The 2006 Pontiac Solstice struts into showrooms in a single model, but there are many options that can be added on. By comparison, Mazda offers several MX-5 Miata trims at set price points. For $19,995, Solstice owners get sport bucket seats, a leather-wrapped shift knob attached to a short-throw five-speed manual gearbox, a single-CD player with six speakers, an adjustable steering wheel, a rear window defogger, three cupholders, a cloth top with a glass rear window, four-wheel disc brakes, Bilstein shocks, and 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 245/45R18 all-season tires. By contrast, a base $20,995 MX-5 Miata is similarly equipped but also gets standard power windows/locks/mirrors and ABS, although it rides on 16-inch wheels with 205/50 series rubber instead of 17s and does not get the Pontiac’s robust Bilstein shocks as standard.

The Solstice's Power Package adds power windows, locks and mirrors and also includes remote keyless entry. The Convenience Package yields cruise control, a driver information center and fog lamps. The Premium Package dresses the interior with leather seating surfaces and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with built-in audio controls. Air conditioning, carpeted floor mats, a single or six-disc CD/MP3 player, OnStar telematics, XM satellite radio, a limited-slip differential, and ABS are also optional. Later in 2006, a five-speed automatic transmission will debut.

Pontiac fits only dual front airbags to the 2006 Solstice. No supplemental side-impact protection is available, unlike Mazda, which includes head- and torso-protecting side units. OnStar telematics, however, continues to function as one of GM's premier options, providing Advanced Automatic Crash Notification to participating 911 centers in the event of a collision. This system also comes with sophisticated hands-free voice recognition that has been improved for accuracy.