Owning a compact two-seat convertible is definitely part of every man’s dreams, well most men. The car is slick, stylish, and it reminds you of what kind of car that you should be driving during dates. The last two decades saw the domination of just one model and that’s the Mazda Miata, however the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky have something to say about getting the lofty top spot. The Solstice is a definitely a car that can make anyone go for a second look because without a doubt, it’s definitely very attractive. On the other hand, the Saturn Sky looks like the Solstice although there’s a huge difference when it comes to the exterior and the interior. So what will the stylish and classy driver choose between two almost identical convertibles?
Pontiac Solstice
Price: 27000 USD
The Solstice is an average-powered car that has a 2.0 liter DOHC inline four-cylinder turbo engine that runs under the hood. Don’t take the car lightly though because it’s strong enough to produce a 260 horsepower output while being able to extend your gallon of gasoline to 31 miles in a highway driving. When it comes to acceleration, the car can churn up 5.5 seconds from 0-60 mph. The car is far from being a sports car but its performance is certainly entertaining and impressive for its class.
The exterior of the Solstice is pretty admirable and I thought that its grille and headlight improvements were done correctly. The thing is the Solstice has a solid and serious look while being carefree at the same time. The interior of the Solstice is modern, laidback, and downright comfortable. However, if you’re expecting some extra space then forget it, because convertibles are not designed to carry more than two people.
The multimedia artillery of the car is acceptable already and when it comes to creature comforts, the Solstice offers power windows, locks, and mirrors. Overall, the Solstice brings a lot to the table without being too flashy or being over the board. It’s essentially a basic convertible with a decent amount of power to boot. The great thing about choosing this car is that it can hold its own on unpredictable and twisting terrain without consuming so much gas.
Saturn Sky
Price: 29000 USD
The Saturn Sky has a 2.0 liter DOHC engine that is identical with its Pontiac counterpart and because of that it has the same acceleration, MPG rating and horsepower capabilities. With so much similarity under the hood, there’s got to be a difference somewhere and in terms of the exterior, the Saturn Sky has a better and more serious design compared to the Pontiac Solstice. The thing is the former looks sportier and it avoids being too cute, which the latter made the mistake of committing. When it comes to the interior, the Sky looks like it needs more fine-tuning and improvement although when it comes to the bright side, it can parallel the Pontiac Solstice on the comfort level that it brings.
If you are an audiophile and if you’re looking to be treated by this car then you’re both right and wrong. Right because it indeed has some basic multimedia features and wrong because there isn’t much. That means you still have to spend some cash in customizing it and there’s not enough space for the additional sound goodies. The thing about the Saturn Sky is that you’ll be paying more while you get essentially the same things from the Pontiac Solstice. However, the Saturn is a great car when it comes to whatever road condition that you’ll be throwing at it and it’s slightly better than the Pontiac Solstice in that department.
Overall, I would recommend both cars as neat and solid choices for a convertible although I am inclined to pick the Pontiac Solstice because it’s cheaper and has better interior facilities.
