Try as you might, there’s no changing a zebra’s stripes. In relevant terms, the 2006 G6 GTP Coupe proves there’s no turning a midsize, front-drive Pontiac into an entertaining ride.

To be fair, that depends on one’s definition of entertaining. Drivers who enjoy an overly-sensitive throttle that will spin the front tires with the slightest provocation and a transmission that snaps to attention when accelerating from a slow speed, well, the G6 GTP coupe is patiently waiting to be rescued from your local Pontiac dealer. The 3.9-liter V6 offers adequate power for most occasions, including highway passes, but all 240 horses become winded and raucous when pushing the engine aggressively. Under normal driving conditions, the 2006 Pontiac G6 GTP Coupe emits a droning engine noise. As the most powerful offering in the lineup, the GTP’s bigger six-cylinder performs short of expectations, and our paltry 19.1-mpg average fuel economy number failed to offset the dearth of oomph. For its part, the four-speed automatic performs well, though shifts are abrupt during the “go” part of stop-and-go traffic, and the sloppy manual mode is as enticing as a keg of O’Douls at a frat party.

Equally unimpressive are the G6’s brakes, which do a fine job in regular traffic, though the pedal requires more effort than other cars in this class. Hit the back roads, and the four-wheel disc setup loses potency quickly, leading to noticeable fade during spirited runs through the corners and downhill. It’s during those times when the steering wheel is being sawed back and forth that drivers will discover the G6 Coupe’s mediocre handling. The Goodyear Eagle LS tires quietly lose grip in tight turns as understeer and increasing body roll take their toll. Mind you, this is with the GTP’s “sport” suspension. In the twisties, our test car’s front suspension and speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering felt unrefined and rough, as though not every bolt had been tightened and it wasn’t quite ready for prime time. A constant whine from what we’re guessing was overworked power steering pump certainly didn’t add any level of confidence.

By now, it should be obvious that the sport-tuned 2006 Pontiac G6 GTP Coupe prefers to steer clear of anything but the well-beaten commuter and grocery-getter paths. In that environment, road irregularities are quelled nicely with little disruption felt through the steering wheel, though the system feels floaty and disconnected when traversing large bumps. The result is a vehicle that is a perfectly competent everyday driver, but if Pontiac’s marketing and all of the “sport” references have you thinking the G6 Coupe is an athletic performer, don’t believe the hype – this is not a fun car to drive, especially given the poor outward visibility.