By: New Car Test Drive
Photo Credit: Pontiac

Overview

The Pontiac G5 is a good-looking front-wheel-drive coupe that delivers satisfying straight-line performance and reasonable fuel economy.

The G5 comes in a standard version and as a sportier GT. The GT has a firmer suspension, 17-inch tires, and a 171-horsepower, 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine. The standard version comes with a 148-hp, 2.2 liter four-cylinder. Either way a five-speed manual transmission is standard, a four-speed automatic is optional.

We drove a Pontiac G5 GT automatic, and enjoyed its good acceleration and a pleasing lack of noise or vibration for a four-cylinder, even when pushed hard. The ride is a bit firm but not uncomfortable.

With any coupe, interior space and passenger capacity are compromised for sporty styling and that's the case here. Pontiac describes the G5 as a five-passenger car, but limited rear legroom makes carrying five adults a serious challenge. The back of the cabin is best used for parcels.

Underneath the G5 are the same mechanical underpinnings from the Chevrolet Cobalt coupe that was introduced in 2005. Essentially, the G5 is Pontiac's version of the Cobalt; except that Chevrolet offers a four-door sedan variant and Pontiac does not.

For 2008, the G5 is little changed, having just been introduced for 2007. Standard equipment has been upgraded: 2008 G5 models come with head-curtain airbags, a tire-pressure monitor, and XM Satellite Radio. OnStar and StabiliTrak are now standard on the GT.