The Pontiac Solstice Was a Better Miata from General Motors
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The Pontiac Solstice was a Mazda Miata from General Motors -- except I think it was better. Today I'm reviewing the Solstice GXP to explain what was and what I think about it, and I'm going to take you on a tour of the Solstice. I'm also going to drive the Solstice GXP and show you what the Pontiac Solstice was like on the road.
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"I love the way it looks." Styling: 6
Does doug scores doesn't make any sense at all. I just don't watching that part.
@@hkmp57 I understand the scoring there - even that some other ones are pretty weird. But you can like a car very much, and still admit that it's not the best :P Like - put this next to a Aventadore and it'll look pretty meh. I think it looks meh next to most cars but still. I myself love the design of my Mazda6, but it's still not that spectacular compared to what's out there.
@@skagerstrom your mom is loose
@@skagerstrom I'd put this cars' styling along with the C6 Corvette and cars that look more sleek than trying to be overly aggressive and edgy like the Aventador or other modern Lamborghinis. Many of today's manufacturers over do it with the aggressiveness on common commuter cars.
I see this a lot as well: 0-60 4.5s......Doug Score: 5
Pontiac didn't survive the crisis but Doug's shirts did
These shirts
Hi Doug right
If didn't then how Doug got one
* T-shirts...
(Collars not allowed)
Pontiac was defunct 10 years ago...
I remember seeing a Pontiac Solstice parked in front of a Blockbuster Video when it was first released. I had no idea that Pontiac and Blockbuster would both be bankrupt a decade later.
Pontiac didn't go bankrupt; the division, along with Hummer, was axed as part of its corporate restructuring during its 2009 bankruptcy. The division had long been not-very-profitable, and, like Oldsmobile before it, was a victim of buyer's changing tastes.
The Solstice came out in 2007 maybe 2006, Pontiac was defunct by 2010. That's only 4 years tops
@@SCHMALLZZZ I’m pretty sure blockbuster also went bust at around that same time.
Nice tie in.
Damn! The Irony
This car was so ahead of its time... It had a current BMW grille 13 years before BMW adopted it
4 series grill 🤔
plus m3 and m4 🤔🤔🤔
I like Saturn's take, too!
OH MY GOD HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Cause BMW is retarded Pontiac brother.
It was hideous then and it's hideous now
Hey guys! This is my Solstice. I met with Doug about 3 weeks ago when he reviewed it.
Actually I did get it clean before he came. They did the exterior and vacuumed the interior. But some spots wouldn't come out too well. And then the spots under the top's latches didn't get clean with the wash. Dirt always builds up there and I forgot to tell them to clean it there.
It is my daily driver and it gets dirty quickly. I detail it once a week. Ultimately I didn't care if some spots didn't clean well enough, it was a fun experience and I hope you enjoyed it too. I love every second I'm in this car and I don't plan to selling it until it becomes useless. Best sports car 10K can buy IMO.
Thank you Doug for coming to review it. Have a great day everyone
Id like to see the 'backstage' of the review, I love Doug and his channel, also your car
You should try a Mazdaspeed Miata for under $10k 😉
note to self if i ever get Solstice: leave a special instructions not for the detailers
Nice car
You paid money for it to be detailed? Terrible job, especially to be featured on a show.
if doug was reviewing my car, I'd clean it before......
What car you got bro
@@user-hd9fp8oj2u nothing special. VW Polo 2016. But clean !!
@@liftenmaker785 nooice
No shit man. Was thinking the same thing
I’m 11 min in and I’ve cringed at least 7 times at the lack of cleanliness
This car will always have a place in my heart, I remember 5 years old me watching Transformers for the first time and instantly picking Jazz as my favorite. both for his badass personality and the cool car model he chose
Was waiting to see the Transformer comment Jazz was really dope 👌
So glad to hear you like crap movies, ugly cars and are a sap for marketing.
If Jazz wasn't contractually obligated to pick a GM car, I'm not sure he would've picked a Solstice.
cool i only watched this vid cuz of tf 1
Too bad dumbass Michael Bay decided to kill him off the very movie he was introduced
Who doesn't clean their car before giving it to Doug lol, Thissss guy...
Doug should have gotten one of those family SUVs with a vacuum along to demonstrate how practical those are...
Though I doubt a single vacuum wont help much on the inside xD
It has a pretty sorry top design that attracts dirt underneath. The tops get wonky looking as they age.
If i drove one of these turds i wouldnt care to wash it either. This is probably the ugliest sports car ever, in my opinion
@@nutandboltguy3720 d432q
@@retrorewind6042 You probably love every soulless bmw that gets farted out into the market.
*Better Miata*
Miata fanboys: "Them's fightin' words"
@fritzdaddy-135mm get staggered I do sort of agree, it seems better on paper, but in practice not so much, considering sales lol
Lies. Might as well be Trumpkin saying "Coronavirus will go away in the summer like a miracle." LOL!
Yo wtf I don't have a miata and I literally thought that when I saw the title.
@@markpfeffer7487 Doug's gone full clickbait. Anyone want to buy some of his bathwater?
They're different cars to me. The Miata is like a small, sharp knife and the solstice is a bigger, less sharp knife. The miata does better with what it has. However, add a turbo or engine swap and the Miata quickly shows how much better it's chassis really is.
30 years ago: Say mama, say dada
Baby Doug: Thissssssss
ALSO Baby Doug: Aand next
Baby Doug: "d-d- *QUIRKS AND FEEEEATURES"*
Drivingggg the Radio Flyer GT...
Baby Doug: quikies and fetuwers!
More quirks:
1. The battery is on the right side, just forward of the windshield. To change it, you have to remove a section of the side panel.
2. If you fold the seats forward, there are areas (held in by netting) to store small flat objects.
3. There is a trunk release inside the trunk, although no one bigger than a two year old could possibly fit inside the trunk
4. Glare makes reading the instruments (tach, speedometer, gas gauge, info center) a challenge.
And one needs T-Rex arms for the windows
@@tedweeke9988 Not true I just use my right hand for the windows and my left hand for the cupholders
@@UpperRobin29 hahaha ! perfect :D
Had one for 180k miles and never had one problem aside from being broken into. Was a fun and surprisingly reliable car.
Was that a GXP model though?
@@4the_record272 nope just the non turbo model
180k and never lost the waterpump?@@Jay-bw3fl Also the turbo is a little less reliable.
@@nathanielbailey108 nope
@@Jay-bw3fl thats nuts, virtually unheard of. It is a reliable car but that waterpump is it's weak point and you somehow dodged what is seen as inevitable.
This car is an other episode of Pontiac saying to GM "I’m still worthy! I can still make good stuff! Please keep me!”
Only for GM to say "no, China be wanting Buick, bye."
Honestly Buick might be axed now after the whole coronavirus crisis.
@@ultraguy8771 the plan-demic... the scam-demic... Lol. Yup.
@Michael Snodgrass wat
"China". Lmfao. ....
@Michael Snodgrass
I have several questions
Doug’s son: Dad, why is my sister’s name Rose?
Doug: Because your mother loves roses
Doug’s son: Thanks dad
Doug: No problem CNC
He has two kids: CNC and Cars And Bids.com
@@vedantawasthi5410 and slash oversteer
His kids names are Quirks and Features respectively. CNC and Cars&bids.com refer to his dog and cat.
I think he's gonna have twins. One kid will be named Quirk and the other kid will be named Feature
For more of my thoughts on my son you can go to autotrader.com/oversteer
If you've ever seen the first Transformers movie from 2007, you'll most likely see this car in the movie as one of the transforming vehicles.
Jazz. Would've been cool if he wasn't a Porsche in the cartoons. Plus even the black robot car gets killed in Hollywood movies.
I think some of us came from the movie
@@DorkKnight99 whats wrong w him being a Porsche?
And if you played Test Drive Unlimited, you have probably gotten a Saturn Sky Roadster as your first car.
The Solstice in the movie had a hard top which never made it into production.
One of my favorite vehicles to ever come from GM. It was breath of fresh air in the soulless era of the 2000s.
Soulless era of the 2000's? Is this some kind of joke? Along with the brilliant Solstice GXP, us 00's car aficionados had the Ferrari Enzo, Ferrari F430/430 Scuderia, Maserati MC12, Saleen S7, Lamborghini Murcielago, Lamborghini Gallardo, Audi R8, BMW E60 M5, BMW E63 M6, BMW E90/E92 M3, Mazda RX-8, Honda S2000, Mazdaspeed Miata, Mazdaspeed 3, Mazdaspeed 6, Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon, Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG,Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG, Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG (R171), Audi S8 V10 (D3), Audi S6 V10, Audi S4 V8, Volvo S60R, Volvo V70R, Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS, Chevy Silverado SS, Chevy Cobalt SS, Chevy SSR, Chevy Corvette C5 and C6, Pontiac Bonneville GXP, Pontiac G8 GXP, Pontiac Grand Prix GTP and Grand Prix GXP, Mercury Marauder, 2003 Ford Mustang Mach 1, Ford Mustang SVT Cobra, Ford Mustang Terminator, 2007 Mustang Shelby GT500, Ford F150 SVT Lightning, Ford SVT Focus, Dodge Ram SRT10, Dodge Viper SRT10, Dodge Neon SRT4, Dodge Caliber SRT4, Cadillac CTS-V, 2002 Cadillac Escalade, Nissan 350Z, Nissan GTR R35, Nissan Sentra SER Spec V, Lexus IS300, Lexus ISF, Toyota Celica GTS, Toyota MR-2 Spyder?
GM had it's own little 'Tesla' engineer group responsible for these cool cars (Solstice/Sky). What killed it was not the recession, that's Doug believing false narratives. What killed it was contempt from GM corporate culture. Didn't want to be undone by these young upstarts. This is also why GM sold only 2 electric Hummers last quarter. Some things never change.
@@hakeemsd70mthank you for typing all that out just to prove what a dumbass comment that was
Man, if Doug was reviewing my car I’d be sure to clean it first. Lol.
Though the same thing
Some people just dont give AF
I didn't notice any dirt....then again I have to park my car in the mud behind the house, so I have a different standard.
That car was so fast it flew past every car wash. 😂
Lol lmao😂
Why would you wash a car?
@@jizzyjake6783 You don't wash your car?
@@joshuamorehead6124 I would never
@@jizzyjake6783 why not, do you have some old piece of crap car you don't care about?
This is the type of car as its whisking by you say to yourself “Huh, that’s a nice car.” The car is truly timeless which is hard to do.
The best part of the solstice/sky journey was the dealer installed option for another 30 hp for a total of 290 and obscene amounts of torque. "Whoops our bad guys we left some power on the table, just bring it back in and toss us a few hundred bucks and we will hook you up."
Was it just an electronic update?
@@80s_Boombox_Collector the boost sensors are replaced
@@Guru4hire Oh ok. Could do that aftermarket as well I guess.
@@80s_Boombox_Collector just for clarity it does have a tune with the new 3 bar sensors. It is still likely available at your local chevy dealership. At least it was a year ago. But yes most "stage 1" tunes get you to roughly the same place. The benefit of the OE option was it didn't meddle with your warranty.
@@Guru4hire Gotcha, thanks for the info.
The transformers nostalgia is kicking in.
(R.i.p Jazz)
Yes 🥺
Actually jazz was a racing Porsche 935 back in the eighties...he was one of my favs!
Who's giving Doug their car to review without detailing it? Cmon now.
Yes, you beat me to that thought. That car is nasty.
Right. Doug must have been in a real hurry to push some content out. Didn't even think to wipe it down, nothing?
Right? This ain't rcr
Come here for this, soooo dirty
I think everyone that has given him their car 🚗. I don’t understand why you wouldn’t clean 🧽 it first but thanks for letting him review it 🤩.
Imagine if Pontiac hadn't been under GM's thumb and could have done anything they wanted.
Imagine that for every GM Marque.
@@stormtrooper8431 Bet Chevy would've gone berserk. Shame they are controlled by GM though
Since the 60's they've had to dummy it down for GM.Only two cars for a handfull of years were they allowed to reach their(pontiac) full potential
I really loved owning a Solstice, and for all current owners reading this; there's a little hidden compartment on the top of the interior driver's side convertible top where the fabric meets the frame. The metal frame has a bit of a cutout when compared to the passenger side and in that little divot you can easily get your fingers between the fabric and the frame and store any small items you might want to hide 😉.
Coulda done a reference there like.. "And to all remaining autobots taking refuge among the stars.. We are here"
@jetfire007 We're referring to "mary jane" right? ..... right?!? 😬🤣😆😂😔
@@TheNobleLoyalist heroin
@@MrKruger88 even better. I'm doing some right now is a matter of fact.
Old school biker crank
accidentally hit that trunk button while you're driving and you'll get an airbrake...
haha
Accidently?
@@adamhlali8106 Guess you've never heard of a typo
Try it. It won't open when the car is in motion.
it wont open while in motion
Going too fast and ur brakes fail but wait I have an air brake haha
I wanted to buy a Pontiac Solstice
I can't afford it after Doug's video
Good thing I own one already lmao
I’ve owned mine for two years just the regular 2.4 model. Simply put: it’s fun to drive , smooth shifting and clutch, super comfortable ride- just a joy to own. Unlike the Miata, you sit in the car -like a race car. I upgraded the plastic consul n door inserts wrappimg it with quilted leather diamond stitch
my dad got his back in 2007 when it came out and now it’s gonna be mine when I get my license in February
The Solstice and its siblings were the last cars produced at the Wilmington Assembly plant in my native Delaware - an honorable way to close that plant's sometimes turbulent life. (Wilmington Assembly was demolished and is now an Amazon fulfillment center.)
Oh man ... I'd like to get my hands on that thing and detail it. It makes my skin crawl!
agree!!!!
Right? It's tough seeing enthusiast cars being treated this way
Doug's been getting his hands on some groady cars lately. No pride in ownership. I keep my '07 Accent looking better.
isnt it awful....dirty filthy mess of a car....so gross
I've noticed a lot of the cars he reviews has dirty car mats. Even in ultra exotics....
Fun fact: In 2008 this car won it's class (T2) in the SCCA national championship.
I worked in a pit crew for one of the Solstices , and this car was a blast. Suffered on the top end speed, but would exit corners faster and anything else in it's class.
We got this car in Europe as an Opel GT (Opel is a German car manufacturer that GM owned). Unfortunately it didn't sell too well but it was super reliable and fun. Most people complain about the weak breaks
@@karimtemri1664I think they should have given it more Corvette styling like the 60s Opel GT had.
I kinda want one now. Would make a fun daily/commuter.
i own a 5 speed base model, even with a fairly gutless motor it's still amazingly fun. i have a smile on my face permanently when i'm driving lol
Nobody gonna talk about the fact that the car has a vanity plate that reads "shart cat"?
Midnight Club: Los Angeles has entered the chat
Annie: “Don’t forget about putting that new intercooler in my Solstice”
MCLA the goat
Midnight Club is
*STILL UNDERRATED SOZ*
Dude I love you for this reference, thanks for that. I need to go home and play it now
I still play it to this day
Ah, good memories
Doug just said “OG”
And now I’m uncomfortable.
Glad someone else noticed. Funny in the context of this car review.
I bought mine a month ago and its fantastic.. I got a gxp with an upgraded ECU making 300hp and it drives phenomenally.. I love it
I’ve seen just about all of your videos and this is one of my favorites!
Keep on the enthusiasm about cars! I enjoy every second of it
Everyone in the comments saying the car is dirty...it's REALLY DIRTY😂
it should either be a requirement that the car be washed/valeted before being show cased or as a thank you (from Doug) for letting the car be show cased, normally this doesn't bother me but THIS was real dirty
To be fair, look at Doug's hair. Maybe unwashed is the theme of the video.
Too each their own I'd guess, but if I had a car for display by Doug I would do my best to make it shine.
@@neovenom9833 what if this is clean compared to what it normally looks like haha 🤔
I'm surprised Doug didn't say anything about it
*When GM actually tries, they can really dominate a market even if no one cares.* 👍
Like with the corrvette, camaro, solstice, Silverado 2500+ etc etc?
If they didn’t cut so many corners and cheapen out on everything they could make good and cool cars
Pontiac: we got these cool ideas for a new car..
GM: whoa whoa whoa, dial it back. Don't need you competing with other brands, especially our own
A M that's so true, the Pontiac's at the time to me were way better than the other GM cars, especially the high performance models. I'll never understand why they dumped the brand after 84 years but kept Buick. Pontiac was finally making some cool cars again.
@@ourtime-downhere6931 Buick is Big in china, maybe is a good reason?
I had this car in navy blue. I had the automatic GXP. Fun car, great gas mileage. I loved it CA where there wasn't much rain. When we moved to TN the roads were fun, the rain was not. So I sold it.
i was gonna ask, there's a lot of rain in tenessee? but i guess compared to desert ass cali, there is
@@idklol4197 Yes there is most of the time. We had a pretty dry summer last year though for a change lol. I don't expect it to be dry this summer but here's hoping loll.
I really wished that Pontiac, Saab, and Holden had successful careers afterwards and got fully sold without GM’s aggressive nature, much like how Opel did and surprisingly got away with it. I swear, GM is *literally* the EA of car brands at this point…
I’m always amazed when I see a car that Doug reviews and it’s filthy. How do you not clean your car before you give it over to be seen by 1+ million viewers?
I noticed that when. He did the roof top
Saved me commenting...perhaps I'm too fussy.
I was literally about to comment that 😂. Even I got rid of that nasty dirt from the roof pins by cleaning the hella out of it. Dealer never took care of it. Shame
I asked myself the same.
Considering how much Doug makes from a video like this, he could detail the car for the guy as a thank you for providing it in my opinion.
Doug stop raising the prices of these cars
Soo glad i bought my sky before he put this video out. 🤣
th-cam.com/video/2w3sZX8SN0I/w-d-xo.html
I have the Sky redline, beautiful and fast car
Justus Fuller16 ya was kinda surprised it wasn’t mentioned
Justus Fuller16 Same I love the thing
This was definitely a winner car. simple, small, lightweight with a powerful engine for its size. They should have transferred this to the chevrolet division to continue making it.
yep !
A car this sized weighing 1300 kilos isn't lightweight. It's amazing how heavy it is, especially when the interior is full of cheap plastic. And a 2,4 litre NA engine could give way more horsepower. Seriously, everybody says the BRZ is underpowered, yet it's more powerful than this, and lighter as well. Just admit that only a few americans can design engines. And Pontiac along with GM's other original brands can't.
I almost got one of these! They were a cute little hot rod! If I had had a 4car garage,there would be one there right now,next to my 82 collectors edition Vette..........
Oooh, it's the GXP model with the turbo engine? My bad, but that makes it even heavier.
@@Tuukkis it has 260hp, nit wit!
Everyone: that's a Pontiac Solstice
Transformer fan: RIP JAZZ 😢
Doug: Hey, I want to review your Solstice.
Owner: Cool, let me drive it through a dust storm first.
Lmao right? I was thinking exactly this. I mean their car is gonna be viewed on the internet by like 3 mil people. Taking 15 minutes of their time to make it look neat and presentable isn't so hard....
Not me. He can review my car " as is"
People who do things like that are def people who don't floss or clean themselves often.
T M H He doesn’t want to review your car
@@labornurse Is your car normally trashy?
My wife just said that Doug looks like Jay Leno's illegitimate love child and I can't unsee it.
I actually have a rather elaborate conspiracy theory about how Doug is Jays son.
I can't even see it.
I can see it, especially the lisp!
For sure....without a doubt. Who would argue if he was introduced at Jay's son?
O M G... Now I can't unsee it either.
The Solstice looks pretty good. Really nice stance with the Soft Top raised, it almost looked like it had a chop top.
I’ve always loved the solstice, when I was a young child on my scooter I used to imagine while I was riding my scooter I was driving a red Pontiac solstice
You sound more like a pink solstice kind of guy
A magenta solstice sounds more like it
@@miniaturekitty9679 Pink Solstice would look pretty fucking cool tbh, blacked out rims, maybe some black pinstriping or other detail? You just have no vision just because "haha is girl color"
@@maddeeps5520 Whatever floats your boat
Doug must be the youngest old man I've ever seen.
I'm pretty convinced Doug is Jay Leno's love child some how.
Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained beats Doug in that aspect.
He was already a boomer in the 2nd grade.
he's only 34 oddly enough
You should see tony hawk
I own a GXP Solstice, such a great car! I love it. Has over 100K miles and still going strong.
GXP would be six banger is it not 🤔
Kangaroo Jack I should hope so. Not that old of a car.
I had mine too. I miss it. I traded it in for a C6.
I test drove one of these a few years ago, the top-of-the-line GXP, and made a few mental notes:
Positives
• doesn't look like anything else on the road
• turns heads
• gets out of its own way
• little to no turbo lag
• handles well
Negatives
• wicked blind spots
• almost no storage space at all including no trunk and no map pockets
• cramped cabin
• cheap plasticy feel
I'd still like own one, but only for the right price and only for around town commuting. No long trips and no passengers that you aren't very comfortable with.
map pockets are behind the driver's seat and also there is pouches at the front of the seats
I agree about the blind spots. And as a previous owner I would like to add that it was blind to other drivers. Like on a motorbike, you had to watch that other drivers won't see you coming up behind or beside them.
I have no idea about the blind spots because I’ve never driven mine with the top up.
I liked the Saturn Sky version as well.
Indeed. The Sky looked WAY better IMO.
@@RedLP5000S funny thing both were rebadged opels from europe. I think they still make them over there. I hate that we cant get cool stuff like this anymore.
They should have made the Pontiac logo on the back into a big 3rd brake light
I have a GXP decal over my 3rd brake light. Sorta reminds me of the Viper.
what is this car? *viper*
Kinda like a big as tramp stamp to let everyone know you like to play
@@slow.elantra427 what is this car? VIPER!
I drive a Buick Roadmaster and I really like Buick. But GM messed up when they downsized. They should've kept Pontiac instead of Buick. The Trans Am, Fiero, and so many others could've been brought back with modern technology. Can you imagine a new Fiero or Firebird Trans Am? I love GM vehicles, but they've made a lot of mistakes through the years
Buick was an easy money maker for GM. They took OPEL designs, rebadged them and sold them in China, South Korea and the U.S. and made good money with that approach.
Buick is immensely successful in China probably one of the most dominant brands there.
The 77 downsizing?
they did it based on sales...Chevy and Pontiac were sort fighting for the same demographic and no thanks to AARP Buick is loved many a metamucil and lipitor user hence Buick has a solid and (regular) demographic
Well said buddy they should of dumped Buick Pontiac had more potential.
Good video. One other way to tell on the exterior between the GXP and the regular Solstice is the front bumper cover, around the light, there are grates on the GXP bumpers, not on the others.
Cheap cheap cheap, but I love it. Had to replace the door handles, the center console is cracked to bits from repeated elbow-resting, and the center glovebox is a wobbly mess. But make no mistake, *this is a classic roadster in the old school tradition.* An appropriate swansong for Pontiac
I just witnessed Doug saying "OG"
Edit: Someone please detail that car
agreed!! to both
What's OG? Yes, car needs detail.
I must have missed it. Where?
Ollie Hopnoodle OG is short for original gangster.
@@reflex3843 ~12 minutes in
I loved the Saturn version of this car. Tried cramming myself into one when they came out. No dice.
🤣, too funny
Yeah, it's a tough road for us tall guys who like sports cars ;)
I feel your pain...my buddy bought a new s2000 when they came out. I could sit in the drivers seat, but I couldn't lift my feet off the floorboards 😪
My dad sold Saturns and my mom was able to borrow an R line from time to time. So many nostalgic memories in those Skys .... it’s a shame I’m 6’7” and couldn’t even fit if I paid to have it stretched haha!
The Saturn Sky
I would consider this to be an underrated car. It looks fun to drive and with manual, rwd, and a turbo engine seems like it would be very fast and handle well
as an owner, you'd be correct
I owned a black 2007 Solstice GXP I bought brand new. It was a great car. Very fun to drive, and I only had to have a few minor repairs done. I owned the car for 10 years. After an optional GM performance upgrade that cost $750 along with a couple other minor aftermarket upgrades, the car did 0-60 mph in under 5 seconds.
Wait till megatron rips it into two...
Seriously we need a newer version of this car
Transformers 2007 was literally a gm commercial
@@houdinics2 I kind of lusted after the Camaro for while after watching it
Lmao!!!!!!!!!
@@briant1745 dude same
Same thing happened to an Audi R8
Doug: i love the styling of this car
Also doug: *gives 6/10 on styling*
tough crowd
That's actually a good score from him considering Ferrari's get 7-8 🙄
5=Average 6=Slightly above average.
It's not even that good
Funny af but you have to put in to consideration the range of cars that are on the list. A Pontiac isn't a Koenigsegg
The Solstice is such a beautiful car in my opinion. Not just in specs, but also just aesthetically. I'm not a car person, I don't know much about specs, how to take care of everything, etc., but I'm willing to learn for this beauty.
Sadly, I can't get one at the moment because I'm a college student and I need luggage capacity when moving into and out of my dorm, but when I get out of college, its gonna be the car I start saving for. And I don't think I'll need to save for too long considering its a relatively affordable car.
I can wait to drive my dream car in a few years!
I'm confused as to why the "trunk" release being on the key fob was confusing.
Doug sounds like he is going to vomit every time he says “General Motors”.
It is a natural reaction. Government Motors can swallow.
He doesn't give a crap about GM. He's a little better now but his older GM reviews used to be pretty harsh and short. Which sucks for those of us who are enthusiasts. Not to mention he kept calling it a miata!
I sometimes do the same thing. (:
@@kevinreynaga6340 It's hard to give a crap about GM. I used to love GM. Their product development is embarrassing. They blew it with the new Blazer, it looks like all of their other SUVs.The new Corvette is nice and surprisingly fast. Hopefully this is a step in the right direction. Their interiors are awful. The infotainment systems also not very good. Fortunately for GM they can sell vechiles based off their name.
@@wethenorth1083 The GM name is nothing. There is nothing good about GM anymore. Buick ? That's a joke. GMC ? They sell 3 cars a year only in the US. Cadillac ? That was a name... not anymore. Hummer ? That's embarrassing. Chevrolet ? If you like cars that look very generic and crappy interiors Chevrolet is for you. Okay the new Corvette blablabla but you don't save an entire group with an overstyled sports car. Anyway GM is embarrassing.
There is a guy in my region running a Solstice in a pretty advanced autocross class. Oh and a guy with a Sky too, lol. Very epic. Great review as always Doug. Continued success with the new web site.
Pezz Pezzer the Sky is much better looking than the Pontiac in my opinion.
Matthew Hurley In convertible yes, but when the Solstice is a GXP Coupe(hardtop) it looks better than the Sky. Edit: also the GXP Coupe is extremely rare, it was only made for a year with a hardtop.
Kind of nice that when it is time to change the headlight bulb, you raise the hood and pop out the old and pop in the new...no partial disassembly required (as is the case on many other cars (e.g. Stanza, F150, Ram 1500).
My wife had a GXP. One big quark that Doug failed to pick up on was the battery was located on the passenger side tucked down low. Great for the CG but required removing the lower quarter panel behind the front tire to change the battery. Additionally, the car had no spare tire but did come with a can of fix-a-flat and a battery operated air pump. A fun car overall. We hated to part with it.
"theyre more the 3 cup holders crowd" literally the first time ive ever chuckled at a doug joke....its actually a miracle
Honestly I think it's one of the most beautiful cars of modern era. It's just so playful, yet somewhat futuristic and somehow balanced
The sky was better
@@tientrinh943 To be honest I feel that Sky looks very dated now while Solstice feels still modern. + at least for me, I don't like angry cars and Sky was definitely angrier
Thanks for your Test Drive.. I really enjoy all your video's.. I would love to have one of the last Pontiac's Solstice or G8
I have owned a 2006 solstice, silver with 5sp trans, with 58k miles on it. for a bit over 5 years now.
It has been fun and trouble free the whe time.
Only complaint: 2 seats, 3 cup holders, but no ash tray.
Great car.
This was “Maximum” Bob Lutz’s baby. It was the car he always wanted GM to build as I recall. It didn’t get quite baked before it was sold, but I still want one.
Underbaked is a perfect description. The Suppository-shaped bodywork by Pontiac was a disappointment compared to the Saturn version. Check out the Saturn SKY. Better looking by far. That wonderful turbo engine can be found slightly detuned, in new gen Saabs from 2004-2011. That ecotech 2.0T had a lot of Saab engineers hands in the design process, who gave it a really good turbo power band.
Surprised he didn't talk about the coupe
I read the Volt was the car he was most proud of.
@@directorjustin I mean Lutz has said the Dodge Viper, The Chevy Volt and the Pontiac Solstice were "his favorite" in different interviews. So nobody really knows. www.caranddriver.com/news/a15137170/call-it-the-lutz-car-news/
MassiveTrackHunter Sorry, but the Sky styling will never be as nice as the smooth and clean Solstice. Just too many creases and grooves on the Saturn!
Me: trying to study for my exams
Doug: Thiiiiiis
I can relate that is exactly what I was doing when he posted this.
Emile Deschamps I am in grad school, in Nepal. No such thing as “fun summer holidays” in here 🤪
Doug after 5 years of making TH-cam videos: thissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss ssssssssssssssss
@Emile Deschamps College classes and yes I am but im almost finished.
No its Thissssss
The badge and exhaust are not the only indicators you're looking at a GXP. You can also tell by the front bumper. The GXP had larger cutouts in the bumper where the fog lamps are located with vents on the inboard side of the fog lamps/turn signals. The base model had a slightly cleaner look with round cutouts for the fog lamps/turn signals, and no vents.
You forgot about Spain. They used the Pontiac Solstice GXP and called it the Tauro V8 Spider.
The use of easy to scratch hard plastics throughout the interior screams "I'm a GM car". 😒
Totally but not unlike my dodge that I use on my channel up in the mountains. I just drive it hard till it breaks and try and make people laugh.
Ahh, not that easy to scratch. The plastic in my '70 Buick though. Woof. The saving grace is that it's usually covered by a sticker that's supposed to be wood or recessed near vinyl or paint that supposed to be chrome. You know where GM also repeatedly steps on its dick? Wheels. Ever look at a Stock 5 gen Camaro's wheels? What a joke. Look at a Challenger's wheels or a Mustang's . GM mails it in on wheels most of the time and has for...20 years? 30?
I have Down syndrome
@@iloveyew9984 We can see your other comment replies on TH-cam and I believe you're trolling. 🤨
Kerig Pope lmao clearly bub
That footwell cup holder is just BEGGING for someone to break it off
Most are gone
I got a Saturn sky and mine broke off years ago
I own a Saturn Sky. I am pretty happy with it. I'm glad you gave it such a good review.
My mom has the sky and a family friend has the GXP. Another “quirk” Doug didn’t mention is the battery, it’s behind the front passenger fender and you have to take the wheel and the fender off to replace it. Around $300 from the dealer.
Still a good looking car. I miss the days of Pontiac.
I always preferred the Saturn/Opel version
@@DriveLineZ They look good too but Pointiac looks unique
Most 90's Ponticraps where garbage, with horrible wiring and sketchy brakes
Aztec too.
“Was a better Miata” YOU HAVE STARTED A GANG WAR.
Yeah definitely NOT better than the miata. And I’m not even a miata fan.
Yeah, but the DK himself said that it was better than miata
I have one of these, it is better than a miata in some ways. In other ways it is definitely not.
@@sage11x It's faster than a miata by a longshot, looks a hell of a lot better, and has tons more grip.
i have a gxp coupe 2009 in Mexico. I think it is almost the same as a new miata some things are better i it is less practical but i think it looks better and is a fun car to drive i mean mine has a automatic transmission but still fun.
Been waiting for this video, ty. Waiting to buy a GXP for a while now
I wanted one really bad when they first came out. Unfortunately the local dealer had them marked up 10k over the sticker and could only get them with an automatic transmission. I found a used 2000 MR2 Spyder and bought it instead. I still have it and drive it although it is not my daily driver.
Doug: "The NC Miata is the least liked, Pontiac is better than it..."
NC Miata prospective buyes: Thanks Doug for not skyrocketing the market price!
There is no NC miata, that turd, designed by Fisher-Price, is an mx-5. still a better car than a solstice though. solstice breaks down more, handles like it actually was made by fisher price, and has enough plastic all over it to convince you fisher price produced it XD
helterskelter416 yes there is NC Miata. Idiot. That’s the chassis label. NA, NB, NC, and ND. Idiot.
Interior by Rubbermaid, heavy handling like all GM cars of the era, no trunk with top down, almost no trunk with top up, too heavy, can't put top down without stopping and getting out of car... Oh yeah its much better than the NC. Doug just saying crap to get comments and views, and it works.
@@pintobrown2643 Actually, I believe he was saying that Mazda stopped calling it a "Miata" by the time the NC came out, and just called it an MX-5..... FANS mostly still call it a Miata, but Mazda calls it the MX-5. Are you tracking?
@@yikesvikes Here in Britain, all of them (NA, NB, NC, ND) are, and always have been, MX-5s.
Are we gonna talk about Doug's hair?
Each day it gets closer to a mad scientist
HAHAHAHA!!!
Imagine if GM brought this back as a Chevrolet
and electric with an automatic gearbox
@@freeautoinsurance365 As much as I like EVs (I daily-drive a Nissan Leaf), I don't want to see my beloved Saturn Sky as one. It's always been a car made to generate fun - and that's not something EVs do very well. Yes, the acceleration would be crazy, but it's just not what this kind of car was designed for. It was made to be a challenging car for beginners, with all the roar, taking corners sideways, revving... An electric roaster simply doesn't sound like a dream car to me.
@@wojciechmuras553 i agree
They do have a concept www.autoevolution.com/news/pontiac-solstice-and-saturn-sky-return-as-2022-c7-corvette-sisters-144046.html
@Chairhotdogchair i don't think EVs have transmissions. And this thing would be so light that power to weight ratio will kill the drivers, bringing in tons of lawsuit and investigations
I feel like this car could've been something out of this world if they had put a v10 or something crazy under the hood
V8s fit snug
Yeah, there are kits to put an LS engine into these cars. They handle like dog shit but can outrun damn near anything on the road in a straight line.
Why not just buy a Corvette then?
@@robertstone9988 Because almost every vette oustide of the C4 and maybe C5 is way more expensive
THIIIISSSSSS is a dirty car that hasn't been washed since the last time it rained.
Right, these owners know at least a quarter million people might see their car. Thing is dirtydirty
Dirtyest Car ever!
I feel like I was just personally attacked lol
remarkable that they would let their car be shown when it is so filthy
I just made the same comment shocked how dirty this car was. when the convertible top left the trunk lid that black underneath horrified me.
this has to be the dirtiest car he's ever reviewed
I thought the same thing !
Don't watch the Lexus RC review
SHA❤'sCAT but neither one of them really love this car!
Very dirty. Especially since it only has 25K miles!
I never understand why someone would let Doug film their car without cleaning it first.
Always wanted one, as I considered the car ahead of its time both in terms of styling and performance (GXP), so I started looking...noticed in the last few years prices have been going up especially the GXP and as for the coupe, forget it..if you can even find one..but I finally found a Florida GXP car ( I am in Canada), with 70000 miles and in pristine condition. An 84 year old had it for 8 years, had a RPM Motorsports stage 2 tune done, and when I drove 3 hours to give it a look, I was shocked at how hard it pulled...no rust at all, and interior in 9/10 condition. Asked him why he had it tuned for more power and he said it seemed like a fun thing to do..lol...ok then, well thank you...I bought the car for $15900 Canadian which was a great price (he had lowered it twice) but in November cars like this dont sell to well. Unfortunately he had cancer and had to give up his pride and joy..his last parting words were..it will give you thrills as long as you stay away from the police..lol....we will try!!!.
I didn't realize it when I got the car, but the ND Miata has the same 3 cup holder positions as the Solstice, only they are slots where cup holders can be removed/inserted. It also has the same type "glove box" on the rear wall.
Other car guys: check out the engine
Doug: check out the cupholders
Doug: And the DougScore is...
TH-cam: ADVERTISEMENTS
Get premium, no ads, got it free for 4 months with new phone then went back to normal TH-cam for 2 days, went straight back to premium😂😂😂
That’s both Doug FYI
@@akaashkat7037 I use an adblocker so I don't have to see any ads from youtube. I'm not giving youtube a single cent of my money for the way they've been treating content creators for the past 4 years. I support youtubers I enjoy by buying their merch or joining their patreon.
@@gatlinweidler2218 You Sir....I like you
Welcome New TV, same as Old TV
This car is beautiful. It needs an 8 or 9 in styling.
Seriously. This car aged better than the 911's of the era. And Porsche's are always fucking timeless, that's their whole thing!
It looks 2007
@@sleepdeep305 Well that generation of 911 came out for the 05 model year and this car whatever you call it came out for the 06 model year so it is a newer design.
@@sleepdeep305 Also this car has the complex shapes and curves which the 911 of this era somewhat lacks so that could be it.
@@mustasheolll2020 I think that most of the ugliness of the 996's came from the headlights and grill. And you're right, they are slightly older
Fun fact: Those reverse lights are shared with the GMC Envoy👍🏻
Speaking of Solstice, maybe Doug should review the 2004-06 GTO next. It was a legit muscle car hailing from the Aussieland (called the Holden Monaro there), but not many people bought them when they were new, and today they are one of the most underrated performance cars you can buy on the market.
Surprised he hasnt yet since its a small,bland looking car that hides a 400 HP v8.Seems up his alley
I think the biggest problem the GTO had was it's styling (depending on your tastes). The performance was there, but the styling was very underwhelming. It just didn't really have any exciting features from the outside making it very forgettable. Pretty much the same problem the later SS had. My .02 anyways
@@Random12231 It looked too much like the 97-03 Grand Prix.
YES!!! FINALLY!!! Now the Solstice can get the recognition it deserves!!!
EDIT: Fun fact: The engine in the Solstice GXP/Sky Redline is the same engine used in the Chevy Cobalt SS and HHR SS.
The cup holder panel, my 98 Firebird had the same feature.... damn, I miss that awesome car.
When I take my Pontiac Solstice for a weekend trip with the top down, we put our weekender bags in the storage flaps on the front of the seats