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:

• 

  2008 Solstice - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By Danny - September 12 - 1:56 am

  I just bought the solstice and I love it. The ride and handle is great. The inside a little cramped and the cup holders are in bad locations. Not much storage anywhere so dont go shopping on this car. But over all I love this car.

• 

  Great Roadster for Fun....3 weeks old. - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Tom Shepard - September 10 - 4:03 pm

  This is a fantastic little car...Body style blows all others off the road. Performance ... great thru 4th gear .. (to 85). 5th gear to 105 might take a few miles ... LOL ... but I am not in it for the speed (I am 65) I have had people follow me to a stop to find out about this car ... many thumbs up on it on the highway ... I it the MG of the future..To grocery shop you need to leave the top up .. NO TRUNK space ... or put groceries in the other seat. Now I am still trying to figure how you get the battery out of this car someday..needs more speakers...I love this car.

• 

  2006 Solstice Automatic - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Dave Jasberg - July 6 - 7:46 am

  This Car was designed for people who love the look of 1950 and early 1960 coupes brought over from Europe. The look says "Lets go out and find a road with curves and hills and see what I can do" as this is not a Corvette and does not claim to be one, but the price should tell you that immediately. The front has the little whisper of the first Corvettes made with the round curves and grille area. I know that almost al are built as manual transmissions, but I live near the city and shifts become laborous in that atmosphere. For a new design and the first year of build GM deserves all the salutes from the buying public. The first Corvettes were beautiful, but road like trucks and rattled.

• 

  Fun, waiting for sun - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Bruce - June 8 - 9:50 am

  I have had my Solstice for several weeks and truly enjoy it. The cars build quality is the best Ive seen in an American car. It handles extremely well and has more than adequate power. I test drove a Porshe Boxster, Mini Cooper S convertible, Mustang convertible, but decided to buy the Solstice instead. Im not sorry. The car is gorgeous, particularly with the top down and is very fun to drive, especially on twisty roads. It is a bargain at the list price, but many dealers are charging much more.

• 

  NO TOOM ON PRICE - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By BID WALT MACHINE - May 20 - 5:43 am

  Car was great. Bought a 2007 with 6000 miles less from the Porsche dealership for $1500 less ; Honda would not deal on price even when they knew I was going to the Porsche dealership to buy.

• 

  Turning Heads - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Barb - March 28 - 1:53 pm

  Heads definitely turn in this ride. Im really enjoying this car. Its been a long time since Ive had a two seater. The interior is tight, definitely not the car for a larger person. My 6 - ft husband is comfortable. Too much plastic in the interior. Window switch difficult to get to. Be warned - the back window is not replaceable. The entire roof must be replaced should the window break - or in my case - smashed by a jealous neighbor. Watch the prices - dealers add a significant additional charge for market demand. Have fun - Enjoy.

• 

  I LOVE THIS CAR!!!!!! - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By lovemysolstice - March 8 - 9:16 am

  I bought my new 08 Solstice(base) 5 weeks ago and am loving every minute of it. Most of the reviews list similar negatives which are true, but as for the storage issues, lack of a spare tire, fussy top operation, plasticky interior and ridiculous cupholders, etc..., I would not want any of these items improved if it compromised the beautiful looks or low price of the car. Performance in my base model, while nothing exciting, is adequate. I am 6 215 lbs and the car is plenty comfortable, although I am wishing I had gotten power windows, due only to the fact that the window crank protrudes in to the area where my left leg rests and is a bit uncomfortable. Did I mention that I love this car?

• 

  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.

• 

  Driving excitement? - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Darkshadow - February 15 - 9:03 am

  Ive never had more fun driving a car, more complements or looks. Handles awsome,could use more torque for starts slow until you reach about 4k rpm. Information center is nice, make sure to get upgraded stereo if you want any bass, there isnt really much room to put a small sub anywhere. The tranny is a little clunky, but short shifts are fun. The MPG is more like 18/24.5 on the freeway, I dont think Ive ever gotten more than 25 except going downhill. Cheap plastic int. and rubber seals. Turns and handles like a champ. Biggest drawback is absolutley not room for anything, so dont pick anyone up from the airport or have more than one friend!!

• 

  2006 Solstice - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By John - February 7 - 4:00 pm

  This car is a blast to drive. It handles beautifully, as if you are driving on rails. The ride is not too harsh as in a Porche - this is a daily driver. Despite being a small vehicle, it is very solid and safe feeling. My sister bought a new Mazda MX-5; I have driven it and prefer the feel of the Solstice.