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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  Another Toy for my colection - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Ron - March 17 - 12:43 am

  Took from April to Dec but was worth it. fun to drive and the ladies love it. I drive it more than my Harleys.

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  2007 Solstice GXP - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By tr6jag - March 16 - 5:16 pm

  After 900 miles on the Solstice, it is a fantastic driver. The handling is awesome, the performance is fantastic, and the build quality is beyond my expectations. I purchased it not as a daily driver but to replace a 69 Triumph TR6 I should have never sold. Regardless, the Solstice is heads above any 2 seater I have researched and driven. Its great to have no oil spots on the garage floor! Too bad the weather hasnt been better here in VA to enjoy the Solstice more. There have been no mechanical or negative issues with this Pontiac since I have owned it.

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  Perfectly Impractical - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Atlantiswaites - March 12 - 2:00 am

  This car is great for someone who just plain likes to drive. This is not for someone who wants a super smooth Cadillac ride, but wants to have a little bitty car, with a lot of performance. Even though the editors review of the car talked about lack of performance with the base Solstice, I like it. I know I would have a lot of issues with grip on the road if I had that GXP (thanks to my lead foot) so I actually like this one. GREAT to drive.

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  A wonderful car - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By Rojo-GXP - February 6 - 3:50 pm

  Im proud to say that I have had my red GXP for almost 2 years and have had 29000 trouble free miles. I have the GMPP 290HP tune, a cold air intake, and Solo Performance catback exhaust and it makes for a VERY quick car (0-60 in 4.9sec) and its a very sexy ride. Parked beside BMW, Porshe or Mercedes cars and it will ALWAYS generate more nice comments and turned- heads. Sad that 2010 ends the run of this little car. GM got it right at the end. Maybe someone else will continue the line. If you want a great- looking fun-to-drive car with the most bang for the buck, this is it.

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  GM has Nailed the Market -SOLSTICE - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Lisa Jeffcoat - January 17 - 10:10 pm

  This car outshines anything Ive driven or even seen on the market,GM really went above, and why to even compare to the others is silly. It handles as close and my 1981 corvette,easier to park than a vette, and the gas hand seems to never move. The innovative features are so easy to operate and storage is just enough for a road trip. This car is Blows away any other car in my book! The seats are so comfty and plenty of leg room and head room, its just a stylish beauty and I predict it will hold its value,we will look back on it like people look at Corvettes now in 10 to 20 yrs--and WHAT a GREAT price--I just LOVE mine.

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  MY SOL - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By solsticeSJA - January 14 - 8:23 pm

  This is the prettiest vehicle i have ever owned. It turns heads and gets smiles all the time. It handles better than anything Ive ever driven (and Ive rented some nice cars in Vegas) It has NO trunk space but if this is its only flaw at that price....you gotta have it.

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  Love the Car - 2009 Pontiac Solstice
  By Victor Gonzalez - January 5 - 12:26 am

  I love this car a lot. Everyday I drive it, I love it even more. Really fun to drive, and is a pretty fast car. The car looks great. I am constantly turning heads when I drive. The interior is really comfortable, I have driven for hours and have felt great right after. It is actually very roomy for a two seater. Interior does have some hard plastics, but it looks pretty good. Storage is a bit of a lack in this car. Overall this car feels good on the road, is quick, and looks spectacular. Manual top is really easy to handle, but would enjoy an automatic one. Many people complain about the five speed, but i have no complaints about it.

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  PS review - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By pa - December 31 - 8:36 pm

  Fun to drive. Easy handling. Fairly quiet. Sleek design. Good gas mileage. Able to manuever in traffic easily. Some blind spots need getting used to.

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  Heroin with Wheels - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By John Bruning - November 14 - 11:40 pm

  The 260 HP Solstice is the most addictive driving experience Ive ever had. This car is like mainlining heroin to an auto enthusiast. Quick and agile, but packing plenty of power and kick, the Solstice GXP offers a visceral thrill unseen since the era of the mid-Sixties Corvette roadster. With XM radio, On-Star and enough room in the trunk for an overnight bag, the Solstice is the quintessential date car. Im courting my wife all over again, and were having a blast rolling around the back county roads with the top down and a picnic lunch in the trunk. You cant miss with this Pontiac. Test drive it at your peril. Youll find yourself taking one home with no regrets.

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  Two years and love my Solstice - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Mafasa - October 24 - 11:03 pm

  Great car to drive. Most reviews Ive read are on manual transmissions. I ordered an Automatic, hey! Im getting on in years and manuals are just to difficult for these tired broken limbs. Anyway, I had to wait almost six months for it to come into the dealers. Well worth the wait. I love the sports car feel, its like you can feel the weather lines that run horizontally across the pavement or the lines where the concrete pieces in the road come together.