( and if I ever tire of my 71 Alfa Spider), I’ll buy one and try to find out.
I have seen quite a few in Oregon. Did not know they were that rare. Not for me, though.
james a. & Michael h.,
The point/counterpoint isn’t the actual shortcomings, it’s the philosophy behind them that enabled the minor points to fail so badly. James, I don’t want to haul plywood, but I would like to be a passenger in the car without holding my wife’s handbag on my lap. Again, if you look at the competition, they seem to be able to create the “permagrin” and still allow limited but practical function. Given the emotion involved in any sports car choice, the choice that constantly displays it’s contempt for the details will usually end up second choice. My wife took one look at the Sky when new and immediately fell in love. We rented a Miata on a trip down the California coast and, despite the “betterness” of it, she never wanted anything other than the Sky. Even now, after a year, while acknowledging the shortcomings (usually while trying to slam the trunkette closed over the top), she is in love with it. Note that it is used only for special occasions, but it is great for that and still sexy as hell to look at.
believe it or not i can fit two stratocasters in gig bags in the trunk as long as i leave the roof up,and an es-335 with hardcase fits in the passenger seat if you are alone.not as practical as my old honda del sol but a lot prettier looking and faster.
A roadster is a car no one needs and the world could easily do without.
Therefore it should not be bought with the mind, but with the heart.
Complete girl car. And what is with the name? “Solstice”? Completely generic, especially on a Pontiac. Why would anyone have bought one of these over a Miata, MR2 or Honda S2000?
Leave it to GM to make a 2 seat roadster completely boring.
maybe because my girly little 6 ft 2 frame wouldnt fit in an s-2000.in fact i would bet most people that bought them are less than 5 ft 10 tall.i liked the s-2000 but was very disappointed when my head touched the roof and elbow hit the back console at every shift.
I never realized these were so polarizing–lot of hate for the styling. Personally I’ve always thought they looked fantastic. (With the top down, mind you. The top looks terrible raised, but a lot of convertibles have that problem.) Like the Sky too, but the Solstice always grabbed me more so in the looks department.
Dynamically not as good as the Miata from what I’ve heard (never having driven one) and the predictably bad GM interior did rain on the parade somewhat. It’s a shame they couldn’t have shaved a little weight, given it a better interior, and improved the handling; that would have been formidible. Still probably wouldn’t have made it a savior for Pontiac/Saturn though. It’s a niche car on a good day, not impressive or expensive enough to be a true halo car, not accessible, useful, or inexpensive enough to be a sales leader like the original Mustang.
Though really I’d wager Pontiac and Saturn were dead far before these roadsters came along. Releasing them at all was a curious decision, but one that the automotive landscape is a little richer for.
I nearly purchased one in 2006, but was not allowed to set in or drive it. Too many people want it. Just purchased a 2007 3500HD Dually with every option. Told no way in the world would they sell it to us. Never bought it, then turns 2014, and the wife sees a 2007 Saturn Sky Redline, Sunburst Yellow. She had to have it. Fell in love. Car had 21K on it, perfect in every way. We bought it. I have had a new 1967 427 435 HP Corvette, 1969 428 Cobra Jet Mustang, a 426 Hemi Cuda, a 1970 LT1 Camaro Z8 and several other HP cars. this car is fast, handles and stops well, cruises down the road at 80 like it has lived there for years, cracked the 160 on the speedo and felt safe. this car gets more attention than any of my other vehicles. most have no idea what they are. think they are the same. Very different. Find a Redline or GXP to test drive. your thoughts will change very quickly
Can not go into a gas station and not spend 15 minutes explaining what it is. Mine has been rebadged as an Opel GT, has a lot of Mods that give it close 400RWHP. It weighs in at 2980, has traction control and runs the quarter in high 12’s. Not bad for a 4 cyclinder.
For me the Sky Redlin is far better looking than its competitors and considerably better priced
Great cars. I sold a few of the 226 GXP manual transmission units. These cars were sold to VERY appreciative customers. Wish I had the sense to grab a 2010 at the factory (fire) sale.
I wasn’t in the market for a new car when these hit the market, but if I had been the Miata (brand new for the 06 model year) would have gotten my money.
Being single and not a person who eats or drinks in my cars, unless absolutely necessary, the lack of storage space didn’t enter into my decision. Instead, the instrument panel “design” and the grey plastics used were a turn off exceeded only by the clumsy folding top design. The top especially looked like another example of GM designers coming up with something without taking a look at what/how the competition does something. Fiat had better folding tops on the 850 and 124 spiders nearly 40 years earlier. As dedicated roadsters, the Solstice and Sky designs should have had the tops ease of operation as their primary design feature….not the goofy, Ferrari-esqe flying buttress/wings of the erected top.
Howard,
Agreed, but you do date, don’t you? We don’t eat in the car, but a bottle of water? I always thought the idea of a roadster was a design wrapped around a romantic weekend for two. Throw two soft bags in the trunk, flip the top down and head to the beach, B&B, lake, whatever. The Miata worked, the Sky/Solstice didn’t. Again, I’m not discussing the shortcomings as convenience features, merely as impediments to the “primary design goal”!
Excellent critiques, all. I remember the excitement when these came out, and the immediate disappointment soon after. They were way undercooked (typical GM) to take on a masterpiece (Miata). WTH with the contortion top?
That said, they have their virtues – like style (personally I like the Sky better) and grace. And apparently they are holding their value quite well.
I’m an owner of a 2006 NA for the last 8 months. I love the car. To me (and that’s all that matters) it looks and handles fantastic. Coming from previously commuting in a 1977 Triumph this car handles the commute better, is fun, comfortable, reliable and is open air.
Here’s my rationale behind buying one.
Reliability
Mechanically they have a great track record. I can expect that beyond minor issues I’m not going to have to deal with drivetrain problems given proper upkeep. I’m a handy guy and can fix most things but I’m looking at maintenance costs. For me an alternate would have been a Cooper S but they have some serious drivetrain issues with the risk of serious $ fixes. This is where being a parts bin car works for you, it keeps the prices low.
Value
The price to value ratio is prime. I bought a like new 2006 with 18K on it for $10,500K. I’m not going to get that value elsewhere. I may put 200,000 on it commuting and then possibly drop an LS7 in it. Or, I may put 100K on it and turn around and sell it for 80% of what I bought it for.
The MPG/power trade off is decent being a 4 cylinder. It’s a big 4 cyl so power (to me) is quite adequate.
Comfort
It’s a roadster… It’s not supposed to have the luxuries of space. That’s what mini vans and sedans are for. Coming from a British roadster this is a serious upgrade in comfort. I’ve driven Jeeps my whole life (and not those cushy new “Jeeps”) so I’m used to sacrificing some comfort in trade for smiles.
Miata
The most often comparison. I never wanted one. There’s so many of them and I find the styling boring for those years in my affordability range. Performance-wise the Solstice does great winning 2006 and 2007 overall SCCA National Championship in class Showroom Stock road racing. If they continued and became more refined I’m sure we’d see more. Power-wise the Solstice and Miata are about the same. The Solstice has a few more horses, the Miata weighs in a bit lighter. It’s a wash.
Expectations
The Top – Anything has to be better than the snap top on a 77 Triumph or a mid 80’s Jeep for that matter. I can easily get the top up/down in under 10 seconds without a rush. I don’t see the issue… my legs and arms still work and I’m not opposed to it.
Cup Holders – Again, it’s all where you are coming from. The Triumph had none. This has three even if they are in odd places. I drive solo 9/10s of the time so the one on the console side is perfect for me.
Glove box – There’s actually two of them. One standard and one between the seats. That works for me.
Trunk – True, there’s not a lot of space with the top up or down but I can fit my golf clubs and my son’s Jr clubs in the trunk with the top down…. barely. My wife is not high maintenance so if we go somewhere it will fit in the trunk.
The Wife
My wife wouldn’t drive the Triumph. She absolutely loves this car. She thinks she’s driving something exotic and as long as she thinks so who am I to say otherwise.
Disappointments
Nothing major. I think the only thing unexpected was the cheap interior panels. They look/feel cheap and mar easily.
I think it’s all about expectations. At the end of the day drive what you love, each to your own.
I love my 07 GXP.
19,000 miles in 2013.
Here’s another
And 1 more
Jazz lol
The whole cheap interior comments make me crazy on this car. Has ANYONE sat in a Miata, S2000? Jesus people, is somehow the black plastic in those cars markedly different than in the Solstice? All I remember is how the S2000 seat creaked when I moved an inch in it at a car show way back when. And they never changed that crap interior over the life of the car. Paaalease.
I don’t own a Solstice.
I’ve never sat in a Miata, but S2000 interior cheap? I’ve ridden in two S2ks and both of them impressed me with the finish and the quality of materials. Honda is known for that, generally speaking. Tight quarters, sure (though the owner of one of them was 6’2″ and he fit just fine) but “cheap” was not the impression I got at all.
Yes. Cheap black plastic dash and console – hard surfaces abound. Go google any picture of an S2000 interior and you’ll see it is lathered everywhere in the cabin. Mind you, this was standard fair for the era. But to downgrade the Solstice and somehow say that the Miata/S2000 were better in this area is just downright wrong. Just because the car cost $$$ doesn’t mean that the plastic used is somehow better. It’s just as hard, cheap, and unattractive as any other.
I’d be willing to bet that 99% of the people bashing the Solstice are those that have never sat, let alone driven the car. Whatever really, to each his own. “Love the one you’re with”.
Well I didn’t touch the dash in either of them to sample the plastic quality or lack thereof. The first one I rode in had the all blue interior, including dash, so it wasn’t hard black plastic. Hard blue, maybe. Like I said, didn’t touch it. But it wasn’t glossy-looking or otherwise cheap in appearance. The console finish does look a little low-rent in photos–that memory didn’t stick with me. The second was the two-tone interior, black dash/carpets with red seats. Maybe if it weren’t for the red visual relief the dash would have bothered me more, as I generally don’t care for black dashes. But again, it didn’t look low-quality. And the materials on the door panels were quite nice, and nicely finished.
Maybe I have low expectations for interiors though, 7 of the 10 cars I’ve owned having been American, the majority of them older models.
I bought my 2007 Solstice on March 17, 2007, right off the showroom floor, and I absolutely LOVE this car. I have owned 63 cars since I was 16, including two Corvettes, and this car is my favorite. Her body lines are beautiful and she handles fantastically. The Mazda Miata, in MHO, is one of the ugliest cars ever made. The Solstice outshines that car by far. As far as no trunk and small cabin area, if I would have wanted a large trunk and spacious cabin room, I would have purchased an SUV. I get compliments on my Solstice everywhere I go and, yes, I do wear the permagrin!
Miatas don’t fit my long torso. I’ve tried every generation. So I’ve never had the pleasure of driving one. I have driven (and fit into) almost every other roadster you can name. Owned about be half. My 08 GXP sounds like a Triumph, shoots forward like a mustang and is the second-best in the corners, after my brother’s X1/9. The plan dash? Once you put the car in gear, if you’re worried about the dash, get a Solara