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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  Love this car! - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Rosy - February 21 - 2:23 am

  Ive wanted a convertible for a long, long, time and now that the kids are grown and gone this was the perfect opportunity. This car is classy and just beautiful. Stands out from the other convertibles and you wont see a bunch of them on the road. Yes, the trunk is small, but so what. If I wanted a "trunk", I would have kept my Infinity. This car hugs the road and just feels tight. Love it!

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  Love it!! - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Flagg - January 12 - 10:16 am

  A fun to drive, timelessly styled 2 seater roadster. Nothing else like it on the road, and it turns heads wherever I go.

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  GXP me. - 2009 Pontiac Solstice
  By gxpdavid - December 18 - 1:03 am

  As my car breaks in more and more (15,000 miles.) i like it it more and more. Some of teh switches and cup holders are in slightly wierd places but you get used to it. As for comfort and performance: I love the car. Handles, fast , good fuel economy and it turns heads everywhere I go. My friends all know I can buy a more exspensive car. So they allway ask me why a Pontiac? Its a top notch performer, thats why. Near perfect 50/50 wieght and 260HP add up to lots of fun.

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  GXP in Triad - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By bradbike - November 30 - 4:23 am

  I own the car and I really enjoy it. Its quick, fast, and strong, but still averages 25 mpg in the city and 32 on the highway. I have the automatic and its pretty darned quick itself. If you can find the GXP for MSRP or close, youll be in for a treat. Its not a great primary car due to lack of storage, but it has more than enough for groceries and typical shopping. If you buy a large boxed item, make sure you dont have a large passenger...it will go in their lap. As for the top....youve all heard horror stories about reviewers having a hard time...sorry, but I feel they are cry babies. The top is easy to operate...it just requires you to get out of the car. Get one! Have fun!

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  Love my Sol - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By rosebud - November 27 - 8:50 am

  I know, Miata keeps winning the performance tests. Well, theyve also had 10-12 years to get it right. the Solstice is the most highly tested new vehicle in recent years. if the 2006 was up against the 05 mazda, Sol would win hands down. Mazda knew Pontiac was putting this baby out, so Mazda beefed up the engine. Pontiac is doing that next year. Mazda hired the guy who designed the Solstice.. body change for Miata in the near future? This is becoming a true rivalry.

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  Head Turner - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By paintman1966 - November 17 - 3:21 am

  Bought last year at 45k miles, have 56k now and its been great. Exactly like all the previous good reviews. Went on 340 mile trip from Maine to Vermont and back and avgd 38.4 MPG!! 95 mile roundtrip to Portland, Me and avgd 37.5 MPG!! of course I had my GF in the car and foot off the turbo. She loves the car and we are planning on buying a second one someday so we wont have to share. Location of PWR window switches is the most aggravating thing about this car. I put top up or down in @30 secs at stop lights. Co-worker has base Sol and test drove my GXP and says definite difference :) Been getting great comments on its looks from the beginning:

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  What a blast to drive! - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By ilovmysolstice - August 27 - 9:33 pm

  Got the Solstice about 2 weeks ago and love it! I was going to sell it, but have decided that its not worth the extra cash to wait until next year to get another. The car handles as well as much more expensive sports cars, looks much better than most costing far more, turns heads like you wouldnt believe. I have had a few people follow me home to ask about it! The shifting is smooth and the throttle response is immediate. It could use a little more umph, but all in all is plenty quick. The people that havent heard about it cant believe what I paid. They usually guess in the low to mid 30s. Buy one!

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  I love it! - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Jen - August 25 - 10:23 pm

  I absolutely love this car! Everyone stops dead in their tracks and just stares! Everyone thinks its a Porsche...I think its a lot sexier than a Porsche personally! I get harrassed at stop lights, the gas station, you name it. I hope nobody else buys this car Im having too much fun showing it off to virgin eyes. :)

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  Its so cute! - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By CJ - August 16 - 5:30 am

  I just love this car! I just turned 40 and this car is turning heads daily! Someone stops me to ask about it all the time. Nobody knows what it is; a Porsche, BMW, Jag? It looks much more expensive than it is. Love the styling, the way the interior just wraps around you and the when the top is down Im in heaven! My husband is so jealous, but hey, he has his Harley, and now I have mine! Hair in the wind, seats two and has just about as much cargo space! It is so much fun to drive! My only complaint is the lack of trunk space, but that hasnt stopped me from Costco runs! Youd be surprised how much it can actually hold! To sum it up, GREAT car, much better than the Miata!

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  Better than I imagined - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By pmack - July 16 - 1:23 am

  Okay, maybe I was expecting to be somewhat disappointed when I bought this car, well let me tell you, I am still somewhat shocked that it has surpassed my expectations in every way. First off, after 18 months of ownership, its style and looks still turn heads just about anywhere you go. So dont expect to get lost in traffic. Secondly, its ease of handling and control, especially on winding roads, makes you want to drive instead of it being a chore. Knowing the only available engine (4 cyl.)I knew its limitations.All in all, for the price I could not have done better. Sadly, with 3 kids (17-22yrs.), and my wife who feels much younger when she drives it, I must wait my turn. I need 3 more!