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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This car is crazy - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
By TROI - January 23 - 2:06 pmI love this car there is only one down side to it.That is that there are only two seats.
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My 07 Solstice Review - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
By Coupe - January 23 - 1:46 amCar is very fun to drive, however, I have had little problems. I dont drive my Solstice very often. I am currently waiting on a 2,000 part! Luckily I received a 72,000 mile warranty!
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A solstice widow - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
By A Soltice widow - January 21 - 3:56 amThis car made my mans head turn like I have never before witnessed, he actually turned around in the middle of the street to go to the dealership and look at it, and 30 minutes later he was kissing his car good bye and vibrating with the excitment of driving this car...and I am not kidding!!!! He has not gotten out of it except to sleep, the first few days I think he actually spent 36 hours in the seat, incredible!!!! now all I know is there is another woman to contend with...this car is his baby, he gets stopped EVERYWHERE.....even at the Nissan dealership where his son was looking at a Z...the people all asked about HIS car fabulous!!!! I am a Solstice widow now!!
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Not a bad American made car - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
By Dean - January 12 - 6:26 pmA stable, fun to drive car with lots of good features and only a few not so good. I enjoy it much more with the top down than up due to the poor visibility with the top up. Gauges are hard to read and the seats are odd but as soon as the turbo kicks in it brings a smile to my face.
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Love my Solstice!!! - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
By HiloMary - December 8 - 12:20 pmWhen I first saw the ad for the Solstice I knew I just had to have one. Its Bright Red with the black top, with the two tone interior and leather seats. It really hugs the road and the sound system is awesome. It is a real "head turner" and some people think its a BMW or a new Ferrari design! Now thats a nice thing to hear. :^) Besides hugging the road it has great handling and I find the 2.4L engine has plenty of "get-up and go."
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The One Year Wait - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
By Jack Reese - December 7 - 3:20 pmWhen I first saw the Solstice at the dealership I knew that the disappontments with previous attempts to purchase one were rewarded with my patience. Just walking around the vehicle was a stunning experience. Pontiac outdid itself on the styling of the fantastic car. I had seen many photos of it but when I saw it in person there was no question in my mind that this was the car for me. I call it the poor mans Corvette. After driving it I bought it no matter what it cost. Great Sports Car.
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BUY THIS CAR! - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
By Eric - November 3 - 2:36 amAmazing vehicle. It inspires envy everywhere it goes. Its acceleration is impressive, to a point (about 85 km/ h). On the highway its a typically gutless 4 cylinder, but it IS a roadster after all. Loving this car is easy, just drop the top on a warm summer evening and youll understand. One more point! Dont let ANYONE tell you that you cant put groceries or anything else in the trunk. YOU CAN! Besides, if youre worried about fitting cargo in a car like this, go buy a mini van old man.
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cool - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
By denver jessie - October 15 - 2:38 amreally like
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Love this Car !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
By admac - September 29 - 5:43 pmI ordered this car in June, and still have no firm date as to when it will arrive. So being the impatient kind, I started looking for one on E-Bay. I got a great deal on one of the first 1000. This car is all and more than what I expected. Everywhere I go people ask what it is and where they can get one! I bought this as a fun, cruise around every now and then car, but I just cant stand to park it!!! If you are looking for a great looking small car, but dont need much storage space, this car is for you.
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Red Solstice - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
By Jim - September 15 - 3:53 pmGreat Car and super service and support from the Dealer. The car is a great fun car and priced right.
