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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  Nice ride - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Eic - March 12 - 1:23 am

  My Solstice is my first convertible after years of dreaming of owning a convertible; of ANY kind. I have driven and researched many kinds of convertibles. The Solstice turned out to be a real deal on many levels; since Pontiac is no longer in business the 1st year production models became something of a collectors item, its fun to drive, easy to maintain and affordable. No disappointments. A cool car and I just love it in RED.

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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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  Looking to trade it in - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Aresee - February 19 - 9:06 pm

  I have mixed feelings about my car. Ive had the car for 2 months. I love the way it looks, driving a manual transmission convertible can be fun. People in those BMW Z4s always look at me instead of me looking at them now But the transmission and gear ratios arent great with this car. Ask anyone that owns a Solstice about "the clunk" and the "differential" problems that they may have been having. GM claims the clunk is normal and has no remedy for the problem. A/C makes an annoying whine. Rear differential makes an annoying whine Also be prepared to pay a 3k-6k markup on this car like I did. If you want the car I recommend finding a dealership that will sell for MSRP It will be well worth it

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  New 2009 GXP - 2009 Pontiac Solstice
  By passkey - January 29 - 6:56 am

  This car had only 2,600 miles on it when we picked it up in Florida two weeks ago. We drove it back 1,300 miles to upstate NY. Fun experience is at the top. Seats are comfortable but soft top noisey on the road. No storage to speak of but, we brought our supplies in duffle bags. Suitcases are out of the question. Some items can be place behind the seats but only with seats slid forward. 27.2 mpg driving highways and speed limits. Small gas tank (13gals.). The turbo engine is super responsive. It does get the looks and positive comments from friends. It fits the bill for what we were looking for. A 2,600 mile trip in two weeks. Top speed 145 & 0 -60 in 5.5 sec. (havent confirmed either)

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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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  Solstice Rocks for the Price - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By toma - December 31 - 7:40 am

  This car is so fun to drive. I had to wait 7 months to get the car, but was worth it. EVERYWHERE I go, I get stopped and asked about the car. Sometimes I pretend I am on my phone because the attention is endless!

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  08 Solstice GXP - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By Mike - December 22 - 5:56 am

  Overall a very well performing car that handles darn near as good as a C6 Corvette, maybe better in some respects. Fun, and the exterior styling cannot be beat. Mechanically a very sound design. Interior needs work as far as convenience, but if you rate it from a driving perspective only, the interior is functional. As soon as you start adding niceties like where to put your spare change, sunglasses, or cell phone... the interiors shortcomings come to light quickly as does the non existent trunk space. The exterior design and performance of this vehicle is what sells.

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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.