1997 Pontiac Sunfire Review

1997 Pontiac Sunfire

Fire sale.

by: Dan Jedlicka

The boxy Pontiac Sunbird was replaced last year by the smooth-looking Sunfire, which is particularly sporty in convertible form.

The $17,934 Sunfire soft top offers sufficient performance with the 2.2-liter, 120-horsepower pushrod four-cylinder. But the $395 overhead-camshaft 2.4-liter four is well worth the extra bucks.

That optional overhead-camshaft, 16-valve engine generates 150 horsepower and significantly more torque than the base motor. It is a lot quieter and more refined than its twin-camshaft predecessor and provides good economy.

The figures are an estimated 23 m.p.g. in the city and 33 on highways with the standard five-speed manual transmission and 22 and 32 with the optional four-speed automatic.

The subcompact, front-drive Sunfire convertible isn't especially heavy at 2,835 pounds. Thus, the 150-horsepower engine makes it fairly quick--even with the $245 quick-shifting automatic, which includes a traction-control system for better grip on slippery roads.

The Sunfire soft top is nicely equipped, with items such as dual air bags, anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, AM/FM stereo and sports-car instrumentation. Rear-heat duct outlets warm rear-seat passengers when it's cold outside.

The power top has a glass rear window and operates quickly and efficiently. But occupants can't lower the rear side windows because they only go down when the top is lowered and only go up when it is raised. Pontiac said that's because rear-window controls would eat into rear-seat space, and it wanted the Sunfire soft top to have decent room back there.

Well, it does offer fairly good rear-seat roominess for a small convertible if occupants aren't too big. However, the back seat cushion isn't very comfortable on longer drives.

On the flip side, the trunk is pretty roomy for a small convertible. The old Sunbird convertible's wiggles and shakes are gone because the Sunfire soft top has a much stiffer body structure.

As a bonus, the Sunfire soft top gets larger (65-series) tires than the hardtop model. The convertible's tires enhance handling, which is good. And suspension refinements result in a comfortable ride.

While the standard power rack-and-pinion steering is a bit too light, the easily modulated brakes work fine.

Pontiac's costlier Trans Am convertible is sexier than the Sunfire soft top, but the Sunfire makes a lot more sense in congested areas.

Dan Jedlicka

Dan Jedlicka joined the Chicago Sun-Times in February 1968 as a business news reporter and was named auto editor later that year. He has reviewed more than 4,000 new vehicles for the Sun-Times--far more than any newspaper auto writer in the country. Jedlicka also reviewed vehicles for Microsoft Corp.'s MSN Autos Internet site from January, 1996, to June, 2008.

Jedlicka remained auto editor at the Sun-Times until October, 2008, and continued writing for the newspaper's AutoTimes section, which he started in 1992, until February, 2009. While continuing his auto writings at the Sun-Times, he served as assistant financial editor of that newspaper from 1970 to 1973, when he began his automotive column.

He has appeared on numerous radio and television shows, including NBC's "Today," ABC's "20/20" and "The CBS Evening News." He was a host, consultant and writer for Fox-TV Channel 32's 1991 New Car Preview show and that Chicago-based station's 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995 Chicago Auto Show Previews.

Jedlicka's auto articles have been printed in national magazines, including Esquire and Harper's. His auto columns have been reprinted in U.S. government publications and economic textbooks and he is profiled in the "World's Greatest Auto Show" history book about the Chicago Auto Show. In late 1975, Jedlicka was host and technical advisor for three one-hour television specials, "Auto Test 76," which aired nationally on PBS and were the first nationally televised auto road test shows.

In 1995, Jedlicka was the recipient of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois Inc.'s Consumer Education Award, given annually to a person who has gained distinction in the field of consumer education. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award in the Media category and inducted into the Legends of Motorsports Guild at the Carquest World of wheels custom car show in Chicago in January, 2006.

Jedlicka was a member of the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury, composed of a select number of auto journalists from throughout the country, from 1995 until 2009. From 2010 to 2012, he was a member of Consumer Digest magazine's auto experts panel that gave Best Buy new vehicle recommendations.

He is a 1987 graduate of the Bob Bondurant Race Drivers School and later of the BMW "M" and Skip Barber Advanced Driving schools. He was a member of the U.S. team that participated in the 1987 1,000-mile Mille Miglia race/rally in Italy and has been a race winner at the Chicago area's Santa Fe Speedway.

Jedlicka has owned 25 classic cars, including 1950s and 1960s Ferraris and 1950s and 1960s Porsches, a 1965 Corvette, a 1967 Maserati and a 1957 Studebaker supercharged Golden Hawk. Jedlicka resides with his wife, Suzanne, in the Frank Lloyd Wright historic district of Oak Park. They have two children, James and Michele.

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