2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe GXP New Orleans LA
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Lake Charles, LA
2009 Pontiac Solstice Coupe GXP
November 18, 2009 By Zach Bowman, DriverSide Contributing Editor
2009 Pontiac Solstice 
2009 Pontiac Solstice
DriverSide Overview
This year is Pontiac ’s swan song. Come 2010, the long and storied brand that was intended to bring a little excitement to the General Motors stable will join the ranks of innumerable other American manufacturers in the history books. But before that happens, the company has one last firecracker up its sleeves – the 2009 Solstice Coupe GXP. Produced in the last year of Pontiac’s existence, the external design of the car has stuck to its original concept in a way few cars manage to do. With low, half windows and a sinister rear deck, this car literally stops traffic. It’s uniquely gorgeous – delivering exotic looks with an absolutely accessible price tag. The direct-injection, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine serves up more horsepower and better fuel economy than the naturally aspirated version, too. That’s not to say the car doesn’t have its faults, as the interior is chock full of puzzlers – like why can’t the driver’s seat recline with the door closed? And why did they put the window controls there? Frustrating negatives like a serious lack of cargo space and ridiculous blind spots also crop up. But when taken as sports car quirkiness, those inconveniences are easily forsaken on a brisk ride through the mountains.
What's to Like
The exterior of the Pontiac Solstice Coupe GXP is drop dead gorgeous, and it has the power to match its sporty looks. With 260 horsepower on tap, the turbocharged four-cylinder engine provides plenty of power, and we averaged 32 mpg during highway driving. Those are impressive figures. The optional seven-speaker Monsoon stereo fills the tiny cabin with great sound, too.
What's Not to Like
Unfortunately, there’s a hefty price to be paid for those sexy looks. The Solstice Coupe GXP has nearly unmanageable blind spots that make changing lanes and backing out of parking lots a hair-raising experience. The interior layout is troublesome, with controls either difficult to reach or inaccessible all together, and there’s nowhere onboard to stow the removable targa top.
The Drive:
DriverSide Driving Impressions
Ignoring the blind spots, the Solstice Coupe GXP is remarkably easy to drive. Power from the direct-injection engine is smooth and ample and the limited-slip differential ensures all the power makes it to the ground. The front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout makes for a great drive when the road gets twisty, and the sport-tuned suspension on the GXP handles steering-wheel inputs quickly and accurately. Unlike other roadsters out there, the Solstice actually offers up a fairly comfortable drive thanks to suspension damping that handles pavement imperfections with ...