Driving Impressions

The Pontiac Solstice has predictable handling, good reflexes, and an impressive amount of usable horsepower and torque. One of the notable positives about Solstice is its solid, flex-free chassis; there's little of the windshield-frame flexing that's common on other convertibles. The Solstice GXP offers some real performance from a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 260 horsepower. It delivers an impressive 260 pound-feet of acceleration-producing torque as low as 2500 rpm. With direct injection and other technologies, the more powerful GXP delivers better fuel economy than the base engine. Using the tougher 2008 tests, the GXP rates an EPA-estimated 19/28 mpg City/Highway compared with 19/25 mpg for the base Solstice. In both models, premium fuel is not required but recommended for maximum performance. If you haven't tried a turbocharged engine in recent years, you'll be amazed at how evenly this one generates power. There is virtually no turbo lag (pause between flooring the gas pedal and surge from the engine). Indeed, the GXP rolls out its power in such a smooth, linear fashion that some might be waiting for an obvious peak or kick. There really isn't one, but in fairly short order the driver comes to appreciate the usable amount of acceleration performance available over a wide range of engine speeds. Driving at a good clip is easier in the GXP, and acceleration is less dependant on gear selection. The GXP can rocket out of corners even if the driver selects a higher gear than he or she normally might. And in a straight line, it's quick. With an over-the-counter accelerometer, we timed a 0-60 mph run in less than six seconds, without resorting to an aggressive, high-rev start. The GXP is as quick as any car in its price range, and quicker than more expensive benchmarks. Moreover, the GXP's gear ratios require a shift into third just before 60, adding fractions of a second to the time. In other words, it's quicker than published 0-60 times suggest. The shifter has nice, short throws, with no doubt as to which gear is sought or selected. Yet it takes quite a bit of effort to move between gears. This makes the gearchange feel a bit notchy, until the driver realizes that it's better to just shove the lever into the next slot rather than trying to finesse. The shifter feel, and the plentiful torque combined with the hunkered-down driving position, contribute to a general feeling that the GXP is more muscular, more brutish, than the MX-5 and other small roadsters. The GXP isn't tail happy, as you might expect in a light, high-powered, rear-wheel-drive car. Pushed hard, the Solstice GXP understeers. And w ith the traction electronics engaged, it resists any tendency for the rear wheels to slide. The GXP responds promptly to inputs on the steering wheel, though with less enthusiasm than an MX-5. Near the center, the steering feels wooden. And the steering response isn't linear, meaning that it takes some practice to be sure how much the car will turn with a given input on the wheel. This gives the Solstice a cruiser feel that doesn't encourage hard driving the way an MX-5 does. There are other identifiable traits in the GXP package that don't match up to class benchmarks. The brakes stop the car right now, with good pedal feel at first. But the harder and longer you use them, the more the pedal softens and its travel increases. In other words, hard driving can bring on brake fade. Also, the clutch engages abruptly, to the point that it's easy to stall the car during casual starts at low revs. That said, the Solstice GXP makes a fine high-speed cruiser. It tracks straight and true at interstate speeds-plus, and the ride is not disruptively bouncy. With the now-standard premium acoustic headliner, the top is well insulated and conversation is easy.

Final Word

The Pontiac Solstice looks great, puts wind in your hair and is fun to drive. The base model starts under $23,000, but air conditioning, power windows, anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control are extra-cost options. The GXP adds those features along with a turbocharged engine. There's a shortage of storage and cargo space here. But it's a hoot to drive, particularly on clear days, and it turns heads fast and often. Those may be the two most important reasons to buy a small roadster. It does this at a reasonable price, with objective performance that matches that of cars costing considerably more. NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Tom Lankard filed this report from Northern California's Central Valley and Sierra Foothills; with Mitch McCullough reporting from Los Angeles.