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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  Roadster Fun!! - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By vwells7957 - September 3 - 5:20 pm

  This is the most fun car I have ever owned or driven. I drove it half way across the country this past summer and just loved it with the top up or down. Fuel economy was up around 29 when I stayed at 55-60 mph. It dropped to around 25-26 when I went 75 thru Oklahoma on the expressway. What as smooth ride! Im keeping this car.

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  Its My New Baby - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By bobi1956 - September 1 - 3:50 am

  I bought a white one which I strongly desired and drove 150 miles to get it. It has the two tone interior which I love. It rides smooth and corners well. Great value !

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  GM Got It Right (Again) - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By mIchMlbrn - August 28 - 9:06 pm

  My wife and I were looking for an exotic car without breaking the bank. Corvette, BMW, and another Mercedes were considered. We rode by our local dealership the other evening and WOW, check that out. A Solstice. A friend of mine let me drive his the first day he got it and I wanted one. OK, now I got one and am quite happy with it. The only thing I can say to the GM R&D folks is "do you think you could shoe- horn in a Hi-Po V6? Overall the car is a blast to drive and handles like a dream. I would much rather own this than a Miata. (Im an American) The dealership is great to deal with and I am pleased.

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  A real sweet ride - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By vespagl - August 26 - 9:53 am

  This car is all about fun and styling. It handles wonderfully on the twisties and is a real head turner. It is certainly not a practical everyday vehicle, but in my case it is my weekend toy. I have had Miatas, and this car is so much more satisfying to own and drive. (Probably because it looks so darned special, as opposed to the Miatas somewhat mundane styling). I wanted a vehicle that closely gives the feel of those classic 1960s British sports cars (light, nimble, modest power plant), and the Solstice delivers in spades.

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  wotariot - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By vett4dr - August 23 - 1:16 am

  This is the perfect vehicle to be used for exactly the target of its designers & engineers. A weekend fun car. Not a long distance tourer (trust me, I drove round trip from the Detroit area to Orlando - NOT recommended), not a daily commuter in the Rust Belt.) But for a top down weekend get-away, its GREAT.

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  Solstice - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By roger edwards - August 19 - 1:43 am

  I love my car. I have nothing but fun with it. Ive done some minor changes but nothing major.

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  An awesome driving car - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Smiling Dennis - July 21 - 11:23 am

  This is the most fun I have ever had with a car. It is great feeling once I am behind the wheel on a open winding road. The car handles super around tight corners and has outstaning performance. The Solstice is great value for the price and I would highly recommend it to people looking to have unlimited driving enjoyment and loads of fun. Makes one feel like a kid again.

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  What a fun automobile with style!!! - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By pugman - July 17 - 6:50 am

  The car is more than everything Io expected in a roadster. I looked at several, all ore expensive, while they may have had a few more features, the all laked in overall appearance. The interior layut is superb. easy to use and reach controls.

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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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  Well worth the money - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Ben - July 8 - 8:43 pm

  Bought this car on an almost-whim. Saw it on the lot and took it for a test drive. Fell in love. Was a low-mileage repo from what Ive been told. Major head turner, top up or down.