Overview & Reviews

For decades, the affordable roadster segment consisted solely of cars hailing from England or Japan. General Motors changed that overnight with the Pontiac Solstice (and its Saturn Sky twin), which was built right here in America. The Solstice brought some genuine excitement to the Pontiac brand with its gorgeous styling and available turbocharged power. It was briefly available as a targa-topped coupe, too.

The Pontiac Solstice began its life as a concept vehicle at the 2002 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. After it received rave reviews and plenty of public interest, Pontiac decided to fast-track the creation of a production model. When the Solstice debuted for the 2006 model year, the concept's styling was nearly intact, with big alloy wheels, fluid lines and a smooth, retro-style front end that gave the car a very distinctive look.

But GM's financial woes in 2009 required the elimination of Pontiac, and with that the Solstice was relegated to the past. That's a shame, because with another generation of refinement, the Solstice could have really been something. A used Solstice is a mixed bag, equal parts seductive sheet metal, hit-or-miss driving dynamics and disappointing reliability and quality.

Most Recent Pontiac Solstice

Produced from 2006-'09, the Pontiac Solstice convertible stuck with the classic roadster formula, featuring a front-mounted four-cylinder engine, rear-wheel drive, a four-wheel independent suspension, a near 50/50 front/rear weight balance and a manually operated convertible soft top. The coupe, which was produced for 2009 only, was identical save for its targa roof -- think T-tops without the bar in the middle.

Underneath the hood of base models was a 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine. Although the engine featured an aluminum block, dual overhead camshafts and variable valve timing, it didn't feel much like a sports car engine. Tall transmission gearing and a lack of responsiveness resulted in a slow-to-rev nature, and the soundtrack near redline was far from the glorious wail roadster aficionados expect.

A better choice, resources permitting, was the Pontiac Solstice GXP (sold from 2007-'09). This version provided dramatically improved acceleration thanks to a powerful turbocharged direct-injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. The GXP also had a sport-tuned suspension, stronger brakes and high-performance tires.

In reviews, we found that while both versions were entertaining in terms of handling, they couldn't match the precision of the benchmark Mazda Miata (or, for the GXP, the Honda S2000). Inside, Pontiac chose to go with markedly cheap materials, and the ownership experience was further dampened by three other unfortunate qualities: a fussy multistep top operation process for convertibles (complemented by awful rearward visibility for coupes), a dearth of interior storage space for things like cell phones and wallets, and a small trunk that was unusable in either model.

The Pontiac Solstice received some notable tweaks during its run. For 2008, OnStar, an acoustic headliner for the soft top and a trip computer became standard equipment for both the base and GXP versions. Also for '08, a Club Sport package with firmer suspension tuning and silver-painted wheels became available. In addition to the arrival of the coupe, 2009 marked the advent of the soft-top Solstice Street Edition, which included upgraded standard features and a sport suspension. Also in '09, ABS, stability control and a limited-slip rear differential were made standard across the board, and Bluetooth connectivity was newly available.

User Reviews:

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  do not buy this car - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By barefoot67 - March 2 - 12:06 pm

  i would warn anyone against buying this vehicle. I bought mine a year ago with very low mileage and still in warrenty. recently I noticed the service airbag light coming on and also that i could not get the car into 4th gear. took it to the local GM dealer and was told it would cost $700- $800 to fix the airbad and another $1500 to fix the transmission. I am looking at $2500 or more to get the car back to where i can sell it or trade it. the car has a rough ride and no trunk at all. it is not a very practical car. they said the transmission is made in Taiwan so no telling how long it will be before i get parts or my car back. this is a nightmare. stay away from this car.

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  Nice, but not perfect... - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By PACMAN - January 30 - 1:26 am

  Great styling, very comfy to drive. But after 5000 miles, dashboard rattling (dealer "cant locate source") and clutch chatters and car almost stalls in first gear. Has since day 1 and three dealers all say..."designed that way...nothing wrong..try easing away from lights very gently". Huh? Its a sports car, for crissake! If I wanted to "ease" away from lights, I would have bought a Prius! On the road, driving verymoderately, the car gets about 25 MPG tops at 60 MPH.

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  Lemon - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Lemon Solstice - March 20 - 8:06 am

  Maybe I am the only one, but I have had MANY issues with this vehicle. Paint rubbed off under the hood, misaligned body panels, paint chips on door due to body panel alignment. A LOT of top leaks, interior squeaks, passenger seat rubbing against door, top making a lot of noise (not wind noise), gas gauge not functioning properly. Knocking sounds from motor, anti freeze leaks, and last but not least power steering leaks. some of the issues have been fixed, others are still pending, and some I am told are "normal". Other then all the problems I love the car

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  Sad to say, but a bit of a disappointment - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Cathy P - December 11 - 3:13 pm

  The car is a great looking sports car. Possibly the best on the market. But looks are deceiving. It lacks in power and interior design. The radio and XM are wonderful. The two toned interior is beautiful but Id lose the cheap plastic. As far as power, its a dud. The exterior design is gorgeous but not practical when driving. There are too many blind spots which is dangerous. The soft top is cumbersome to put up and down. When the tops up visability is worse. I traded in my 2007 Solstice for an MX5 which was way more fun to drive and roomier.

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  Learning Experience - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By andldvor - May 4 - 6:43 am

  Owning the car was fun, obviously it is nice to look at and definitely attracts attention. Before this car I was use to smooth riding coupes or sedans so this was a change in road feel. I realized that I enjoyed driving a smoother ride much better, so am going to trade it in. i also purchased the manual transmission which has become a hassle now that i live in a city with endless red lights. I felt like the engine stuttered a little at times in third. It has never broken down on me or anything like that, but I definitely miss a bigger four door car with a smoother ride.

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  On my third battery in shop now - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By J Langley - July 11 - 4:26 pm

  Its a sharp looking car and I did really love it. But, its been in the shop three times ( its there now). Its just stopped running when I was going down the road. Wouldnt start the next time and the last time all the light started flashing and it died. Next time it will be a lemon and Ill get an attorney. It just cant be trusted. Im a women and I dont want to be stranded.

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  I hate it!!! - 2009 Pontiac Solstice
  By IOB - August 21 - 8:10 am

  I regret every buying this car! Sure, it is fun with the top down and driving on weather permitting outings, but otherwise it stinks. My car has been in the shop three different times and had a camshaft sensor problem that was repaired. The motor seems sluggish IMO and it is fairly quick, but seems harsh for a turbo. Power is not a smooth delivery. Clutch is quirky with a notchy shift linkage. The damn thing is horribly uncomfortable and interior is cheap at best. No room for anything.The top execution could be much better. The car is not what I expected. Fuel economy on the highway is good and it looks good, but otherwise I hate it!!!! I would trade this pain in a heartbeat if I could.

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  my baby - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By convertible nut - July 4 - 2:23 am

  Ive been driving my car daily for 2 years and am beginning to have problems with it; more problems than I expected for a relatively new car. This is my 5th convertible to drive - one Corvette, a Cabriolet, and 2 Miatas, and this is by far the least reliable car Ive ever owned in my life. Yes, it looks great. Yes, driving a roadster is fun. Yes, its a guy magnet. But Im even debating to keep my car.