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Now that the dust has settled from the most successful product placement/public relations stunt ever conceived to introduce a new car, the Pontiac G6 must stand on it's own merits. I'll get to the merits of the car in a bit, but let's examine the success of having Oprah Winfrey kick off her 19th season by making the "wildest dreams" of 276 lucky audience members come true. In a $7.7 million dollar giveaway by Pontiac everybody came out a winner as Pontiac hit the demographic bull's-eye with influential women buyers. Oprah received praise, Pontiac got invaluable exposure, and audience members all got a great car. This was a win-win-win. As the most influential woman in media today, Oprah's television talk show reaches over 22 million viewers in the US alone. But does the car deserve the endorsement of America's favorite woman? In a word, yes. For the first time since I have been writing about autos, I believe Pontiac did it right. Forget the marketing hype about "Ponti-action", "Building Excitement" or the other past advertising slogans. Except for a brief time when John DeLorean guided Pontiac towards performance with the mid sixties GTO and Firebird, Pontiac has been a four door sedan car for the upward mobile middle class. Lately they have been struggling as designs have aged and focus has been diverted by SUV envy. But this is where Pontiac shines. With the new 2005 Pontiac G6 there is no reason to buy Japanese when Michigan produces a car like this. From the foundation or basic architecture, the 2005 Pontiac G-6 has it right. Sharing the Epsilon platform with the Saab 9-3, Chevy Malibu, Malibu Max, and Opel Vectra, the Pontiac G6 starts out with excellent genealogy. Key is the class leading 112.3" wheelbase stabilizing the ride and performance while enabling exceptional rear seat room. I found handling to be excellent on the GT version I was provided. My vehicle was equipped with the unique Panoramic Sunroof consisting of four panels that pancake in a stacked position at the rear of the roof. Multiple positions and a power sunroof make this design very useful. I did notice a slight amount of wind noise at highway speeds from the ridges of the glass panels. Closing the electric sunshade eliminated most of the noise. Exterior styling is fresh and attractive. The signature honeycombed dual grill leaves no doubt this is a Pontiac. Sloping rooflines and short deck are modern, pleasing and non-offensive. Thankfully, Pontiac designers learned their lesson about the use of cheap plastic cladding that desecrated some models just a few years back. This design may not make your heart go pitter-patter but you won't be embarrassed, either. Inside is where the Pontiac G6 really shines. The 2005 Pontiac G6 can be appreciated by either gender but Pontiac knew that women appreciate certain features. Heated preferred leather seats are a rich luxury fast becoming a necessity for many. And let's face it; we are not all the same size. The steering wheel not only tilts, but it telescopes to just the right position. Brake and gas pedals adjust for drivers of various heights, making this car one that will fit just about anybody. Since I park test vehicles outside in the weather, I especially enjoyed the remote start feature on cold winter mornings. Starting the engine from the comfort of the house let me warm up the car, while keeping it safely locked. Now how cool is that? There is talk of a G6 Coupe and Convertible to be unveiled next year, but for now the four-door sedan is the way to go. The standard 2005 Pontiac G6 comes equipped as a GT model for an extra $2,600. Additional traction control, rear spoiler, premium sound, sport suspension and other features are welcome additions. I'm not sure if Oprah is a car expert or not but she picked a winner this time. The 2005 Pontiac G6 is a great value if you have to pay full price. Of course getting one for free would be better.
2005 Pontiac G6 GT
Price as tested $27,800 Additional Web only Information and Resources For Additional Reviews: |
©2003 - Stan Risener