Tweet
On The Road: G6 Smokes Grand Am
Pontiac finally comes up with midsize sedan with style and performance, but
the extras are pricey.
San Antonio Express-News
G. Chambers Williams III
10 December 2004
Pontiac says its all-new, 2005 G6 sedan replaces the Grand Am in its
lineup.
But that's probably not a fair way to describe the G6, whose only
relationship to last year's Grand Am is an exterior shape that is generally
about the same.
Beyond that, forget everything you ever knew about the mediocre Grand Am.
With the G6, Pontiac finally has produced a midsize sedan that brings
together great styling, decent performance and a roomy, functional interior.
Luxury, too, if you're so inclined to pay for some of the extras, such as
the leather interior included on our test vehicle.
This car is so far ahead of the Grand Am it replaces that you'll wonder
what took Pontiac so long to bring a midsize sedan of this caliber to
market. This is the first midsize sedan in the Pontiac lineup that competes
on a level field against its Japanese competitors from Toyota, Honda and
Nissan.
The wedge-shaped exterior, with the same general lines as last year's Grand
Am, has none of the silly plastic body side-cladding that has marked the
Grand Ams for the past decade or so. The lines of the G6 are clean and
bold, giving the car more the look of a sport coupe than a family sedan.
That's where the G6 may have an advantage over the mostly boring designs of
the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, the best-sellers in this segment.
Consumers who want some style in their family sedan can find it in the G6,
along with some more-practical attributes such as a roomy interior with
lots of backseat leg room, an optional segment-exclusive panoramic sunroof,
and a classy interior that includes racing-style gauges and those optional
leather seating surfaces.
General Motors built the new G6 on its so-called Epsilon chassis
architecture, which also is the basis for the current generation of the
Chevrolet Malibu (introduced for 2004) and the Saab 9-3 sport sedan
(introduced two years ago).
The G6 falls somewhere between those two in both price and execution; the
G6 is a shake or two nicer than the Malibu, but not quite as impressive as
the 9-3, which qualifies as a premium, if not luxury, sedan.
The G6 actually is on the chassis of the Malibu Maxx, a wagon/hatchback
version of the Malibu that has a wheelbase five inches longer than that of
the sedan.
As a result, the G6, with its 112-inch wheelbase vs. 107 inches for the
Malibu sedan, Accord and Camry, gives passengers extra leg room,
particularly in the back seat. Full-size or long-legged adults will find
the back seat of the G6 quite comfortable, particularly when compared with
most other cars in the midsize class.
Fit and finish are impressive, not just on the outside but also throughout
the G6's interior. While some midsize sedans from GM and even some of the
Japanese automakers have fallen short on interior design with the use of
cheap plastics and poorly placed controls and gauges, the G6 has the look
and feel of a premium model.
For 2005, the base G6 sedan begins at $21,300 (including $625 freight),
which includes a 200-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine and four-speed
automatic transmission, as well as standard amenities such as power
windows/mirrors/door locks (with remote), manual air conditioning, and an
AM/FM/compact-disc stereo. You can buy Accord and Camry models for slightly
less money, but will be getting only a four-cylinder engine.
Later in the model year, Pontiac will roll out a four-cylinder version of
the G6, so if you're looking for a direct comparison between the G6 and
entry-level models of the Accord and Camry, you'll have to wait until that
engine becomes available.
Likewise, if you're looking for sportier performance than the
200-horsepower V-6 offers, you'll have to wait a short while to get a G6
sport model with the optional, 3.9-liter, 240-horsepower V-6 engine. That
engine will be offered in uplevel GT versions of the G6.
For now, the G6 model carrying the GT designation ($23,825, including
freight) gets the same 200-horsepower as the base model, but comes with
several automatic upgrades including 17-inch cast-aluminum wheels (16-inch
wheels are used on the base car), a manual shift mode on the automatic
transmission, antilock brakes, premium audio system, and power adjustable
floor pedals, among other things.
Sometime in 2005, Pontiac will begin offering a two-door coupe version of
the G6, followed by a hardtop convertible. For now, the sedan is the only
offering. We should see the coupe in the spring; no date has been announced
yet for the convertible, but I would expect to see it arrive by summer.
Befitting of a car that its makers dare to call a sport sedan, roadhandling
on the G6 is impressive. While this is no Corvette or even a GTO, the car
holds to the road quite well in tight turns, and there was never a time
that I felt the car was anything but well under control. That's due in part
to the car's stiff chassis, as well as its four-wheel sport-tuned
suspension. This car is no wallowing big sedan, even though inside it is
almost as roomy as some popular full-size models.
I know some people will look at the engine specs and complain that the car
has just 200 horsepower, yet is supposed to compete against the Nissan
Altima and the Accord, which offer 240 hp. with their V-6 engines, and the
Camry, with a V-6 rated at 210 horsepower. I've driven all four of these
cars, and I can't tell a lot of difference in the pickup of the G6 vs. the
Accord or Camry. I did find the Altima to have the most pep in the class,
however.
The all-new Ford Five Hundred, which also competes in this class, has a
215-horsepower V-6, but weighs several hundred pounds more than the G6.
(The Five Hundred actually compares more closely with the Pontiac Grand
Prix, however; a smaller Ford sedan, the Futura, will debut during 2005 to
compete head-on against the G6 and other midsize models such as the Malibu,
Accord and Camry. I expect it to have the same 215-horsepower, 3.0-liter
V-6 that comes in the Five Hundred, but with more zip because of its lower
overall weight.)
Other premium amenities that came at no extra cost on our G6 GT model were
four-wheel antilock disc brakes with traction control; rear spoiler;
intermittent wipers; front projection fog lights; tilt and telescopic
steering columns; and cruise control.
Extras, though, ran the price of our car up to what I consider to be an
unacceptable level for a car in this class, particularly a domestic sedan
that is expected to compete against the import brands such as the Accord, Camry and Altima.
The extras included a premium value package ($3,145), which added 17-inch
chrome wheels, an even better audio system with six-disc CD changer, the
panoramic four-section sunroof, and the OnStar communications/navigation
system; a leather package ($1,365), which tacked on leather seats, six-way
power driver's seat, heated front seats, leather-wrapped steering
wheel/shift knob/parking-brake handle, and steering-wheel audio controls;
front side-impact air bags and head-curtain air bags ($690); and a remote
starter system ($150).
Total sticker was $28,280, which is close to what you would pay for a
pretty well-equipped Infiniti G35 sport sedan, for instance.
The problem, of course, is that consumers would expect to pay less for the
Pontiac than a comparable Accord or Camry; they certainly wouldn't expect
to pay as much as you would have to give for a premium sedan. Part of the
blame for this perception among consumers lies with the mediocre Grand Am,
which was always considered grossly inferior to the Japanese competition,
and therefore was priced or discounted accordingly.
If you stick with the base or GT models of the G6 as equipped, though,
you'll get a very nice car with lots of standard amenities at a price that
is comparable to if not a bit lower than the competition.
Trunk space is about average for this class - 14 cubic feet. The trunk
opening is low and easily accessible, so you can lift the groceries in and
out with relative ease.
EPA fuel-economy estimates are decent for the G6: 21 miles per gallon in
the city and 29 mpg on the highway. The tank holds 16.4 gallons of fuel,
and unleaded regular is acceptable.
Pontiac builds the G6 sedan at its factory in Lake Orion, Mich., a Detroit
suburb; it's the only product built at the plant.
2005 Pontiac G6 sedan
-The package: Midsize, four-door, five-passenger, V-6 powered, front-drive
sedan.
-Highlights: All new for 2005, the G6 replaces the mediocre Grand Am in
Pontiac's lineup, but has little to nothing in common with the Grand Am.
This is an all-new, stylish sedan that gives Pontiac a solid player in the
important midsize sedan segment. Coupe and convertible models are coming
later.
-Negatives: Can get quite pricey with all available options; only one
engine offered for now.
-Engine: 3.5-liter V-6.
-Transmission: Four-speed automatic (with manual-shift mode in GT models).
-Power/torque: 200 horsepower/220 foot-pounds.
-Overall length: 189 inches.
-Wheelbase: 112.2 inches.
-Curb weight: 3,380 pounds (3,428 pounds for GT model).
-Trunk volume: 14 cubic feet.
-Brakes, front/rear: Disc/disc, antilock optional on base model, standard
on GT.
-EPA fuel economy: 21 miles per gallon city, 29 highway.
-Fuel capacity, type: 16.4 gallons, unleaded regular.
-Major competitors: Toyota Camry, Ford Five Hundred, Volkswagen Passat,
Nissan Altima, Nissan Maxima, Honda Accord, Chevrolet Malibu, Hyundai
Sonata, Kia Optima, Mitsubishi Galant, Mazda6.
-Base price: $21,300, including $625 freight; GT $23,825.
-Price as tested: $28,280 (GT, including freight and options).
-On the Road rating: -41/2 (four-and-a-half stars out of five).
Prices quoted are manufacturer's suggested retail; actual sale price may
vary according to manufacturer and dealer incentives, rebates and
discounts.
Pontiac finally comes up with midsize sedan with style and performance, but
the extras are pricey.
San Antonio Express-News
G. Chambers Williams III
10 December 2004
Pontiac says its all-new, 2005 G6 sedan replaces the Grand Am in its
lineup.
But that's probably not a fair way to describe the G6, whose only
relationship to last year's Grand Am is an exterior shape that is generally
about the same.
Beyond that, forget everything you ever knew about the mediocre Grand Am.
With the G6, Pontiac finally has produced a midsize sedan that brings
together great styling, decent performance and a roomy, functional interior.
Luxury, too, if you're so inclined to pay for some of the extras, such as
the leather interior included on our test vehicle.
This car is so far ahead of the Grand Am it replaces that you'll wonder
what took Pontiac so long to bring a midsize sedan of this caliber to
market. This is the first midsize sedan in the Pontiac lineup that competes
on a level field against its Japanese competitors from Toyota, Honda and
Nissan.
The wedge-shaped exterior, with the same general lines as last year's Grand
Am, has none of the silly plastic body side-cladding that has marked the
Grand Ams for the past decade or so. The lines of the G6 are clean and
bold, giving the car more the look of a sport coupe than a family sedan.
That's where the G6 may have an advantage over the mostly boring designs of
the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, the best-sellers in this segment.
Consumers who want some style in their family sedan can find it in the G6,
along with some more-practical attributes such as a roomy interior with
lots of backseat leg room, an optional segment-exclusive panoramic sunroof,
and a classy interior that includes racing-style gauges and those optional
leather seating surfaces.
General Motors built the new G6 on its so-called Epsilon chassis
architecture, which also is the basis for the current generation of the
Chevrolet Malibu (introduced for 2004) and the Saab 9-3 sport sedan
(introduced two years ago).
The G6 falls somewhere between those two in both price and execution; the
G6 is a shake or two nicer than the Malibu, but not quite as impressive as
the 9-3, which qualifies as a premium, if not luxury, sedan.
The G6 actually is on the chassis of the Malibu Maxx, a wagon/hatchback
version of the Malibu that has a wheelbase five inches longer than that of
the sedan.
As a result, the G6, with its 112-inch wheelbase vs. 107 inches for the
Malibu sedan, Accord and Camry, gives passengers extra leg room,
particularly in the back seat. Full-size or long-legged adults will find
the back seat of the G6 quite comfortable, particularly when compared with
most other cars in the midsize class.
Fit and finish are impressive, not just on the outside but also throughout
the G6's interior. While some midsize sedans from GM and even some of the
Japanese automakers have fallen short on interior design with the use of
cheap plastics and poorly placed controls and gauges, the G6 has the look
and feel of a premium model.
For 2005, the base G6 sedan begins at $21,300 (including $625 freight),
which includes a 200-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine and four-speed
automatic transmission, as well as standard amenities such as power
windows/mirrors/door locks (with remote), manual air conditioning, and an
AM/FM/compact-disc stereo. You can buy Accord and Camry models for slightly
less money, but will be getting only a four-cylinder engine.
Later in the model year, Pontiac will roll out a four-cylinder version of
the G6, so if you're looking for a direct comparison between the G6 and
entry-level models of the Accord and Camry, you'll have to wait until that
engine becomes available.
Likewise, if you're looking for sportier performance than the
200-horsepower V-6 offers, you'll have to wait a short while to get a G6
sport model with the optional, 3.9-liter, 240-horsepower V-6 engine. That
engine will be offered in uplevel GT versions of the G6.
For now, the G6 model carrying the GT designation ($23,825, including
freight) gets the same 200-horsepower as the base model, but comes with
several automatic upgrades including 17-inch cast-aluminum wheels (16-inch
wheels are used on the base car), a manual shift mode on the automatic
transmission, antilock brakes, premium audio system, and power adjustable
floor pedals, among other things.
Sometime in 2005, Pontiac will begin offering a two-door coupe version of
the G6, followed by a hardtop convertible. For now, the sedan is the only
offering. We should see the coupe in the spring; no date has been announced
yet for the convertible, but I would expect to see it arrive by summer.
Befitting of a car that its makers dare to call a sport sedan, roadhandling
on the G6 is impressive. While this is no Corvette or even a GTO, the car
holds to the road quite well in tight turns, and there was never a time
that I felt the car was anything but well under control. That's due in part
to the car's stiff chassis, as well as its four-wheel sport-tuned
suspension. This car is no wallowing big sedan, even though inside it is
almost as roomy as some popular full-size models.
I know some people will look at the engine specs and complain that the car
has just 200 horsepower, yet is supposed to compete against the Nissan
Altima and the Accord, which offer 240 hp. with their V-6 engines, and the
Camry, with a V-6 rated at 210 horsepower. I've driven all four of these
cars, and I can't tell a lot of difference in the pickup of the G6 vs. the
Accord or Camry. I did find the Altima to have the most pep in the class,
however.
The all-new Ford Five Hundred, which also competes in this class, has a
215-horsepower V-6, but weighs several hundred pounds more than the G6.
(The Five Hundred actually compares more closely with the Pontiac Grand
Prix, however; a smaller Ford sedan, the Futura, will debut during 2005 to
compete head-on against the G6 and other midsize models such as the Malibu,
Accord and Camry. I expect it to have the same 215-horsepower, 3.0-liter
V-6 that comes in the Five Hundred, but with more zip because of its lower
overall weight.)
Other premium amenities that came at no extra cost on our G6 GT model were
four-wheel antilock disc brakes with traction control; rear spoiler;
intermittent wipers; front projection fog lights; tilt and telescopic
steering columns; and cruise control.
Extras, though, ran the price of our car up to what I consider to be an
unacceptable level for a car in this class, particularly a domestic sedan
that is expected to compete against the import brands such as the Accord, Camry and Altima.
The extras included a premium value package ($3,145), which added 17-inch
chrome wheels, an even better audio system with six-disc CD changer, the
panoramic four-section sunroof, and the OnStar communications/navigation
system; a leather package ($1,365), which tacked on leather seats, six-way
power driver's seat, heated front seats, leather-wrapped steering
wheel/shift knob/parking-brake handle, and steering-wheel audio controls;
front side-impact air bags and head-curtain air bags ($690); and a remote
starter system ($150).
Total sticker was $28,280, which is close to what you would pay for a
pretty well-equipped Infiniti G35 sport sedan, for instance.
The problem, of course, is that consumers would expect to pay less for the
Pontiac than a comparable Accord or Camry; they certainly wouldn't expect
to pay as much as you would have to give for a premium sedan. Part of the
blame for this perception among consumers lies with the mediocre Grand Am,
which was always considered grossly inferior to the Japanese competition,
and therefore was priced or discounted accordingly.
If you stick with the base or GT models of the G6 as equipped, though,
you'll get a very nice car with lots of standard amenities at a price that
is comparable to if not a bit lower than the competition.
Trunk space is about average for this class - 14 cubic feet. The trunk
opening is low and easily accessible, so you can lift the groceries in and
out with relative ease.
EPA fuel-economy estimates are decent for the G6: 21 miles per gallon in
the city and 29 mpg on the highway. The tank holds 16.4 gallons of fuel,
and unleaded regular is acceptable.
Pontiac builds the G6 sedan at its factory in Lake Orion, Mich., a Detroit
suburb; it's the only product built at the plant.
2005 Pontiac G6 sedan
-The package: Midsize, four-door, five-passenger, V-6 powered, front-drive
sedan.
-Highlights: All new for 2005, the G6 replaces the mediocre Grand Am in
Pontiac's lineup, but has little to nothing in common with the Grand Am.
This is an all-new, stylish sedan that gives Pontiac a solid player in the
important midsize sedan segment. Coupe and convertible models are coming
later.
-Negatives: Can get quite pricey with all available options; only one
engine offered for now.
-Engine: 3.5-liter V-6.
-Transmission: Four-speed automatic (with manual-shift mode in GT models).
-Power/torque: 200 horsepower/220 foot-pounds.
-Overall length: 189 inches.
-Wheelbase: 112.2 inches.
-Curb weight: 3,380 pounds (3,428 pounds for GT model).
-Trunk volume: 14 cubic feet.
-Brakes, front/rear: Disc/disc, antilock optional on base model, standard
on GT.
-EPA fuel economy: 21 miles per gallon city, 29 highway.
-Fuel capacity, type: 16.4 gallons, unleaded regular.
-Major competitors: Toyota Camry, Ford Five Hundred, Volkswagen Passat,
Nissan Altima, Nissan Maxima, Honda Accord, Chevrolet Malibu, Hyundai
Sonata, Kia Optima, Mitsubishi Galant, Mazda6.
-Base price: $21,300, including $625 freight; GT $23,825.
-Price as tested: $28,280 (GT, including freight and options).
-On the Road rating: -41/2 (four-and-a-half stars out of five).
Prices quoted are manufacturer's suggested retail; actual sale price may
vary according to manufacturer and dealer incentives, rebates and
discounts.
Comment