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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  A real head turner - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Jim - November 22 - 2:06 pm

  I bought this car in January and have enjoyed it more every time I drive it. It handles very well and has sufficient power. Contrary to popular belief, you CAN store some things in the trunk...small soft things. My only slight complaint is that there is no hole big enough to hold a cell phone or ipod near the center console. Overall and excellent car though.

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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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  the car my wife does not let me drive - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By L.BROUSSARD - October 5 - 9:06 am

  Very proud owner of this fine looking car. The car gets a lot of stares male and female. Its the type of car that is new to the eye. Owned the car for three days and already someone was wanting to use it for a Mardi Gras parade.

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  Early Solstice Review - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Billdaman - September 13 - 11:03 pm

  This Convertible has it all. To view this beauty from a distance with its flowing lines and growling grill tells you in your first glance that this car is destined to be a classic. Enough cannot be said about this car as an embodiment of a "has it all" modern roadster. Its interior is a beautifuly trimed cockpit with high quality fit finish and materials. This is a car that is the fulfullment of my dream to own a true performance roadster, that is most importantly American through and through. At just under 20 K there is NOTHING that can come even close. I have driven the Solstices competition from Honda, Mazda and BMW. They cant match this cars looks or performace at the price

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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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  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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  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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  Weekend toy - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By redsol - August 15 - 12:40 am

  My wife and I each have one, and they are toys for weekend use. Yes, the guy who placed the switches should be shot, but, in spite of al the complaints from magazine types, we can, with thought, place enough luggage for 2 for a 1 week trip. Just no big bags. There are plenty of storage slots if you look at it, even with the top down. Mileage is way better than EPA says. We get 25 mpg in town on both cars. The top can be a pain, but once you get a system, its pretty easy. It is a fun car, and handling is great. Took mine to Phx Intl Raceways roadcourse and had a blast. yes, the interior design team must have had a party the night before, but the fun factor outweighs the negatives.

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  Fun and style - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Ray Phillips - July 17 - 5:40 pm

  Yes I dont have many miles yet. But what a beauty.She has the lines that have other more costly sports car drivers looking. A police chief while we both were getting gas stopped over and marveled at the design. Im not hoping to see him soon under differant conditions. However the state side boys finally have an American made car we can all appreciate. I think the automatic is fine. This feature helped me sell the better half on the absolute need to aquire this work of art.