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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  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.

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  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.

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  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.

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  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.

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  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?

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  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.

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  The best car since the 65 cobra - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Linda - January 30 - 10:23 am

  I fell in love with the boby style then when i got the car, i fell in love with it even more. It handles great. Stops on a dime and the looks i get from other people is well worth everything. If you havent bought one yet then shame on you, but good for me.

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  Very Satisfied - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By KyDave - January 19 - 4:06 am

  After selling a Honda S2000 over year ago I decided to jump back into the vert world. The Solstice really wasnt in the running until I got the $3000 dollar coupon from my GMCard. I paid just over 16.5k for a brand new 08 with the wheel package, Monsoon radio (a must), and a few other goodies. The car stickered at $26,062. An unbelievable deal and Im pleasantly surprised with the ride, handling and even the performance of the 2.4 ltr. The fit and finish is great and the materials arent as cheap as I had expected from a GM product. This may just be the best car deal Ive ever made.

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  The only Soltice in Acapulco, Mexico - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Joseph Lewis - December 7 - 10:10 am

  I bought my Soltice in Mexico City. It was one of only 5 to be sold at the Pontic Dealership there. I own the only black Soltice imported here. Visually it is probably the most spectacular and popular vehicle in Acapulco today. Other exotic cars pull up to me on the street inquiring as to where they can purchase one. It has good takeoff speed, I find it comfortable to drive. But more than this I find my Soltice to a blast to drive. I bought it two weeks before my 53rd birthday and feel like I did when I owned a 1967 sunbeam tiger back in the days when i was a kid. Thank you Pontiac. I am looking forward to the 2007 Solstice coming up.

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  Best little convertible in the market - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By JV - November 30 - 2:33 pm

  Fun to drive both with the top up and down. The interior design makes it easy to use all aspects of the electronics with minimal effort.