Fiero vs Solstice: a Battle of Pontiacs Two-Seaters

I have both and love them equally Fiero 87 GT and 2007 Solstice GXP the Fiero is my daily driver and the Solstice is my weekend ride. If Pontiac could just morph everything that is great about both cars together they would have the best car in the world! Rear mid-engine design, body panels that don’t rust, Roomy interior, fast turbo, trunk space, great suspension…ect

I just purchased a 1988 Fiero GT with the 2.8 V-6 yesterday. I’ve always wanted a sports car since my high school days. When I first saw the Fiero in the early 1980’s I wanted one. But I was lured away from the “fire” reports. I ride a bicycle out on country roads. That is where I spotted the Fiero. The original owner was offering it for sale. I can’t pick the car up until next week. I am excited about owning the car and I have been reading all I can about it on the internet. I am sure I will enjoy this car and from what I have read about it will probably keep it for the rest of my life and spend my days in retirement modifying it.

You know you really need to start comparing the two evenly. The Fiero is a low priced car from the 80’s. It’s also very heavy, making it a bit sluggish but rides a world better than the soltice or any car but true luxury ones. The solstice rides much harder but handles better. Both will take corners great co you just have to decide if you want more speed or a better ride. By the way, the solstice might sound like a high tuned 911, but the Fiero sounds like amplified thunder. I’ll go for the fiero just cause it’s a classic and you don’t need to floor it to have fun.

I would go with the Fiero. I’ve owned an 88GT since new, they are great cars. It was the first production car with a spaceframe chassis, the Corvette didnt get a spaceframe chassis until 1997. Ironically, Solstice and Sky are also built on spaceframes. Fiero had a five star crash rating without airbags.

A 1988 Fiero GT with a 3800 engine would surprise the Solstice GXP. The midengine would launch quicker from the start due to the weight of the engine being over the rear wheels. In cornering, the Solstice will not top the Fiero GT’s handling again since the engine is closer to the middle of the car, it can change directions quickly.

From a style point of view, it is no contest. The fastback Fiero GT is one of the best GM designs since the C3 vette. The Sky is a nice design, cant say that about the bubbly Solstice.

The Solstice/Sky twins are actually poorly designed. You can’t fit even one golf bag in the trunk due to the gas tank. Cramped interior, no one over six feet can fit in one. The Fiero actually has a roomy interior.

The Fiero was popular since it was a coupe. Building only convertible’s for Solstice and Sky was a mistake. Lutz built the car he wanted, rather than building the car that still has a huge following.

…and JDM Hustle proves his ignorance.

SAY NO TO DOMESTIC PIECE OF SHIT. IMPORTS JUST DOESNT GET ANYBETTER THAN A NISSAN SKYLINE

You can never go wrong w/ a car that had speaker’s in the headrest
and a center console that you could serve a family dinner on!!!!Love Fieros.I knew a girl who had the 87 GT.I raced against her brother in my 88 cavalier Z24(both had GM’s 2.8 V6) and got whooped!!!!!The car was really ahead of it’s time for american cars in the 80’s unfortunately fires brought fear to most people and killed it.The Soltice/Sky are great cars as well and I’m sure they will mark there stamp on society.I can’t believe all the road race cars that are Soltices now.Just partial to fiero because I was teen when it came out just as most teens are when cars come out in that period of their life.

Solstice, Baby. I’ve had them both and I love the Sol much more than the Fiero. Much more comfy ride and an all around better built automobile.

ill take the solstise……i reall would thake the skyy red line

ill take the solstise……i reall would thake the skyy red line

I’d take the Solstice/Sky so I could drop in a LS2! My friend had a fiero it was all right. I think people want sedans that go fast, so hopefully the G8s will be a big hit.

i’ve had 10 fiero’s over the years and right now am driving a black 88 GT. basicly stock except for black 17″ wheels and the car gets far far more attention than i did when i had my corvette. the solstice is a realy nice car but in my opinion the interior cabin feals much smaller than the fiero and the fiero has much more trunk space. build quality felt very good in the solstice as well as quality of interior pannels and leather seats. hard to compare to the 20 years of wear n tear on the fiero even in as well kept shape as mine is. i also prefer the midengine design of the fiero, it just feels more like a sports car to me than the front engine solstice. here’s the best point tho, how many fiero’s were sold in the first production year as apposed to how many solstice’s in the first year? if im not mistaken i think the fiero wins that small battle. lol

Soltice

“Until that day arrives, Toyota and Lexus are going to rise up as the new powerhouse with their groundbreaking hybrid technology”. This brings up a very valad point, just say no to drugs!

Looks like Tom got the point of my original post and some of the follow-ups, that in its day, the Fiero was something of a game-changer, and now, 20 years later, great examples are available for less than $3000 and provide more fun-per-dollar than almost anything out there (with plenty of potential if you want to put something else in the engine bay). I get a lot of positive comments when I’m out with either Fiero – especially the yellow ‘84 – and a few fire-related comments from the misinformed (compare the number of Fiero fires to Ford cruise control malfunctions as far as recalls are concerned) which I tend to just let slide. When I look at the Solstice and Sky, especially compared to the Miata, I see a wonderfully styled car that lacks luggage space and could stand to go on a diet. The Fiero is dated in some ways such as the angularity of its interior, but especially in the form of the ‘86 to ‘88 GT fastbacks, looks as clean and fresh today as it did when it was introduced. It was clearly one of the eighties best-styled cars, especially when compared to other cars of its era. The fact that the Fiero enjoys one of the most vibrant online communities, doesn’t hurt it at all; if you buy a Fiero and find something wrong, join one of the online forums and post your problem and in a matter of minutes, you’ll have someone welcoming you to the fold and answering your question directly rather than telling you to go look at the FAQs or archives even though the question has probably been answered dozens, if not hundreds of times previously, like how to fix the headlight doors. A friendlier group of enthusiasts you won’t find on the web. While I don’t have a crystal ball, I’ll be curious to see if the Solstice, Sky, or even the Miata will engender the same degree of loyalty in 2028.

Fiero, since it was made back in the 80’s when american manufacturers didnt know any better a 7.3 second 0-60 was actually fast back then.

Nowadays domestic automakers have no clue what they are doing and they are putting all their high-performance eggs into their shitty ecotec basket. I can only hope that they wake up sometime within the next few years and make a FAST, FUEL EFFICIENT 4 cylinder that can actually do something on the street. Until that day arrives, Toyota and Lexus are going to rise up as the new powerhouse with their groundbreaking hybrid technology. Go ahead, go drive one, and then we will see if you still say imports are crap.

Peace and love

there pools arent broing,they get so much funny feedback,
its halarious when they compare import agains domestics,it really bring the best in people,

I would go with the solstice.

I am an owner of a 1988 4cyl yellow fiero (factory paint). Its a blast to drive, even if when you stomp on the gas your not going anywhere in a blur. What it does not have in speed, makes up for in cornering ability and general overall feel. I do like the solstice convertible, but do not believe its even comparable to its brother Fiero counterpart. That was a rear (mid) engine coupe…while the Solstice is a front engine convertible (which I must add, there are several of to purchase nowadays). Technology wise, come on…its 20 years old, factory tape decks are no longer the marvel they once were, as is the old iron duke sitting in the engine bay. CD players, actual working air conditioners and eco tech engines are in the same category today as the standard equipment back then…pretty much apples for apples that way. At least you had the options for power windows, locks and ‘notchback openers’. 20 years ago, the Fiero was a great car. Today the solstice is a great car. The more things change, the more they stay the same. If you looking at keeping up with the Jones…get a Solstice. If you want to save money and not sacrifice the sports car feel (and believe me, if you buy a decent car it sure is there)..get yourself a Fiero for under $3000. If your not all bent on having some sort of Mini Van or SUV..you cant possibly buy a cheaper car and have almost out of this world fun.

The Fiero had better lines, the Solstice looks as much a chick car as the Miata.

The 2.0 lt twin scroll turbo Ecotec engine in the Solstice GXP/Sky Redline is first generation technology, that is going to go a long way towards saving the muscle car. With the new mpg regulations, that are only going to get more stringent in the years to come, the the days of gasoline powered sports cars are limited. Unless the auto industry can squeeze more HP into less engine displacement. Thus better mpg. Enter the Ecotec turbo. I believe that there’s lot’s more to come along these lines. GM seems to believe this too as they are starting to use this engine in other cars. Chevy HHR is now going to be offered this engine. Soon allot of GM’s sport division will be using this technology. Otherwise we will all be driving hybrid Vettes soon…..

The Fiero is a wanna be Ferrari. The Solstice is alright, but looks like a bumble bee in yellow.

hows about none of the above

I’d rather go with the solstice

These polls are getting boring, please stop with them.

Fiero!! I do like the solstice but the fiero gets my vote, great faceoff though

Im sure it would match up after a swap or at least id hope so, but i was purely stating that the stock Solstice vs. stock Fiero was no match thats it. And yes the years of development count for quite a bit. Fiero’s were great cars in their days but americas moved on and every year better developed sports cars are produced and im proud to see GM is stepping back up to compete with all of the foriegn cars on the market today.

The line below that read “Then of course there’s the ever popular 3800 Supercharged V6 swap into the Fiero; that would probably be the best all-GM Fiero to Solstice match-up, don’t you think?” should have read “Solstice GXP match up.” The supercharged 3800 swap is very popular among Fiero owners, one of the easiest swaps of all, easier than the Quad 4 swap and certainly easier than any of the V8 options, the 4.9 pushrod, Northstar or Small Block Chevy.

Sam, the stock 177-horsepower Ecotec benefits from 20 years of development and is the logical comparison to the stock 135-horsepower Fiero, especially when you measure the power-to-weight ratio. I’m comparing the closest possible horsepower match-ups, not the number of cylinders my friend. If you want to really compare apples to apples, then how about a Quad 4 Fiero against the 177-horsepower Solstice? Or install a 177-horsepower Ecotec in the Fiero? Some Fiero owners have already done it; google “Ecotec powered Fiero” to see what’s already been done. Then of course there’s the ever popular 3800 Supercharged V6 swap into the Fiero; that would probably be the best all-GM Fiero to Solstice match-up, don’t you think? 3800 supercharged Fieros pop up quite regularly on eBay. Depending on how well built, start at $6000 and go up over $10000 to the top tier examples.

Ok i see your point Rich but in all fairness your comparing your 135hp GT V6…. against a base Solstice 4cyl and it still has trouble keeping up with stats. Now if you wanted to compare GXP which is still only a four cylinder turbo against your V6 GT then im sorry but your GT has no chance in hell.

GTBIC, I believe DeepWater left out one small piece of info. It is a twin scroll turbo. Also with a slightly modified GXP you have well over 300BHP at the crank. With 0-60s in the mid 4s and 1/4s under 14 at over 100mph

Craig – The saturn sky NA and pontiac solstice NA are the same except for body panels and cockpit arangement. Both have the same engine, suspension etc.. What is there to compare. The Redline is the same as the GXP.

Sam, in its day, and remember its day was the mid-eighties, the Fiero competed against both the Honda CRX and the first-gen Toyota MR2 and outsold both of them. And the measured numbers don’t lie; according to comparative road tests, the 135-horsepower Fiero more than holds its own against the 177-horsepower Solstice with the Solstice having an advantage in the grip department but I suspect even that advantage would evaporate if you put a Fiero on 17-inch rims with sticky rubber. With its mid-engined layout, it has some advantages that the Solstice cant match with its front-mid-enngined layout. As far as styling goes, that’s subjective, but tell me, where can you put a set of golf clubs in a Solstice? The rear trunk compartment on my Fieros can swallow two golf bags, if that’s important, or a weekend’s worth of soft-side luggage. Don’t get me wrong, I love the styling of the Solstice/Sky twins – actually prefer the Sky a bit – but in its day, the styling of the Fiero was very well received and upon introduction, when it was the car de jour, sold for over sticker as well. As far as being a rust bucket, I’ve never seen the body panels of a Fiero rust and when properly undercoated, the space frame is almost indestructible.

I work at a GM dealership as a technician and one of my jobs is to predeliver new cars. First there is no corrvette motor option period. Second the GXP is a single turbo. Last of all, i have driven both base and GXP model Solstices and a variety of various Fiero’s and if you actually think stock vs. stock that these cars match up then you are seriously mistaken. The Solstice is a good fast car at an affordable price. Im not saying the fiero sucks, im just saying It cant match up to the Solstice. But remember Im talking stock vs. stock!!!!

I don’t know, maybe my sense of style are out of wack but a boxy rust bucket ferrari wannabe (fiero) over a unique beautifully scultured work of art (solstice). You decide. Yeah you can argue that the rust bucket sold more, but at that time there were no other vehicles to compete with it. There were no miata’s, s2000’s, slk’s, sky’s, and that toyota crap. A base model soltice was selling at dealerships for over $30,000 when they first came out. Imagine the soltice with a new corvette engine, 0-60 in the low 4s, wow right. You old farts can have your fiero I chose the soltice.

Just as an FYI, I see there were questions on V8’s in the Solstice/Sky. There is a conversion kit for them from Mallett Cars (mallettcars.com). It uses the 400 HP LS2. But they have pretty much anything you want to do to it available (along with many other GM vehicles).

Gary – My comment was mainly intended as a joke. I realize that the engine fires were just a small issue. With my sense of humor I could not help but bring it up. Besides would you rather have me bring it up as a joke, or someone who seriously thinks that it is an issue? With all seriousness, now that I am older I can see the value of the Fiero as a inexpensive sports car. Styling wise I still prefer the Soltice. As I have matured I have fallen in love with the old 30’s to 50’s euro-sports car styling. Even in the 80’s I was not a big fan of Lambo and Ferrari looks so therefore the Fiero body style that follows those cars does not rank high in my book.

Glad to see that the thread is generating comments. The Fiero was, and remains, an terrific car, 20 years after the last one was built. Just look at the numbers; a bone stock 1988 Formula V6, with 135-horsepower turns in almost exactly the same numbers as a brand new, 177-horsepower Solstice with 20 years additional development behind it; 0-60, top speed, corning, and MPG are all in the same ball park. And you can find clean V6 Fieros, with under 100,000 miles, for under $3,000 all the time on eBay, often even less on Craigslist. (Check out the completed auctions for ‘88 V6 Fieros 270210987806 $1575 and 110223014983 $3000 to see exactly what I mean.) My ‘88, even though it is a 4-cylinder, is a good example, simply a great-driving car, feels as quick as one of the V6 I’ve owned, the 86. When I drive it, it doesn’t feel 20 years old. As for tricked-out Fieros, for those of you not familiar with their potential, check out all the engine swap possibilities at http://www.fierosails.com/fierosecrets.html#Engine Conversions, V-8s (retain spaces). Guys have installed virtually everything from GM’s engine inventory in the Fiero’s engine bay, from 3.4-liter Camaro motors, Quad 4s, 3.4-liter DOHC V6s, 4.9-liter Caddy pushrod V8s, Small Block Chevys of every stripe, and even the DOHC Northstar V8. You haven’t lived until you’ve put your foot to the floor of a properly built Northstar-equipped Fiero…it’s simply frightening, near super car levels of acceleration, documented 0-60 in under 5 seconds. The next-generation Fiero in 1990 was slated for the Quad 4 and the DOHC V6 with electronic power steering (I have one of the prototype units) and had Pontiac continued development would have been a viable competitor to the Miata that was introduced shortly thereafter. Just food for thought and sure to stir up more controversy. The Solstice, in my mind, is simply a newer, better developed example of what the Fiero would have evolved into.

hey deepwater805, the solstice gxp isn’t a twin turbo. as far as offering the solstice with a corvette engine, or any v8 for that matter, i doubt we will see that day. a car of that size and weight with similar power ratings would cannibalize corvette sales, and gm isn’t going to do that to their #1 sports car, at least in my opinion.

The twin turbo Solstice GXP is the best under $30k American roadster ever built. 260 hp, 260 lbs of torque out of a 2.0 liter engine in an 2800 lb car. 0 to 60 in 5.2 sec, top speed of 145 mph, and 31 mpg. Who can argue with that? A few simple mods later and it’s 300 hp. It’s handling is superb, lightyears better then the Fiero, and the styling is a true head turner. No contest…..

cant realy decide..both pretty cool but the soletice is faster and more powerful..still cant decide!!

well i say bring the FIERO back and put that lil girly solstice to sleep

there both great

I’d like to have either one, in great condition. It’s likely that I eventually will, well or a Corvette if I can swing it. I like the Solstice’s attitude and gorgeous styling. I like the Fiero GT’s mid-engine performance and still like its design after so many years. I’d have to say the SOLSTICE, but mainly because it’s newer. I actually feel bad choosing it over the Fiero, and won’t rule out buying one of them, either.

Fiero all the way! I wish Pontiac would make another mid engine 2 seater or just bring back the fiero all together, hey we got the GTO Charger chalenger and the camaro so why not the Fiero?

Gary, you’re correct, both numbers slipped through in the editing process. I’ll ask Jen to make the corrections on Tuesday. Thanks for the heads-up. The idea of the comparison was to show how well the Fiero stands up against its contemporary counterparts, relative to price (when adjusted for inflation) as well as performance based on road tests from each era. As far as the fire issue, a maximum number of Fieros, 260 out of 370,168 built, or 0.07%, is an infinitesimally small percentage of overall production and most instances were attributed to having run the engine without a proper level of oil. This was fairly easy to do given the car’s original 3-quart capacity, a design flaw that was addressed with the fire-related recalls which specified a larger oil filter and a re-calibrated dip stick among the fixes instituted by GM. Just part of the misunderstanding that has developed over the years.

Rich- the 2.5L Fieros are 151 cubic inch- you stated 150 cubic inches. I’m also curious where you got your horsepower numbers on the Fiero V6 for 1988? The 1988 V6’s were rated at 135 hp- 5 LESS than previous years. This is rumored to have been for insurance reasons, but may also be a result of driveability tuning or something. Regardless, no published data I’ve ever seen indicates 150 hp from any production Fiero, and I’ve seen a lot of data, including the factory specs. Just wondering where your info comes from? Thanks for the FIERO LOVE though! -Gary

Oafman- Many rumors fly around about cars, and the Fiero was not passed over in this department. It was only the 1984 models, with 4 cylinder engines, that had any sort of “fire issues,” and they amounted to fewer incidents production percentage wise than some other vehicles that had engine fire recalls/issues. This is easy to research yet the misrepresentations persist. This is a widely distorted fact in the rumor world…

I like the Solstice, but I don’t know if they offer it with the Corvette motor. Be cool if they do. I’d have to say I still like the Fiero though. To me, it’s the poor man’s exotic. Anyone else know where you can get a mid-engine sports car for that price? Plus, I’ve seen alot of hot rodded ones packing supercharged V8s and those aren’t just the ones that make it to the blog as fake Ferraris. This car looks sick enough with its own silhouette not to forget the previously mentioned mid-engine design and for that it has my vote.

solstice.

I will have to put my vote in for the Soltice. The Soltice has a nice ’30s-ish race car look and good performance in a small car. The Fiero never made it to my must have list. Probably because it came out while I was in Jr High and High school and I was in a SERIOUS Corvette faze back then. The Fiero always struck me as a Ferrari/Lambourgini lite, only without the power but with similar engine fire issues. (someone had to bring that up)

too bad comparing them would be COMPARING THE SAME CAR.

i like the fiero.

face off! u know this reminde me. a good face off would be the saturn sky vs. the pontiac solstice. just a thought 4 u guys