2009 Pontiac G8 Review

From the bold hood scoops to the twinkle of the stainless steel exhaust tips, the Pontiac G8 GT is an impressive sport sedan. With a V-8 delivering 362 horsepower, there is great fun to be had from the manufacturer who delivers excitement.

I was immediately drawn in by my Pontiac G8 tester's outward appearance and sport red metallic finish. This rear-drive sedan, yes, I did say rear drive, features strong Pontiac styling cues, such as a dual-port grille, fog lamps, sleek lines and bold wheels.

I especially like the hood scoops and front fender vents, not to mention my G8 GT tester's clear taillamp lenses and quad polished stainless steel exhaust tips.

Those that step up from the base G8 to the G8 GT will be afforded those aforementioned exterior enhancements along with a potent V-8 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission.

The base G8 features a 256-horsepower 3.6-liter V-6 engine mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission. The G8 GT benefits from a 361-horsepower 6.0-liter V-8 engine and an extra gear.

By the way, the 6.0 V-8 in the G8 GT also employs G.M.'s Active Fuel Management (AFM) technology, which shuts off four cylinders under light loads to improve fuel economy.

The G8 is the brain child of Bob Lutz, vice chairman of Global Product Development at G.M., who first presented us with the G8 show car at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show. The G8 is based on the Australian-marked Holden Commodore.

The G8 looks and feels more refined than any of its predecessors. Built on GM's global rear-wheel-drive architecture, the G8 is designed to deliver world-class levels of strength and refinement, along with crisp driving dynamics.

Among the architecture's design attributes is a layout that promotes a nearly 50/50 front-to-rear weight ratio. That's due to a steering rack mounted ahead of the front axle, engines mounted low and rearward in the front chassis cradle and a trunk-mounted battery.

A unique, four-wheel independent, performance-tuned suspension system is utilized by G8. The G8 rides on a long, 114.8-inch wheelbase, with the wheels set wide apart for a well-planted feel.

The G8 and G8 GT models use the same suspension setup, balancing crisp handling with a compliant ride that is agreeable for everyday driving.

The 6.0-liter V-8 engine in my G8 GT tester was very responsive and powerful. From its outward appearance, this car looks like it would be fun to drive. I can tell you that it drives even better than it looks.

It's amazing how well the G8 grips the pavement when taking corners at speeds, yet, the ride is very smooth and comfortable when driving over roughly paved roads.

The powerful engine and awesome ride and handling characteristics provide a truly enjoyable driving experience.

But I must admit, everything G8 has to offer isn't to my liking. I was very disappointed with the cabin. First, there was ample room for a tall driver like myself, but all other seating positions are short on legroom.

Also, this five-passenger sedan will have difficulty seating three adults in back as the driveline hump robs the middle seat of any legroom. The rear seats do not fold down, but there is a pass-through for long items.

The G8 features one-year of OnStar's Safe & Sound package, but a navigation system is not offered, nor is Bluetooth connectivity.

Furthermore, I do not like having the window, mirror, and door lock switches on the center console. Only the driver's window provides express down and none of the windows offer express up.

I enjoyed the tunes from the premium 11-speaker, 230-watt Blaupunkt audio system, but I would have preferred if the large LCD color display offered touchscreen capabilities.

Aside from my complaints regarding the cabin, the G8 is a remarkably enjoyable sedan. Take one for a ride and I'm sure you'll be as impressed as I was.

2009 Pontiac G8 GT

Engine: 6.0-liter (361 hp) V-8

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Drive type: RWD

Fuel economy: 15 city/24 highway

Base price: $30,675

As tested: $32,760 (includes $685 for destination)

Web site: www.pontiac.com