Driving Impressions
Fun to drive, but not terribly comfortable, the 2006 Pontiac Solstice is less refined and harder to use than a Mazda MX-5.
Fast and fun, but with ergonomics that leave room for improvement, we found our first drive of the 2006 Pontiac Solstice to be quite entertaining. The Solstice’s aggressive stance, with wheels tucked out to the corners, along with tight and well-weighted steering and bump-absorbing suspension, provided a flat ride that allowed us to dodge and weave with ease. Its reported 0-to-60 mph acceleration time of 7.2 seconds feels a tad quicker than that, and the Solstice’s top speed of 115 seems safely achievable, with oversized brakes that are responsive, but not grabby, from the top of pedal travel down to the mid-range, where stopping becomes more insistent. One of our more thrilling moments occurred when cresting a raised railroad track that was situated atop a small hill. The Solstice admirably maintained stability and kept its rubber planted to the road.
Complaints about the Solstice start with the low seating position in the manually adjustable front buckets. The Solstice’s seat design allows the driver’s chair to be moved forward and back, but not raised. Combined with the bulging hood, this set-up requires neck-stretching maneuvers for shorter drivers, although at speed, when our eyes were well ahead scanning for the next curve, the hood tended to recede from view. Additionally, the sun visors are all but useless. Narrow, cheap plastic swaths from the GM parts bin, the visors perch at an awkward angle when the top is retracted and provide little coverage to deflect the sun’s rays.
Despite the need to exit the Solstice to put the top down, the acoustically padded top is lightweight and easy to maneuver. The trunk is another matter entirely, as ferrying groceries required removing them from bags to place them around the raised storage well that intrudes into the cargo space. In both respects, the Solstice is more difficult to deal with than the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Overall, the 2006 Pontiac Solstice’s impressive ride, throttle response and handling remind us of the slightly lighter, slightly more sophisticated and more ergonomically pleasing MX-5 Miata. And that’s a good thing.
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