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Pontiac

Special feature: Saving the best for last

If I am a betting man, I would bet every cents on all the best vehicles made from General are usually from the divisions which will be dropping soon. We have witnessed the excellent Intrigue, Aurora and Alero before GM dropped Oldsmoble a couple of years ago. When GM announced they are closing both Saturn and Pontiac divisions, its time for us to pay the last respect for the best cars ever come out.

Vehicle: 2009 Saturn Astra XR 5-doors
Price as tested: CDN$25900

The Saturn Astra, which has been our favourite in our annual car of the year. It also has beaten both Toyota Corolla and Matrix, in our small car above $20k segment. Its basically an European Opel Astra rebadged as a Saturn without any changes. Its fun-to-drive, practical, stylish and got electronic stability control standard across the board. That’s something unheard of in its segment. Most of all, its attractively priced and has to be the best small car has ever produced by GM.

Vehicle: Saturn Aura XR-6 with Sun and Sound Pkg
Price as tested: CDN$35150

Another Saturn, which is Aura, is loosely based on Opel’s mid-size Vectra, in Europe. Except for the rather cheesy interior materials, the Aura is a blast-to-drive right from the base 4-cylinder to the Greenline hybrid version. It handles as good as any fine European sports sedan with refinement and sportiness that have never associate with any GM mid-size sedans of the past. Unfortunately, when Chevrolet introduced the awesome Malibu a year later, it makes the Aura all but redundant because both are riding on the same platform. With Chevrolet receives more marketing budget and interior packaging than the Saturn, it makes the Aura one of the most underrated sedan on the market. What a pity. The Aura was so good, it has beaten out Camry and Altima as our 2006 family car of the year.

Vehicle: Pontiac G8 GT
Price as tested: CDN$42335

Over the years, Pontiac has been known for ugly body claddings with interior materials that made from cardboard. Since the introduction of the Solstice roadster, Pontiac has started to transform itself into more of a performance division that it used to be. But it wasn’t until the Holden Commodore derived G8 arrived last year.

With its 50/50 perfect weight distribution on RWD chassis, G8 handles as good as any European sports sedan costing twice as much. While the base 256 hp V6 has done its job relatively well, its the flagship 6.0 liter V8 on the GT that truly make the G8 flies. With 361hp and 385 lb/ft of torque, a wonderful steering feel and a well-planted chassis, G8 could well be the best performance bargain. It also looks understated elegance with a touch of sportiness. Unfortunately, GM decided to launch G8 at a time when gas prices were at an all-time high. Even with the demise of the Pontiac division, General has promised to save the G8 for the Chevrolet division. As Commodore has been selling in Middle East as a Chevrolet Lumina for years.

Special feature: What should GM do to restructure themselves?

With the Bush adminstration announced to provide short-term loan of 17.4 billions of bridge loan to both General Motors and Chrysler Corporation today. GM will be the one to watch as Chrysler, whose future remains in doubt, given their lackluster product portfolio. As for Ford, this company already on the restructuring process of cutting dealers and improving their products significantly in recent years. It should be the most healthy and strongest down the road.

So, what do we at DirectShift think of how GM should restructure themselves in order to survive? GM products have improved significantly in the last couple of years, since Bob Lutz and Rick Wagoner have taken the helm of this company. The biggest improvements have to be the exterior and interior styling, dynamic abilities, refinement, use of materials and level of fit-and-finish. Take the Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac CTS, these 2 cars are head-and-above those of their unremarkable predecessors.

With General currently having 8 brands but with less than 20% of market share, they have to reduce to 3 brands maximum in order to substain its profitability. It isn’t like 2 to 3 decades ago when GM still had 50% of market share to substain the profitability of so many brand overlapping each others.

Here is what we think which brands should go and stay within GM’s portfolio:

Hummer: With full-size SUV sales in the toilet, this brand should ditch as soon as possible. It has absoultely no viable future holding for Hummer whatsoever.

Saab: Before GM became the major stockholder of this once-proud Swedish niche carmaker, Saab products have flair, character, performance and dynamic qualities with its tiny but interesting 2 product line-up. This brand is the classic example of how an American giant mismanaged an unique Swedish brand. They simply have milked their current line-up for way too long with infusion of new technologies and designs that used to be the hallmark of Saab. The rebadging of previous Impreza and Trailblazer as 9-2X and 9-7X also have pissed many long-time Saab loyalists without gaining new customers. While 9-3 and 9-5 were once considered as contenders to German heavyweights when launched couple of years ago, they haven’t aged gracefully with all of their competitions received new design or already facelifted. GM should sold Saab back to Swedish company, by maintaining its uniqueness and niche. We are pretty damn sure Swedish firm will know how to manage Saab far better than what GM did. Give this company enough resources, their engineers are able to come out with innovations to stand out.

Pontiac: This is another GM brand that should be going away. The Solstice can give it to Chevrolet as Corvette “Junior” and G8 replaces Impala as Chevrolet’s flagship sedan. There aren’t any vehicles in this brand that aren’t overlapping with other brands.

Buick: Except for Mainland China, Buick doesn’t have much brand recognition and cachet anywhere in the world. While keeping the exciting Mainland Buick portfolio like the upcoming Opel Insigina rebadged Regal, take the entire Enclave/Lacerne/Allure with it to China. Kill this brand in North American market.

GMC: GMC is basically a rebadged Chevrolet Truck. This is the classic example of how GM loved to have product overlapped each others. Kill GMC and leave Chevy Truck is more than enough. Even with only Chevy Truck, its market share and profitability are enough to substain its market share given both full-size truck and SUV sales are tanking.

Saturn: GM have got Saturn really really right in the last 2 years. This company will be well-served as an alternative to another affordable European brand: Volkswagen. All the Astra, Aura, Vue, Outlook and Sky are all great cars. It will also be served well for customers who want more European flavor as an alternative to more mainstream Chevrolet. Given Ford will be bringing the European models like the Fiesta and Kuga sometimes next year, By merging Saturn with European Opel, Saturn will likely be the one that customers will cross-shopped. Its going to be sad if GM decides to ditch this brand. As Saturn has the freshest and strongest line-up in the industry right now.

Chevrolet: This has to be the mainstream brand that GM needs to tackle Honda and Toyota. The new Malibu has proved to be a real contender in mid-size family sedan segment. The upcoming Cruze is going to be a hot contender. Electric car Volt, performance-oriented Camaro and Corvette all serve as its halo cars.

Cadillac: The new CTS has proved Caddy is coming back. CTS-V is a really wonderful sports sedan that can easily give any AMG, RS and M a-run-for-their-money. GM should market Cadillac as a comfort and luxury-oriented brand instead of performance-oriented brand, say Lexus/Mercedes versus Audi/BMW/Infiniti/Acura. Their core products should focus on both refinement and comfort. Leaving the V-Series to go after performance crowd is more than fine as halo cars. First the new CTS, the upcoming SRX also looks promising.

2009 Pontiac G8

Vehicle: 2009 Pontiac G8 GT with 1SD Package
Price as tested: CDN$41830

Performance: There are 3 powertrains currently available in the G8. The 256hp 3.6 liter VVT that shares with the exceptional Cadillac CTS. On the uplevel GT and GXP, however, both use GM’s tried-and-true pushrod V8 to push the heavy sheetmetal around. On our GT tester, its the 6.0 liter 16-valve V8 that has 361 horses and 385 lb/ft of torque at driver’s disposal. The highest trim level, GTP, uses a 6.2 liter with 402hp and 400 lb/ft of torque. With 361 horses underneath the hood, power has never been an issue. In fact, there are aplentry thoroughout the rev range. As with most pushrod engines, it is not a rev-happy engine as they tend to run out of breath above 6 grand. However, its the low and mid-range that are most impressive with this 6.0 liter V8. There are tons of low-end grunt with 385 lb/ft of torque at just 4400rpm. Consider our tester is weighting in at 4000 lb, the level of acceleration and responsiveness are impressive. Mated to this motor is GM’s Hydramatic 6-speed manumatic gearbox. The shifts are smooth and coordinate, as with all GM automatic. With its overdrive 6th gear highway cruising ratio, its only revving at 1500rpm @ 90 km/h which is truly impressive. Another area worthy of praise is the gear ratios for 1st to 3rd gears, which provide awesome acceleration. Just an instant throttle input and G8 takes off without any drama. The throttle response is quick with the usual GM over-sensitive tip-in kind of affair. The manumatic also works exceptionally well. With G8′s performance prowess, its encouragement of a manumatic mode can have desired effect on squeezing the best performing and economy altogether. Speaking of economy, unfortunately, our test average of 16 liters per 100km is the biggest shortfall of this pushrod V8.

Handling: G8 is basically a rebadged Holden Commodore sold down under. Commdore has always been based on the now-deficit Opel Omega platform. Omega was available as a Cadillac Catera about 8 years ago on our shore. The latest Commdore is basically using the modified and upgraded version of that proven Catera platform.

Since this platform is a good foundation to start with a sports sedan, its solid and sound without any kinds of groans and rattles. Its stiff enough to handle G8′s huge horsepower output. We managed to push G8 aggressively while still couldn’t detect any kinds of chassis flex.

The steering has decent feedback and responsiveness, with enough precision to dub G8 a sports sedan. Both the suspension and springs are nicely calibrated to provide sharp handling through turns. We are surprise G8 is quite capable through the track despite of its cumbersome size and weight. All wrap up in a dynamic package which doesn’t sacifice any ride comfort. The ride is firm without feeling harsh. Push through the course, there are quite amount of body rolls. However, the suspension is composed enough to settle itself after those rolls. GM’s stabiliztrak doesn’t kick-in unnecessarily for G8′s sporting intentions. It allows for a bit of an oversteer before it steps in. On the other hand, it got safe understeer when pushed into a corner before oversteer occurs. Its kind of safe setting that all modern cars come with for easier control.

Brakes: I usually complaint GM’s dead pedal feel during this time. No so with the G8. G8′s large 4-wheel discs is good enough to haul this heavy beast to a haul in an efficent fashion. The pedal feel and modulation are solid enough after a couple of hard stops. ABS only steps in when its needed.

Interior: When it comes to cargo space, G8 is a hit-and-miss affairs. The high liftover and high sills have created a narrow opening for the trunk. Not to mention the lack of 60/40 fold-down rear seats. It only comes with a center portion of a fold-down rear seat. The whole scanario is like a larger ski pass through. GM claims its for chassis stiffness for not offering full rear seats fold down. I called it corner cutting.

The rest of the interior is spacious and comfortable. The automatic climate control is efficient, while air-conditioning is powerful enough for our 30+ degrees weather. The leather seats provide decent support while cornering. However, there are couple of drawbacks. With the orange backlighting in the instrumentation for information like tire pressure, gear indicator and trip computer; it tends to blur out during sunlight even with sunglasses on. The same goes for the stereo backlighting. It has got to be one of the stupidest design handbrake ever! The release switch is on the top of the level. Its stiff to release with this poor ergonomic design. Another pet peeve is the location of central door locks, power mirror and window switches. It placed altogether in a little area besides the stupid handbrake. Driver has to reach far right to operate the power window. Just when adjusting the window and mirrors, its easily mistaken as the door lock switch. Last but not least, its the cheesy plastic on the center console and dashboard. With GM’s usual great effort of using high-quality plastic in CTS and Malibu alike, I expect more from this G8.

There are plenty of head and legrooms at the back of G8. It is the kind of limo-like space we expect from a full-size sedan.

Conclusion: Despite of my criticisms, G8 is the best Pontiac sedan GM has ever made. There are lots to like in the G8. Plenty of power, decent handling and lots of interior space. With 361hp sold at 41 grand, its also bang-for-the-buck. If you find 361 hp is just not enough, 402 hp with 6-speed manual certainly would meet your match. That’s if you can bear its fuel economy.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2009 Pontiac G8
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Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2/5
Value-for-money: 5/5

Overall rating: 4/5

2007 Pontiac Wave sedan

Vehicle: 2007 Pontiac Wave Uplevel sedan with 15″ wheels
Price as tested: CDN$17085

Performance: Wave is basically Pontiac’s version of Chevrolet Aveo. Both Wave and Aveo share the same underpinnings, right from the body panels to powertrain. The only differences are the grille and badging. Don’t expect any remarkable performance as Wave motiavtes by a 1.6 liter DOHC 16-valver 4-cylinder little mill with 103 hp and 148 lb/ft of torque. The engine always feels breathless and noisy at any engine speed. That’s despite the refinement and NVH already much improved over the previous car, its still not on par with class leaders in subcompact class. During acceleration, the horn and stereo are useless given how noisy it is. On the other hand, its 5-speed manual has to be some of the worse I have ever driven. The throws are long, gates poorly defined and ratios set too high. Not to mention the clutch travel is unprogressive. Take-off engagement point is a nightmare as one never able to find where to grab the clutch. To describe the clutch and shifter feel as poor simply as an understatement.

Handling: Ride quality is surprisingly supple for an econocar with basic suspension setting. That means front MacPherson struct and rear beam axle. The suspension absorbs poor pavements without transferring too much impact harshness into the cabin. However, its handling dynamics remain unremarkable. With tons of body rolls and understeer when pushing into any twisties road. The optional 15″ tires don’t make much difference than 14″ in the same circumstances. Steering feels rather numb and need constant correction with side crosswinds. Its very obvious Aveo is tuned as a comfort-oriented econocar than a capable handler.

Brakes: The front discs with rear drums provide acceptable braking feel. Its quite a refreshing change with GM’s typical mushy pedal feel and long stopping distance. However, making ABS as an option is an absolute unacceptable act even for an econocar costing 17k.

Interior: Aveo is pretty well-equipped for an econocar. It got everything from power windows, locks, mirrors and some smart ergonomics. Stereo has placed on top of the quality HVAC knobs. Although those velour seats have “rental car” feel, its actually pretty comfortable. For an econocar costing 17k, the use of materials and build quality are much better than expected.

Given its a subcompact sedan, its cargo layout is definitely a compromise. Even if it already got 40/60 split fold-down rear seats, you still can get much accessible space within. A nifty tip for those buying an econocar, while choosing between hatch and sedan. Hatchback has always been a more versatile choice.

Conclusion: Wave is a surprisingly drivable car consider it starts at 15k and a loaded one costing below 20k. This review also sums up the year of subcompact car. We started to review Yaris sedan, Caliber, Fit; up until Versa and Wave. The last economy car which will be available at similar price range, will be VW’s reintroduction of Mk4 Golf 2.0 as Citi Golf, this fall.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2007 PONTIAC WAVE
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Performance: 1/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 2.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 2/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 1/5
Value-for-money: 2.5/5

Overall rating: 2/5

Comparison test: Pontiac Solstice vs Mazda MX-5

Vehicle(s): 2006 Pontiac Solstice with Leather Pkg, Power Pkg and ABS
2006 Mazda MX-5 GT with Performance Pkg
Price as tested: CDN$30940 (Solstice) CDN$35350 (MX-5)

Introduction: Since the introduction of original MX-5 Miata in 1989, Mazda roadster has always been the benchmark in the affordable roadster segment. It was so fun-to-drive that many people have called it a “British roadster that won’t leak oil”. A couple of years ago, Toyota discontinued the Miata challenger, MRS roadster, which is an excellent roadster. Its not until 2005′s Detroit auto show when the next Miata challenger shown to the public, which is Pontiac Solstice. 2 years latter, Pontiac introduced this gorgeous roadster and posed the biggest threat to Miata’s dominace. In our inangural comparison test, we will find out whether Miata will remained the benchmark.

Performance: The Solstice is powered by a 2.4L Ecotec engine that is good for 177 hp and 166 lb/ft of torque. This is a surprisingly refined engine in the not-so-refined Ecotec family. However, its hp figure really does no justice because this engine feels a little bit legthetic compares to MX-5′s 2.0L unit. While there is enough low-end grunt with 166 lb/ft arrives at 4800rpm. Pontiac engineers should be able to message more horses from this Ecotec or added a forced induction to give it more grunt. Another issue is the weird 4th and 5th gear ratios. While 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears have decent ratios, 4th and 5th ratios are just too high. Solstice needs a 6th speed stick shift and about 30 more hp to complete the overall package.

On the other hand, Mazda really has done a marvelous job for MX-5′s powerplant. All the complaints about the lack of power have become a thing of history with this generation. Its 170 hp and 140 lb/ft of torque really does wonder with lighter weight than the Solstice. With Mazda weighting in 2498 lb for our GT tester and 2860 lb for Solstice, the power-to-weight deficit really shown in the Pontiac. Mazda is a more willing roadster than Pontiac even if latter have higher numbers on paper. Plus MX-5 still have the legendary short throw 6-speed stick shift that has proper gear ratios and excellent gates. While GM has produced excellent shifter for Pontiac, the gates aren’t as well defined as Mazda. This 2.0L is also a smoother motor with racier engine note and more willing to rev at higher rpm.

In the performance category, MX-5 is a clear winner.

Handling: Both of these roadsters have excellent platforms that are solid, completely free of rattles and cracks. I never felt any cowl shakes when driven aggressively through bumps, it shows how well engineered these roadsters are.

We begin with the Solstice which has a precise steering, a sure-footness ride quality with easy to detect at the limit. When one pushed Solstice into the corners, it doesn’t feel as communicative as the MX-5. MX-5′s steering should considered as one of the world’s finest units. Its sharp, precise and feel superb. Its magical steering response and feedback rated as highly as any Porsches I have ever driven. While Pontiac’s steering is definitely not a numb one, it doesn’t have the surgical feedback as the Mazda.

The stability control on MX-5 also has done a marvelous job for keen drivers. It never kicks in until the last moment when driver nearly lost control. There is always a highest threshold to kick-in at the highest limit. On the other hand, Solstice’s limit is lower than those of MX-5. When driving through twisties, MX-5 just feels like in a comfortable go-kart while Solstice feels like a roadster with fat. Solstice just feels more nervous in and close to the end of the limit. With an even more aggressive suspension setting and lighter weight, Pontiac shouldn’t have problem reaching Mazda level of drivability.

MX-5 scores in another category with sharper handling characteristics and level of control in the limit.

Interior: Solstice’s interior ergonomics and materials are delightful surprises given the recent worn at GM these days. Yes, you still can find hard plastic somewhere in the center console. Its use of materials have been head-and-above many of the preceding GM products. Its ergonomic-friendly and driving position is superb. That’s despite the stereo placed below the climate control.

In the past, Miata has always been criticized for its tight interior dimensions. Not so with the latest generation. The 3rd generation has plenty of interior space, excellent interior materials and fit-and-finish. The overall ambience is classier than those in the Pontiac. The interior has tighter gaps than the Pontiac. We also found MX-5′s sports seats are more supportive than ones in Solstice. Mazda designers also smart enough to put stereo on top of climate control. The most amazing thing is Mazda engineers are able to save 8g from using the lighter material for center rear view mirror.

Score another for MX-5 for its excellent use of interior materials, fit-and-finish and space. That’s despite Solstice is one of GM’s best efforts.

Cargo space: Solstice has nearly no cargo space with the top off. It barely have enough space for toothbrush when the top on. That’s because of the gas tank. However, MX-5 has much more cargo space which is enough for two people’s weekend gateway. Ironically, Mazda also has a gas tank.

MX-5 is the clear winner in practicality category. It got proper cargo space for two people on the road, on a contrary, Solstice is only enough to drive to the nearest supermarket. But just don’t buy anything from supermarket because you have no place to stow them.

Conclusion: Solstice is indeed a truly worthy roadster. Its not only gorgeous to look at, its got street cred and very much fun-to-drive. However, MX-5 is just too much for Solstice’s own goods. MX-5 really upped the ante with its latest iteration. Handling is sharper, interior has matured without losing original Miata’s British roadster character, interior is more comfortable and even better finished. At the end, MX-5 remains an affordable roadster for which others are judged on.

Ratings
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Performance: 4/5 (Solstice) 4.5/5 (MX-5)
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4/5 (Solstice) 5/5 (MX-5)
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5 (Solstice) 4.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5 (Solstice) 4.5/5 (MX-5)
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 1/5 (Solstice) 4/5 (MX-5)
Value-f0r-money: 4.5/5 (Solstice) 5/5 (MX-5)

Overall rankings:
2nd place: Pontiac Solstice (4/5)
1st place/winner: Mazda MX-5 (4.75/5)

2005 Chevrolet Cobalt LT sedan

Vehicle: 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt LT sedan with 4-speed automatic transmission
Price as tested: CDN$23545

Handling: The Cobalt is based on the same chassis as the highly regarded European Opel Astra. The level of stiffness and ridigty are impressive for a vehicle of this price range. Its stiff, solid, refined and completely free of chassis flex. The dynamic quality is as impressive as the chassis itself. When pushed through corners, it has a very inspiring and confident feedback through the chassis. The most surprising dynamic trait is Cobalt’s electric power steering has the right feel and responsiveness that are lacked in similar steering system of other GM products, despite it still has the featherweight during transition. The body rolls and understeer are under very well-controlled. While Cobalt still exhibits some safe understeer that is typical of most econocars, it got the fun and entertaining feel through twisties due to GM engineers’ smart use of damping rates and suspension stiffness. Although the rear suspensions remain beam axle, it has to be considered as one of the better beam setting I have ever driven. Thanks to the excellent use of damping, Cobalt’s ride comfort has to be rated with cars that are 2 times more expensive. It absorbs bumps and expansion joints with a touch of firmness that are usually found in European sports sedan, while combining the level of suppleness that is usually find in Lexus.

Performance: As impressive as the dynamic quality, Cobalt’s Ecotec 2.2L is another piece of fine engineering. Its not only this Ecotec feels much more refined and quiet than all the Ecotecs units I have driven before. It also has the level of responsiveness that you never been able to find in most domestic econocars. The throttle response is typical GM quick. With 155 lb/ft of torque arrives at 4 grand, it doesn’t look impressive on paper but certainly feel quick in real life. The only drawback is the roughness at the top of the rev range. The engine note sounds unrefined and noisy compares to more refined powerplants in Corolla, 3 and Civic. As usual, GM’s 4-speed automatic is quick to adapt up and downshifting. The fuzzy logic is smart and won’t let driver hunts gears.

Brakes: The front discs/rear drums with standard ABS provide pedal feel that could only dream about in its predecessor. It has the kind of firm and solid pedal feel which are very European-like. The modulation is easy while the stopping distance is short. Unfortunately, its only standard on our uplevel LT and performance SS. GM should make ABS standard across the board if they want the Cobalt to be more competitive in this segment.

Interior: The use of materials and build quality are nothing like its predecessor. Everything from the power window switch to climate control knobs have a tactical, high-quality feel. The instrumentation gauges are clear and analog, with a standard trip computer that is unusual in this class. The driving position is easily found with tilt and height adjustable seat. The seats are comfortable and very well-supported. My only drawback, however, has to do with where GM placed the remote trunk button. Instead of place it on the driver’s door or on the floor, they decided to put in it the cubbyhole!. As for the backseats, there are decent head and legrooms.

The cargo space, however, has been hammered with extremely high trunk liftover. When you need to load a heavy cargo into Cobalt’s trunk, good luck! The use of uninstrusive trunk hinges and 40/60 split fold-down rear seats can certainly make the grades as long as you can load them in.

Conclusion: The Chevy Cobalt, as well as its corporate twin, Pontiac Pursuit, have made a significant forward over their crappy predecessors in every areas. They also prove GM is able to engineered great econocars that are not sold for cheap price alone. These twins have enough merits to go against the best from Japanese and Koreans without using any factory rebates or low lease rates. Those who think GM is never able to produce excellent cars certainly never driven Cobalt.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT LT SEDAN
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Performance: 4/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2/5
Value-for-money: 4/5

Overall rating: 4/5

2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GT1

Vehicle: 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GT1 with ABS, driver’s pkg and On-star pkg
Price as tested: CDN$32425

Performance: Underneath the hood of our GT1 Grand Prix is GM’s bulletproof OHV 3800 Series 2 V6. With 200 horses and 230 lb/ft of torque, power is never an issue. The throttle response has the usual GM responsive tip-in while the 4-speed automatic is eager to shift whenever the driver’s right foot demands. Unlike many pushrod units, 3800 is quiet and smooth. Despite that, pushrod motor still lacks the well-honed refinement of its competitors’ DOHC and SOHC units. If you would like more power in your Grand Prix, there is always a supercharged GTP version with 260 hp and 280 lb/ft of torque.

Handling: While current Grand Prix’s chassis already a much stiffer unit than the outgoing car, its dynamic capabilites still remain average. There are way too much body rolls when pushed, not to mentioned the understeer shows up long before the tires reached their limitations. Steering feels numb and completely lifeless at any speeds. You can basically forget about what is driving feel about inside the Grand Prix! With 200 ponies going through the front wheels, there is torque steer when launching from a complete stop. While the soft suspension gives you comfortable ride on smooth pavements, it doesn’t absorb expansion joints and washboard pavements particularly well. Combine with its large size and poorly sorted-out springs, you got a dynamic package that is neither fun-to-drive nor comfortable to ride in.

Brakes: For a car starts at 28k, GM should offer ABS as standard feature. ABS or not, Grand Prix has poor pedal feel. I almost needed 2 legs to jump on the brake pedal in order to make it stop. While the optional ABS saves the final moment before hitting the car in front, its initial bite and modulation have nothing to beg about!

Interior: On the upside, the instrumentation gauges are easy to read and analog. The radio and climate control have large dials for easy reach. It also got everything you expect from a family car costing 32k like power windows, locks, mirrors and a very cold air conditioner for such a hot weather. Unfortunately, the rest of the interior has a lot to be desired.
There are cheap plastic on top of hard plastic on top of brittle plastic everywhere on the dashboard, door panels and center console. Secondly, there are too many vents looking at you which definitely not pleasing to the eyes. Thirdly, the velour uses on the seats have a cheap and crappy feel to it.

On the back seat, the high door sills make the rear passengers have a cramped feel given the narrow angle windows.

While the trunk is large and have 60/40 split fold-down rear seats, the liftover is too high. The use of instrusive trunk hinges don’t help much neither.

Conclusion: This generation of Grand Prix is a huge improvement over its predecessors, in terms of cladding-free styling and chassis stiffness. However, it still has a lot to do before reaching for the bar set by the competitions. The family car’s standard simply set too high for Pontiac to reach at this point. I would put more faith into the Grand Am replacement G6 that will introduce this fall than the Grand Prix of hitting bull’s eyes in this competitive category.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GT1
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Performance: 2.25/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 1/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 2.25/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 2/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2/5
Value-for-money: 1/5

Overall rating: 2/5