2005 Pontiac G6

Pontiac’s G6 is a sporty looking sedan made for families and couples living in the city or suburbs. The body style is sleek for a four door and the paint, which holds up well, comes in a nice variety of colors. The interior styling is better for couples then families though. The layout of the dash is nice but the seating layout isn’t good if you have or will have car seats. Infant seats that are supposed to be set in the center fit oddly and only if the front seats are adjusted just right, which is usually uncomfortable for the driver. For Booster seats and young adults, the back seats can be a little cramped but not so bad as to be an issue for most. The front areas are very comfortable for adults even on long rides.

The G6 handles very well, and both the 4 & 6 cylinder engines have enough pep to make passing easy, though the 4 cyl. strains on steep inclines. Wet and wintry weather are not too much of a problem when good treaded tires are employed. The thing is it’s a noisy car, with many creaks, groans, grinds and wind noise from all over the vehicle. Then there are the windshield wipers, which while running may stop in odd places, not always making a clean sweep of the entire viewing area.

Gas mileage on the G6 is good but in comparison to some of its competitors falls a bit short. The range of 25-29 MPG is good but other newer sedans are calling for ranges in the high 30’s. Oil changes and tune-ups can be done relatively cheap, ranging from $20-$40 when done at home or in local garage. Beware of the dealers. Pontiac dealerships can range from accommodating to infuriating when it comes to customer service. Not to mention when you do go for general maintenance, they will tack on many inspection fees, which will lead to “well you’ll need....” conversations that wind up costing an arm and a leg. If you are having an oil change and tune up, which should include the changing of filters automatically, there is no need to have said filters inspected, so this is a B.S. fee. Also, they will “check” your fluids such as windshield washer and coolant, charging up and over $5 for each fluid inspected. Seeing as this car has indicator lights to tell you if you need these things, this is a waste of money. All in all, labor fees at a dealer will average $85-$90 not including parts.

This isn’t a bad little sedan for what it is. I like its sportiness both in style and driving performance. It just has issues that if Pontiac works out, would make the G6 a great car.