2008 Pontiac Solstice
Love or hate Solstice experience
When the first edition of the Pontiac Solstice hit the market, I can recall how anxious I was to get behind the wheel. I can also remember my extreme disappointment in a roadster I fully expected to love.
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder and that could be true because after a week with a 2008 Solstice GXP, I’m more inclined to like it. Love is still a long way off, but we could become friends.
This car is quicker, better handling and the five-speed manual shifter is tighter than the previous edition.
GXP is made for people who love to drive. The base Solstice with only 173 horses on call talks the talk but can’t walk the walk. The GXP is another kettle of fish altogether. Under the hood is a 2.0-litre turbo engine that blasts you down the road behind 260 horses whipped up by 260 lb.-ft. of torque on tap from 2500 to 5250 rpm.
That, my friends, gives you some serious grunt, enough to go up against any of its competitors in a getaway contest. Merging into traffic is quick and highway passing a snap. For pure driving fun, the rear-wheel-drive GXP is a wonderful piece of work.
Handling is quick and precise and the car hugs lovingly to the pavement in fast cornering. If you go a little beyond the comfort zone, standard StabiliTrak will come to your aid. If all hell breaks loose, and the car along with it, OnStar communication is ready to help.
Brakes are superb and the standard five-speed shifter is a joy to use. You can get an automatic if you’re too lazy to row your own gears.
GXP is distinguished on the outside from the base roadster by its stainless steel dual exhaust outlets and front and rear fascia extensions. It’s an attention getter, especially if you spend $380 for premium Inferno Orange Metallic paint. Banish any idea of being anonymous with that hue.
The driver gets a comprehensive trip information system and steering wheel controls for audio and cruise control.
This is a car that looks so much better with the top down (or is that so much uglier with the top up?) that you will take every opportunity to go through the exercise of putting the manual top down. And it is an exercise: release the clamshell trunk which also releases the pins that hold the trailing edge of the top to the car body; release the centre catch inside; lift the top and fold it into the space provided in the trunk area then push the trunk lid closed.
You will notice when you lift the trunk lid that the GM engineers still have not solved the problem of sealing the edge of the clamshell trunk lid to the vertical metal of the body. There’s still a drain bag there to catch incoming water and send it out through the wheel wells. It’s still the only car I know with a colostomy bag.
With the top up, visibility is quite limited and you need to know how to properly use your mirrors or you could find yourself in some difficulty.
Inside, the test car was decked out with leather seating (no heat) with GXP embroidery, brushed aluminum sill plates, optional metal sport pedals and standard seven-speaker Monsoon audio system with subwoofer.
It’s a terrific sound system with just one flaw.
When my wife and I went out to enjoy some fine fall weather, I turned on the radio to a XM satellite radio blues station.
The music made her uncomfortable. The subwoofer located behind the passenger seat pumped low frequency sound waves through the seat and “through me!” Sigh. No music unless the passenger seat is unoccupied.
With the top down the Solstice is reasonably quiet and wind buffeting is quite mild. You could drive a long way in this car quite comfortably with the top down.
The problem is: if you are planning a trip that requires an overnight stop, you won’t find room in what is laughingly referred to as a trunk to carry much, even with the top up. Certainly you won’t fit even a small suitcase in there because the fuel tank is still a big hump in the middle of the space leaving only the outside edges for carrying stuff. You could carry a change of clothing, if you put it in tiny sport bags or perhaps plastic shopping bags.
With the top up, there’s 5.4 cu. ft. (153L) of “cargo” space, with it down, there’s just 2.1 cu., ft (60L) available.
There’s no storage space of any consequence inside either – a tiny glove box, and an even smaller covered box located between the seatbacks. The designers did find room for three cupholders, though. One is located on the right side of the centre stack and bangs into the passenger’s knee. The driver could use it I suppose, if there were no passenger. The other two are side-by-side and pop out of the space between the rear seatbacks just under that tiny box which puts them effectively out of reach without being some sort of contortionist.
But if you can put up with staying in the same clothes for long periods of time, you can have a terrific road trip and you won’t spend much time in filling stations either.
Summary:
Strong Points
Weak Points
- - good handling
- - quick response
- - minimal trunk space
- - manual top operation
- - trunk lid drainage system
- - who thought those cupholders were a good idea?
Editors Rating:
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