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2006 Pontiac Solstice Road Test
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TO THE POINT
What’s New? Pontiac produces one of the most compelling automobiles of our time, an affordable roadster that goes head-to-head with the iconic Mazda MX-5 Miata.
Selling Points: Gorgeous styling, terrific handling, made in the U.S.A.
Deal Breakers: Unrefined powertrain, cheap interior materials, useless trunk
Our Advice: If you’ve gotta be the first on your block with a new 2006 Pontiac Solstice, pay the premium and buy now. If you want better performance, wait a year for the supercharged Solstice GT. If you want refinement and pure, unbridled joy behind the wheel, the Mazda MX-5 Miata is still the roadster of choice.
MEET THE COMPETITION
2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata
2007 Saturn Sky
RELATED LINKS
2006 Pontiac Solstice Photo Gallery
2006 Pontiac Solstice First Drive
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FAQs and Specs
Buy a Pontiac Solstice because it offers good looks, great handling, and is made in the U.S.A.
Why should I buy a 2006 Pontiac Solstice?
Buying a 2006 Solstice is next to impossible, since Pontiac told us that the entire first year of production is sold out. If you do find one at the dealership, you’re likely to pay a hefty dealer premium to get one into your driveway. And if you can’t operate a manual transmission, you’re out of luck – at least initially. Our recommendation is to wait for dealer prices to come down. What’s the best thing about the 2006 Pontiac Solstice?
There are three main reasons to buy a Pontiac Solstice. First, the car is gorgeous. Second, it handles beautifully. Third, it’s made in the U.S.A. What’s the worst thing about the 2006 Pontiac Solstice?
Reasons to skip the Pontiac Solstice include its unrefined powertrain, its low quality interior plastics, and its form-over-function trunk design. Will there be a Pontiac Solstice GT model in the future?
General Motors won’t confirm it, but a turbo- or supercharged Pontiac Solstice GT model is due for 2007, and a hardtop coupe model might arrive for 2008. Since the Chevy Cobalt SS and Saturn Ion Red Line have supercharged versions of the Solstice’s Ecotec four-banger under their hoods, it’s not hard to guess that the Solstice GT will have the same engine, putting out around 215 horsepower. And if the Solstice GT runs with the same gusto as the Cobalt SS and Ion Red Line, it oughta be terrific fun to drive. SPECIFICATIONS
Test Vehicle: 2006 Pontiac Solstice
Price of Test Vehicle: $26,095 (including $575 destination charge)
Engine Size and Type: 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine
Engine Horsepower: 177 at 6,600 rpm
Engine Torque: 166 lb.-ft. at 4,800 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Curb weight, lbs.: 2,860 lbs.
EPA Fuel Economy (city/highway): 20/28 mpg (est.)
Observed Fuel Economy: 21.7 mpg
Length: 157.2 inches
Width: 71.3 inches
Wheelbase: 95.1 inches
Height: 50.1 inches
Leg room: 42.7 inches
Head room: 38.5 inches
Max. Seating Capacity: 2
Max. Cargo Volume: 3.8 cubic feet (top up!)
Competitor: 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Photos courtesy of General Motors
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About Christian Wardlaw
Christian Wardlaw joined Autobytel's Automotive Information Center (AIC) in January 2003, and current serves as Manager of Content Development for Autobytel. Previously, Christian spent eight years as Editor-in-Chief and Director of Automotive Data for Edmunds.com. A writer, editor, and automobile aficionado, Christian is a different sort of car enthusiast. His passion lies in the vehicles that people most often buy, rather than with high-performance sports cars or ultra-luxury sedans. “Given the choice to spend an hour with a Dodge Viper or a Honda Accord, I’ll choose the Accord,” he claims. Unless, of course, the driving venue is a racetrack. Christian has been a car enthusiast all of his life, uttering “car” as his first word while growing up in Detroit. A graduate of Western Michigan University, he holds a bachelor’s degree in English. His daily drivers include a 1994 Mazda Miata, a 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata, and a 2005 Nissan Murano.
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