Pontiac introduced the G6 in 2004 as a 2005 model, and it was streets better than anything we'd seen from the division in years. For 2007 the G6 gets several improvements. The GTP model I tested, which competes against sporty mid-size cars like the Toyota Camry SE, Honda Accord EX-V6, Nissan Maxima and Saturn Aura, gets a new engine and transmission. The G6 is now in its third year, and several of its primary competitors have been redesigned since then. How's the G6 holding up? Read on. Base price (GTP) $25,230, $29,465 as tested, EPA fuel economy estimates 20 MPG city/28 highway.
First Glance: A good start and getting better
Larger exterior photos: Front rearWhen the G6 first hit the market in 2004 as a 2005 model, it brought with it a number of changes for Pontiac. Away went the tacked-on strakes and spoilers we’d come to associate with Pontiacs. The G6 had a smooth, clean look. Compared to the Grand Am it replaced, the G6 was bigger and therefore more appropriately sized for typical family-car duty, plus it was infinitely better to drive. About.com test driver Philip Powell reviewed the 2005 Pontiac G6 sedan and found it far superior to the standard Detroit-sourced fare we'd become used to. As for name recognition, well, Oprah Winfrey took care of that -- she gave away 276 new G6 sedans on her show, and soon after the name of Pontiac's new mid-size sedan was on everyone's lips.
For 2006, Pontiac introduced two new versions of the G6, a coupe (reviews here and here) and a hard-top convertible (reviews here and here), neither of which we liked nearly as much as the sedan.
2007 brings more changes to the G6. Side curtain airbags are now standard in the sedan -- an admirable move on Pontiac's part, though front seat mounted torso airbags are still a $295 option. And the top-of-the-line GTP version I drove gets a new engine, smaller but more powerful and fuel-efficient than last year's.
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In the Driver's Seat: Great up front, so-so in back
In my review of the mechanically-similar Saturn Aura XR, my biggest complaint was the depressingly dark interior. The G6's two-tone interior is much better: Beige gives it a light, open feel, while the black topper reduces the reflection of the dash in the windshield. I liked it much, much better than the Aura.
It's easy to find a comfortable driving position thanks to a steering wheel that tilts up and down and telescopes in and out. The optional ($125) power-adjustable pedals were icing on the cake. Also optional were the heated leather seats, part of a $1,250 package with trunk nets, floor mats and a feature that allows the engine to be started from a button on the key fob (good for getting the interior heated up or cooled down before you get in). It seems an odd bundling of options, but these are all features I'd want were I buying a G6.
My test car's excellent Monsoon stereo (link goes to photo) came bundled with a panoramic multi-panel sunroof, the larger of two sunroof choices on the G6 sedan. Ironically, the wind noise from the panoramic sunroof, even when closed, was loud enough to drown out the stereo at highway speeds. In fact, the wind noise with the sunroof closed was almost as loud as when it was open.
Back seat passengers don't fare as well as front-seaters. Seat comfort and legroom are fine, but the G6's low roofline intrudes on headroom. I'm only 5'6" and found my head uncomfortably close to the roof. The G6's trunk, at 14 cubic feet, is a bit on the small side, but it easily swallowed Robin's massage table, an admirable feat.
On the Road: Great engine, but woeful wind noise
The GTP gets a new powertrain this year: General Motors' stellar 3.6 liter V6 with variable valve timing. It supplies 252 horsepower to the front wheels of the G6 via a six-speed automatic. I didn't track my fuel economy in the G6, but I did average 20.4 MPG in a similarly-sized Saturn Aura with the same powertrain -- a pretty decent showing for a car with this much power. GTP models also get StabiliTrak, GM's electronic stability control system.For those who don't need quite so much power, Pontiac offers a 2.4 liter 4-cylinder engine in the G6 Base and a 224 hp 3.5 liter V6 in the G6 GT. Last year's GTP engine, a 240 hp 3.9 liter V6, is now optional on the GT.
The G6 offers the kind of responsive handling I've come to expect from GM's latest cars. It's not quite as agile and precise as the Saturn Aura, with which it shares many of its mechanical bits, but its marginally more involving to drive than many of its Japanese competitors.
Unfortunately another thing that set the G6 I tested apart from its Japanese competitors were the clunks and rattles from various parts of the car. Another problem, as I mentioned earlier, was wind noise over the sunroof. It was apparent at any speed over 30 miles an hour and excessive at freeway speeds -- in fact the G6's wind noise was the worst of any new car I've ever tested, including convertibles. For that reason alone, I'd recommend against the panoramic sunroof -- shame, 'cause it's a cool-looking design. I haven't driven a G6 with the smaller sunroof so I don't know if it suffers from the same problem.
Journey's End: You've come a long way, Pontiac
Being a died-in-the-wool skinflint, I'm always looking for value. The entry-level G6 Value Leader is a good deal at $17,825, though it has no options other than floor mats and an engine block heater. A top-of-the-range GTP with all the toys will run just over $30k. Chrysler's Sebring gives you a lot more gadgets for the money, but it's nowhere near as good to drive as the G6.
Only two things let the 2007 Pontiac G6 sedan down: the rear seat's low roofline and awkward access and the extreme wind noise from the panoramic sunroof. Aside from that, the G6 sedan remains what it has been since its introduction: A competent and likeable domestic family sedan. If you're shopping for a mid-size sedan, make sure you stop at the Pontiac dealership -- good chance you'll be pleasantly surprised at just how far Pontiac has come.
