2-10-2006 2006 Pontiac Solstice by Dave Stall

2006 Pontiac Solstice will make you say 'wow' When you first gaze upon the Pontiac Solstice, you can't help but say, "Wow!" One look at the base price of $19,915 and "Wow" comes out of your mouth again. Behind the wheel, the Solstice doesn't drive as snappy as it looks but remember, it costs less than $20,000. Hit the road and the wow comes back. I got this little sports car from my friends at North County Pontiac in Car Country Carlsbad and took it for a ride to Alpine. I had to haul a few things and had trouble finding adequate storage space. But push a button in the glove box and the convertible top pops up and then the trunk pops open to a small storage area with a rather large box-like item in the middle. I was able to put what I needed inside and the trunk lid closed with no problem. Once you push the button in the trunk, the lid pops up and you can release the top by twisting a lever mounted at the top of the windshield. Then the top folds neatly into its designed space. Go to the rear of the car, push down the trunk lid with a little bit of force and you have a very clean look. Inside the Solstice is a large instrumentation pod that houses the tachometer, speedometer and a smaller pod that houses the fuel gauge. To the right is a very simple climate control system along with the audio knobs. There are no cubbyholes for things like cell phones, which is a good thing since we're supposed to be enjoying the sports car ride with its 50/50 balance when diving into the mountain turns. In a storage box behind and between you and the passenger, there's a button that when you push it, a door opens. Just below the door are the cup holders. Push in the bar and out pops two cup holders. On the passenger side there's a third cup holder that can also be the receptacle for the smoking kit. My test vehicle didn't have the kit but I assume it is a little ashtray that sits in this receptacle. Getting behind the adjustable steering wheel, you'll immediately notice how comfortable the driver and passenger seats are. But adjust your seat back before taking off because you'll have difficulty adjusting the large knob while on the road. Sliding the seat front to rear is no problem. The top is unique looking with a pretty good fit and good visibility. There's a glass window in the rear (vs. plastic) with an optional defroster. With the top up you get gobs of headroom, but from the outside it appears to have a rather low-slung look. I did detect a little wind noise but not enough to disturb a normal conversation or the radio. The five-speed manual is mounted to a short shifter that's easy to operate. The hand brake lever is on the passenger side of the center console, which means passengers can't rest an arm in a comfortable fashion, but from the driver's side it was fine and it's all about the driver, right? In fact, the driver even gets a vanity mirror and the passenger doesn't. Under the hood is a race-proven 2.4-liter dual overhead camshaft Variable Valve Timing, in-line all aluminum four-cylinder that kicks out 177 horsepower. That's backed by a close ratio five-speed manual that drives the power to a rear wheel drive system. My test car came with a few options, such as 18-inch tire and wheel package that enhances the four-wheel sport independent suspension, power rack and pinion and Bilstein Monotube shocks. The optional fog lights were a great addition along with the power windows, mirrors and door locks, an information center and air conditioning (this last option surprised me, but it's a convertible so if you're not into A/C, you don't have to have it). My tester had a "cool silver" exterior and ebony interior. If you're thinking this car can't be safe, think again. It has front air bags for the driver and passenger, crumple zones surrounding the occupants and beams in the doors, just to name a few of its safety features. According to the dictionary, Solstice means, "Either of the two times when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator" or "A turning point," which is what I think Pontiac used. The Solstice is fun to drive and it's a real eye catcher. So if you want a fun car to drive to work or on the weekends, stop by North County Pontiac-GMC and take this rascal out for a spin. If you can't get to Car County Carlsbad, the Solstice is in all Pontiac showrooms.