GM's accidental collectible

Check out the Pontiac Solstice on AOL Autos

The Solstice's most obvious problem is an interior that, while nicely designed, is old-school GM: Budget-minded with rock-hard plastics. The pieces join together with nasty looking seams that run throughout the cabin.

The seats are reasonably comfortable, even on a long drive, but they're not designed to work well in this car's cramped cabin. Adjusting the seat back angle requires squeezing your hand against the door to twist a huge knob on the side of the seat.

The Solstice's gauges are nice looking, but they should be back-lit during the day as well as at night. They're set into deep tubes that making them almost impossible to see during in bright daylight.

If you're simply shopping for the best low-priced roadster with a removable hard top, a Mazda MX-5 Miata equipped with a power-folding roof wins on most points. It feels better built and better balanced on the road, plus it has a self-storing top that goes up and down with just a button press.

Still, the Solstice's cooler design and roomier-feeling interior will surely be enough to sway some buyers.

NEXT: Numbers