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:

• 

  best car ever - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By sherri - January 3 - 4:56 am

  I love my new solstice...I have only one regret and that is that I live in MI and I bought my car in Sept. instead of April...Pontiac did everything right with this car my car is loaded so the stereo and leather put me in a wonderful state of mind..I like to call it my therapy- would recommend to all!!! I only buy GM and have a Bravada for winter so I am all set.

• 

  This car is hot - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By ELIZABETH STUART - January 2 - 9:36 am

  This vehicle is hot. It looks great and takes corners very well. The 2006 solstice drives very well also.

• 

  A great 2 seater roadster! - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By MY SOLSTICE - December 21 - 9:53 pm

  I just got the solstice, and i just love it!! It is good on gas, and very comfortable driving, even though it is a small car. Grabs turns smoothly, and drives very smooth for a small roadster!

• 

  Standard Solstice still Fund to Drive - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Mike G. - December 3 - 4:50 pm

  I picked up my standard Solstice even though the GXP has now arrived. At first drive I felt the acceleration was a little less than what I wanted, but it does actually have good thrust when you need it and step on the pedal to tell it you mean business. I also owned a GTO, so it is not in that league, but after a few hundred miles in traffic, as this is my daily commuter, I am more than satisfied with the cars performance. The styling also has created a lot of whiplash around it with craning necks to see what just went by. Nice ego boost. I will keep it.

• 

  Kansas - 2009 Pontiac Solstice
  By Gene - November 28 - 11:16 am

  The car is more than I exspected. Fun to drive has the power and the sound of a true sports car and its American made. Driving it gives you a relaxed mind set. I dont know about the car turning heads as you go by Im enjoying it to much!

• 

  07 Envious - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Mark Elsner - November 25 - 6:00 pm

  Im glad I waited for the second model year as GM has fixed some issues with the first model. My car has the new torque arm between the manual trans and the rear differential. Hopefully Ill never have the clunk that some 06 owners have. The manual trans ratios have also been revised. 800 miles so far and no problems. Mileage is 26-28 so far in mixed driving. The styling is stunning. It gets comments from everyone. Dont drive this car if you dont want to be noticed. The car is far more comfortable than I was expecting. It is not cramped at all. Seats are very nice. Also dont believe all the negatives about storage space. I hauled a 50lb bag of dog food home in the trunk. Great Car!

• 

  love it - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By dennisc - October 8 - 12:13 am

  Orderd this car in may, received it in november, well worth the wait. Car is beautiful, very comfortable, drives great, corners great

• 

  Too much fun - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By GM guy - September 27 - 6:40 pm

  The Solstice GXP is a great small run around have fun ride. The handling is superb gas mileage if you drive with care will reach close to 35 MPG around town a good 28 in mixed commuter traffic if you are on it 25 is what I get. My wife who has not been a sporty car fan loves it! She likes the ride ease of handling and loves the stick tranny. Body is tight no squeaks. The negatives are seat belt is hard to find and it has hard to reach cup holders. On the hole GM finally got it right on fun and price.

• 

  Eye catcher/fun ride - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By K BETZ - August 24 - 7:20 pm

  Took me 7 months to get my solstice but it was worth it. Great ride, eye catching, easy on the wallet.

• 

  I love my Solstice......a great machine! - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Kent M. Sherry - August 16 - 7:20 am

  There are dozens of sport cars on the market, but none come close to offering the most bang for the buck that a Solstice does. GMC has a real winner in the Solstice. Every place that I go, people want to take a closer look at this stylish engineering marval. Having driven a Triumph (TR3) as a young man, the Solstice brings back old memories. The sound of the exhaust, the increase in Gs with every shift of the gears, and best of all the 30.7 mpg that I averaged on my last 200 mile road trip. This car is going to be a classic. While some might stash it away as an investment for the future, I bought my Solstice for fun!