Lithium Lotus

I'm not here to bash on the RX8, I think it's a cool looking car myself. But I've read the two previous posts about people bashing the Solstice just because it's an American car and wouldn't hold a stick to the NC MX-5 on a track.

Here's an unbiased road test of the base Solstice Vs. MX5 held by MotorTrend-Japan with Tsuchiya Keiichi [drift king] as the test driver. The Solstice is not the turbo GXP version.

Part 1: http://youtube.com/watch?v=vRARVVmpzTw
Part 2: http://youtube.com/watch?v=O_d5-K109DQ

"The Solstice is cheaper, faster, and easier to drive. Why doesn't GM sell this car in Japan?. You should write about this car in your magazine and send the message to GM to sell it in Japan."-Tsuchiya Keiichi

"I realized the car feels similar to the 350Z. The car is like a FairladyZ. That's how it feels. It's predictable and easy to drive with good handling and lots of feedback."-T.K.

"I wasn't expecting much today. But this proves the high standard in American sports car design."-T.K.

"The Solstice is cheaper then the Roadster and faster. The Pontiac deffinitly came out on top today. If they make a right hand drive one, I might buy one."- T.K.

Now I don't think the Solstice used in this comparison had the optional Z0K performance suspension package. The Z0K includes thicker swaybars, stiffer springs, and tuned Bilstein shocks. The Z0K is standard on the Solstice GXP/Sky Redline, and optional on both base models.

alfy28

i think the solice is a nice looking car. i feel ponti did a great job with the design of the car. as for driving, i never test drove one so i do not know. but i bet it handles like a charm.

deadphoenix52

i think its ugly

Lithium Lotus

Looks are opinionated, and that isn't what this post was about. But thanks for your contribution anyway.

I have a GXP myself. I only got it last week, but it drives great. I've never driven a RX8, so I can't compare the two. But with the wide Goodyear tires and the better Z0K suspension, it rides really nice around town and through corners. I don't have many curvy roads in my area, just some roads going through the country side. But the car sticks like glue going 60+mph through the country side. Even with the stiffer suspension on the crappy Ohio roads, it rides really nice.

Pics of my GXP: http://good-times.webshots.com/album...ost=good-times

My observations after driving the car for a week.

Interior: I'm 5'10'' and 220lbs, and I fit just fine in the drivers seat. The 07 models now have an adjustable height compared to the 06 models. I do think GM could have done a little better in the design of the interior, like better designed cup holders and at least a small storage compartment in the center console or the doors. I think a better layout for the gauges would have been better too; like a temp and boost gauge instead of the digital readout under the tachometer.

Top: It does take a little more effort to close/open the top then the Miata, but the Solstice top looks way better up then the Miata. The Solstice top is designed similar to the Ferrari F355.

Trunk: The trunk space is small, granted. But it's not like I'm going to go grocery shopping in this car either. But there is enough room for a couple bags and a 6-pack if you adjust them just right.

Handling: If some people consider having a car dart around the road as being "lively", I'll take my "dead" Solstice any day of the week. But I think the "dead" feeling can be attributed to the large tires the Solstice has compared to the MX5. The Solstice handles wonderful around town, in parking lots, and on curvy roads.

Solstice: 245/45/18
MX5: 205/50/16

Blindspots: When the top is down, I have no blindespots. When the top is up, don't even think of looking over your shoulder, you'll see nothing but the top, lol.

I made this list for another forum because people where bashing the car due to it's weight. I'll post it here for reference. I only included the Crossfire SRT-6 because in 2006, Chrysler slashed $15k [yes they cut $15k off of the base price of $45k] off of the price.

2007 Pontiac Solstice
2.4 Liter I4 / 5-Speed Manual
177hp / 166tq
20mpg city / 28mpg highway
2860lbs

2007 Pontiac Solstice: GXP
2.0 Liter I4 Turbo / 5-Speed Manual
260hp / 260tq
22 mpg city / 31 mpg highway
2976 lbs

2005 Mazda Miata: Mazdaspeed
1.8 Liter I4 Turbo / 6-Speed Manual
178hp / 166tq
20mpg city / 26mpg highway
2529lbs

2007 Mazda Miata: Touring
2.0 Liter I4 / 6-Speed Manual
166hp / 140tq
24mpg city / 30mpg highway
2498lbs

2007 Honda S2000
2.2 Liter I4 / 6-Speed Manual
237hp / 162tq
20mpg city / 25mpg highway
2835lbs

2007 BMW Z4
3.0 Liter V6 / 6-Speed Manual
215hp / 185tq
20mpg city / 29mpg highway
3020lbs

2007 BMW Z4
3.0 Liter V6 / 6-Speed Manual
255hp / 220tq
20mpg city / 29mpg highway
3086lbs

2002 BMW Z3
2.5 Liter V6 / 5-Speed Manual
184hp / 175tq
20mpg city / 27mpg highway
2899lbs

2002 BMW Z3
3.0 Liter V6 / 5-Speed Manual
225hp / 214tq
21mpg city / 29mpg highway

2006 Porsche Boxster
2.7 Liter F6 / 5-Speed Manual
240hp / 199tq
20mpg city / 29mpg highway
2855lbs

2006 Porsche Boxster: S
3.2 Liter F6 / 6-Speed Manual
280hp / 236tq
19mpg city / 27mpg highway
2965lbs

2007 Porsche Boxster
2.7 Liter F6 / 5-Speed Manual
245hp / 201tq
23mpg city / 32mpg highway
2877lbs

2007 Porsche Boxster: S
3.4 Liter F6 / 6-Speed Manual
295hp / 252tq
20mpg city / 28mpg highway
2987lbs

2007 Mercedes SLK: 280
3.0 Liter V6 / 6-Speed Manual
228hp / 221tq
20mpg city / 27mpg highway
3215lbs

2007 Mercedes SLK: 350
3.5 Liter V6 / 6-Speed Manual
268hp / 258tq
18mpg city / 25mpg highway
3255lbs

2005 Toyota MR-S
1.8 Liter I4 / 5-Speed Manual
138hp / 125tq
26mpg city / 32mpg highway
2195lbs

2006 Nissan 350Z: Touring
3.5 Liter V6 / 6-Speed Manual
287hp / 274tq
19mpg city / 25 mpg highway
3380lbs coupe / 3578lbs roadster

2007 Nissan 350Z: Touring
3.5 Liter V6 / 6-Speed Manual
306hp / 268tq
20mpg city / 27mpg highway
3400lbs coupe / 3600lbs roadster

2005 Chrysler Crossfire: Limited
3.2 Liter V6 / 5-Speed Manual
215hp / 229tq
17mpg city / 25mpg highway
3061lbs coupe / 3140lbs roadster

2005 Chrysler Crossfire: SRT-6
3.2 Liter V6 Supercharged / Auto
330hp / 310tq
21mpg city / 28mpg highway
3240lbs coupe / 3328lbs roadster

2006 Audi TT
1.8 Liter I4 Turbo / 6-Speed Manual
180hp / 173tq
21mpg city / 29mpg highway
2987lbs coupe / 3186lbs roadster

2006 Audi TT: Quattro
1.8 HO Liter I4 Turbo / 6-Speed Manual
225hp / 207tq
21mpg city / 29mpg highway
3230lbs coupe / 3384lbs roadster

2006 Audi TT: Quattro V6
3.2 Liter V6 / Automatic
250hp / 236tq
19mpg city / 25mpg highway
3428lbs coupe / 3638lbs roadster

DailyDriver2k5

Ditto that.... i think the MX-5(which i drove) and the Solstice are both good buys. IMO the Sky has the edge over the Solstice in the looks department.

Design1stCode2nd

IF GM had made a power top and trunk space like the MX-5 they would have had a winner. It's odd that all the American car mags say the solstice is good but that the MX-5 is the better driver's car. Not having driven eith I can't comment.

9291150

One guy - T.K. - saying that the Solstice is better than a MX5 doesn't mean it is. I've driven both, used to own a Miata, and I'd take the new MX5 over a base Solstice any day. Frankly it's the intangibles; the light toss able feeling of the MX5 (because it is!), the great sightlines, better ergo's, better everyday car.

That said, the Solstice if the best thing to come out of GM in a LONG time.

MazdaMonkey

Did you join this forum just to defend your car purchase? This isn't even a Miata forum!?!? If you love your car so much go drive the damn thing...

The new Autoweek has the best 1-line comparison I have read so far when it said "if you opt for the Solstice or the Sky, I'm almost certain it's based solely on visual appeal."

I have driven both and I completely agree.

dmp

The solstice is an UGLY, poorly-executed little piece of Crap. Anyone who buys one fits the illustration regarding "a fool and his money".

Is that what you hoped to read? Why do you think we care about your comparison. Bring your drivel to a Miata board.

snizzle

Obviously the cars are close enough that comparos go either way. Kudos to GM for being that competitive against Mazda and the car that started the roadster craze over here.

NoTears316

good job

Illmatic

Don't take this the wrong way or call me a hater or whatever, personally I like the effort GM is making. Almost everything they make is bland and whatever, but to jump out and make the Solstice/Sky was awesome.

That said, the development was another typical GM move. Everytime, they mess it up, they have to know, and so then I'm lead to believe they are trying to put a cover over the comsumers eyes and hope no one will notice.

What I'm talking about is making Lego block cars. What I mean by that is taking spare parts from the recycling bin putting them together and calling it a new car. I'm sorry, but if you're trying to compete with the best selling roadster of all time, you can't take the most crucial component of a driving experience (transmission) from a pickup truck and change up some gears. Add to that the rear axle, reverse lights, fog lights, climate controls, etc. and this is not the mentality I would consider of someone who was interested in making a sports car! Just some business person with a "great idea" to ****** some sales because a rival car makers roadster car has a "chick car" nameplate.

Please, don't come up with the well if they did everything ground up this car would cost 50,000$ because Mazda managed to completely redesign the 3rd gen model (please read about it before disputing this, it's really phenomenal) ground up pretty much and here in Canada the price went up I think $1,000. That's the difference to me, and the reason I will never buy a GM vehicle.

The MX-5 was built around the driver, ground up. GM's Darren Post said himself,

"using existing parts for these types of components allowed GM to direct more time and money toward the ride and performance, and to include components such as the Bilstein coil-over mono-tube shocks, properly weighted power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, a short-throw shift linkage and eighteen-inch wheels."

What that says to me is, "we had a tight budget so we had to cut a few corners by using parts we have. This allowed us to use the money we had to ensure this wasn't a poser car and could actually perform."

I'm going to wrap this up because I see I've gone a little rant-like, but ultimately with a new car, designers are overruled by executives. Mr. Post's quote I think best summarizes the mindset behind this vehicle. It blatantly shows when we see that the Pontiac car's roof folds into the trunk and eliminates it. What if you have something in the trunk already and then while driving the weather gets nice and you want to drop the top? Yet, the Mazda car roof area is completely separated from the trunk. It is less obvious (to average consumer), when every test says great things about the Solstice throughout the review and then in closing comments says the MX-5 is the better drivers car.

Thanks for reading. If you disagree, let's hear it!

Lithium Lotus

Now hear this, I actually agree with you on some things.

Could the interior have been better designed? Of course it could have. The cup-holders suck. And I wish there was at least one compartment other then the glove-box and "waterfall" compartment to place my cellphone. I Miata type door cupholder would have been perfect. The window switches on the center console would have been better. A better gauge layout would deffinitly have been better, instead of just the speedo/tach/gas, and the temp/boost gauge in the DIC.

As much as I do love the look of the rear deck with the racey hump things, GM certainly could have made the top more compact, with more folds in it instead of the two peice.

Trunk space isn't too much of a concern, I have another car to go grocery shopping with. There is more space then people realize with the top down. You just have to raise the top a little to access it.

And I wish it had the projector headlights like the Sky/GT has. That's my biggest grief with the car.

And the trans didn't come from a truck, well the auto anyway

The Solstice shares major components with nearly every GM division:
The rear axle and differential are from the Sigma-based Cadillac CTS
The interior storage bin is from the Cadillac XLR
The passenger's side airbag, steering column, and exterior and interior door handles are from the Chevrolet Cobalt
The backup lights are from the GMC Envoy
The heating, ventilating, and air conditioning modules are from the Hummer H3
The front fog lamp assembly is from the Pontiac Grand Prix
The steering wheel is from the Pontiac Torrent
The 2.4 L Ecotec engine is shared with the Saturn ION, Pontiac G6, Chevrolet Cobalt, and Chevrolet HHR
The five-speed manual transmission is from the Hummer H3, GMC Canyon, and Chevrolet Colorado
The five-speed automatic is from the Cadillac CTS, STS, and SRX
The side view mirrors and AC vents are from the Fiat Barchetta
The seat frames are from the previous generation Opel Corsa

NoTears316

Did I say, "good job"?

fullsmoke

I'm gonna start a thread that compares the pros/cons between a dog and cat because I heard someone here doesn't like dogs.

FS

dillsrotary

nice little car, but it has alot of catching up to do to get the rep that the miata has.

Ike

Does that mean a lot more gay men need to buy them?

Grassroot Motorsports did a comparo between the two a while back, they had an older Miata, the new MX-5, and the Basic Solstice. The Soltice was the fastest the test and it was mostly based around autox.

RojoOcho

I personally like the Sky more lookswise. But if I'm not mistaking, isn't this basically an Opel or something like that from Europe? Someone feel free to chime in.

Lithium Lotus

Saturn Sky=Opel GT, and both share the same platform as the Solstice.

This post wasn't to attack your opinion on the car or how it looks. That's your right to talk about it. What I was trying to do is educate the people that say "it's an American car, so it can't handle worth a crap." It's the people that have never driven a Kappa and/or are import nut swingers that can't give props where props are due. And the same people always seem so defensive when an American car can meet or beat an import in some shape or form. In their minds, an American car can NEVER meet the standards of an import and will always be a peice of crap.

ASH8

I call the Solstice a Good Attempt from what I have read, but, to compare to a MX-5...please...there is no comparo...

But, I would like to drive a Soulless to find out what I have already read.

ASH8

Yes, an Opel Speedster

Redpit10

My mother has a Soltice. Not the GXP, but its got every option imaginable for a non-gxp. Ive driven the car a few times. I personally feel its great looking, but the driving "experience" is nothing compared to the RX-8. The Soltice motor feels coarse and unrefined, and as RPM's go up it feels even more unrefined. Its a nice car for the price and I would like to drive the GXP and the Soltice with the mallet V-8, and im sure that would prompt me to change my review. For now, however, my review is:

For a "Driver" this is not the car (Base Soltice), but for a Mom trying to look cool on the weekend this is the car.

Icemark

I think the real test for the car will be at 30K miles and 60K miles and 100K miles...

Let see how solid the Solstice/Sky is then and how much the owners have spent keeping them on the road.

CarAndDriver

Its an improvement over a Sunfire convertible.

SmokeyTheBalrog

The first time I drove past one I was like, "what car is that?!?" Personally, I like the look a lot.

I have no problem with them taking parts from other cars as long as they deliver. Everyone does it. In fact there are very very few cars that don't.

It does sound like GM has a good starting point and with some refinement might have something very impressive.

I might have to go for a MX5 / Solstice test drive at some point just so I can see em in person.
(Note: You can have my 8 when you pry it from my cold dead fingers.)