G5 Review

[G5_Ventura]

I recently bought the new Pontiac G5. I was one of the first, if not the first, in California to get one.

This is a brief review about the car and why I chose it for those who are thinking of the G5 as a potential car for themselves. Feel free to post specific questions about the G5 that you may have.

I bought a G5 GT. Mine came with auto-transimission (I have yet to see any manuals), leather, and premium sound package. If you act fast yours may be one of the first 5000 sold and if so then you get XM satellite service for a year and 365 music downloads for free. You also get the premium sound system which is a 7-speaker thing with a large subwoofer in the trunk.

There are tons of cars to chose from when buying these days and the internet makes it easy to research one that fits yours needs before you ever have to talk to a dealer. I suggest doing that. I wanted a car that was sporty, quick, agile, but with enough space to provide utility beyond driving to and from work. I wanted gas mileage better than 30 mpg. With those requirements I narrowed the search down to a few cars and eventually went with the new G5 GT and am very satisfied with the purchase.

Engine: The G5 GT comes with a 173 hp engine. This coupled with the auto-transmission would seem like a bad idea, but actually the two main devices in the car work perfectly together. This is my first automatic transmission car because I have never liked the decrease of power and efficiency one normally sees in the auto-trans. There is no decrease here. There is no lag or dead zone where your car seems to idle rather than accelerate. You get instant power when you want it. The shifting is very smooth and hardly felt. The motor is quiet, except when you put the pedal to the floor.

Handling: The best surprize of the G5 GT and why I bought it after the test drive, is the handling. I have driven several GM cars before as rentals and they all felt like I was driving a boat whenever I tried a quick maneuver. The G5 GT has a sport suspension and electronic power steering that hold the road very well. This is the first electronic power steering that I have not hated. I do not know what GM changed, but it works well. The G5 is agile and can make quick, sharp movements. You can accelerate during turns if you like and not feel like you are going to lose control. I have no complaints about the handling which is a shock to me since I have always owned rear-wheel drive cars before. The G5 is front wheel drive, but I still feel solid and secure with my deliberate race car driving style.

Comfort: my G5 came with leather, which is nice. The leather covers both front and back seats, even though the description on the Pontiac website says the back seat is cloth-- it isn't. You ride tall in the car, which I am not used to, but I guess the majority of people like it. The car is quiet, no weird shakes or rattles. It glides over bumps and pot-holes despite having a sport suspension. Mine has power mirrors, widows, locking, and a remote start. The remote start is fun to show off. All power features except for the remote start are standard. I do not suggest paying the extra $200 for the remote start. Sure its fun, but not really useful. The air conditioner blows ice cold, and I mean cold. Leave that thing on full blast for a while and you will start to see your breath. The defrosters work real fast and clear your windows in less than a minute. My seats are heated, but again this is a feature one can do without.

Interior: The interior of mine is all black, with metal fixtures for added style. Overall I like the interior. It is as simple as they come. No extra fancy gizmos or junk that will do nothing but break one day. One thing I don't like is the material used on the dash. I like a smooth dash, but the standard dash is made of a rough material. The gages are easy to read and the car has a message center that tells you any problems with the car including when to change the oil. The radio/cd player is standard and having XM radio is very nice. Mine came with a 7-speaker sound system which is great to listen to, but probably not needed unless you are big on sound quality. My G5 does not have a sunroof. Most GTs do. Sunroofs add weight and aerodynamic drag, so unless you really want one-- don't spend the extra cash. My last car was a convertible, so I had no desire to get a sunroof. Not getting one saves about $1000 from the sticker price. The trunk of the car is huge. You could easily fit a person in it, if that is your business. The back seat holds three people fine and has more headroom back there than any coupe I have been in.

Exterior: I like the styling of the G5. The spoiler is standard on all models. The car stands out from most, but not so much that it looks obscene.

Overall the G5 is a quality car. I have no complaints with it and am happy I made the choice to get one early. This is my first American made car, and it is actually made in America. The VIN number starts with 1, so somewhere in the states it was built, I think at a plant in Ohio. The G5 fits all the requirements I had of power, handling, style, and utility. It averages at 28-29 mpg including city and highway driving and I drive too fast. You could probably average 30+ mpg if you drove normally. Just cruising down the highway gives you at least 34 mpg, I think a bit more.

[Gir-_-]

heh, I want one...

Good review

[|WYG|SS]

www.g5.com and do custimize and u can add interior color to your car it is awsome.

[joemeadejr]

question i heard it is being built on the same platform as the colbalt so does the g5 have a supercharger model?

[mont03]

G5 Ventura,

Its been some time since you posted and you've had this time to think more about the car. How has it been and are you still impressed with it? Any problems? I just took a G5 out for a test drive yesterday and even before I left the dealership the soft brake pedal was an issue for me. Is that the way all Pontiacs are (I have a Montana)? I then took a G6 out for a drive and the brake pedal seemed soft there too. How have the brakes stood up for you (or anybody else)?

[Shifter11]

i just bought a g5 today and i love it. It is a gt model, and has everything that ventura's has but i have a sunroof and chrome exaust tips. Everything that ventura said holds true to my car. The only thing i had a problem with was being able to look into my blind spot, but i fixed that with a small spot mirror.

**srry i brought up a old thread... i didnt look at the last post date... =\**