Green
Trucks
Luxury
Family
Brand
Muscle
See more sites from  HighGear  M E D I A  >>
Compare this car to others like it Try our car compare tool now

2009 Pontiac G5 Review

February 18, 2009

STYLING | 6 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Yawn
Cars.com

control placement is mostly logical
ConsumerGuide

the climate system is easily operated with large, clear controls
MyRide.com

The 2009 Pontiac G5 is the latest in what is called “badge engineering.” Rather than develop a new vehicle for Pontiac, GM took a Chevy Cobalt, slapped Pontiac logos on it (with the exception of some detailing), and called it the G5.

Edmunds adds its two cents about the badge engineering on the Pontiac G5 by saying that the 2009 Pontiac G5 is "a twin of corporate cousin Chevy's compact Cobalt coupe. With its more stylish twin-port grille leading the way, the G5 is stuck with the same strengths and weaknesses."

For the 2009 model year, "there are two trim levels for the Pontiac G5 compact coupe: base and GT," according to Edmunds. Little differs externally between the two models; in fact, Car and Driver finds that the only real visible differences are the "17-inch alloy wheels" on the GT, along with a pair of fog lamps.

Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com are quick to point out that the shared exterior of the two versions of this 2009 Pontiac is quite bland. Reviewers at Cars.com note that "a rear spoiler is standard," along with "a double-cutout Pontiac grille," but they simply cannot find anything noteworthy about the exterior of the 2009 Pontiac G5 and wrap up their comments with an appropriate "yawn." While MyRide.com feels that the Pontiac G5 is "an attractive little two-door, with a nice rising beltline, slightly flared wheel wells, and a few styling cues where the headlights meet the hood," they can't help but notice "the generic shape and stance" and "less than modern looks."

Inside the bland and dated exterior of this 2009 Pontiac G5 is an equally boring, though functional, interior. Edmunds feels that the interior's "attractive gauges and a full-featured stereo give the Pontiac G5 a contemporary feel, and metallic accents...brighten the otherwise stark cabin of the GT." Overall, however, there is little to propel the interior design ahead of the Pontiac G5's competition. Consumer Guide finds the interior "control placement is mostly logical…though the climate control knobs are set too low for easy access while driving." Reviewers at MyRide.com also appreciate the interior layout, commenting that "the climate system is easily operated with large, clear controls," while on the audio control side, they "also like the big center dial dedicated to power and volume functions, chrome accents, and clear buttons for primary controls."

Conclusion

If you once had a Sunbird or Sunfire coupe and liked it, the G5 is a clear evolution of that theme but doesn't strike out in any new directions.

STYLING | 6 out of 10Expert Quotes:YawnCars.comcontrol placement is mostly logicalConsumerGuidethe climate system is easily operated with large, clear controlsMyRide.com The 2009 Pontiac G5 is the latest in what is called “badge engineering.” Rather than develop a new vehicle for Pontiac, GM took a Chevy Cobalt, slapped Pontiac logos on it (with the exception of some detailing), and called it the G5. Edmunds adds its two cents about the badge engineering on the Pontiac G5 by saying that the 2009 Pontiac G5 is "a twin of corporate cousin Chevy's compact Cobalt coupe. With its more stylish twin-port grille leading the way, the G5 is stuck with the same strengths and weaknesses." For the 2009 model year, "there are two trim levels for the Pontiac G5 compact coupe: base and GT," according to Edmunds. Little differs externally between the two models; in fact, Car and Driver finds that the only real visible differences are the "17-inch alloy wheels" on the GT, along with a pair of fog lamps. Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com are quick to point out that the shared exterior of the two versions of this 2009 Pontiac is quite bland. Reviewers at Cars.com note that "a rear spoiler is standard," along with "a double-cutout Pontiac grille," but they simply cannot find anything noteworthy about the exterior of the 2009 Pontiac G5 and wrap up their comments with an appropriate "yawn." While MyRide.com feels that the Pontiac G5 is "an attractive little two-door, with a nice rising beltline, slightly flared wheel wells, and a few styling cues where the headlights meet the hood," they can't help but notice "the generic shape and stance" and "less than modern looks." Inside the bland and dated exterior of this 2009 Pontiac G5 is an equally boring, though functional, interior. Edmunds feels that the interior's "attractive gauges and a full-featured stereo give the Pontiac G5 a contemporary feel, and metallic accents...brighten the otherwise stark cabin of the GT." Overall, however, there is little to propel the interior design ahead of the Pontiac G5's competition. Consumer Guide finds the interior "control placement is mostly logical…though the climate control knobs are set too low for easy access while driving." Reviewers at MyRide.com also appreciate the interior layout, commenting that "the climate system is easily operated with large, clear controls," while on the audio control side, they "also like the big center dial dedicated to power and volume functions, chrome accents, and clear buttons for primary controls." ConclusionIf you once had a Sunbird or Sunfire coupe and liked it, the G5 is a clear evolution of that theme but doesn't strike out in any new directions. 2009 PONTIAC G5 STYLING | [6 out of 10] Cars.com: "Yawn" ConsumerGuide: "control placement is mostly logical" MyRide.com: "the climate system is easily operated with large, clear controls" The 2009 Pontiac G5 is the latest in what is called “badge engineering.” Rather than develop a ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The 2009 Pontiac G5 is a near-twin of the Chevrolet Cobalt coupe, but lacks the Chevy's optional SS trim with its turbocharged four-cylinder. The Honda Civic is the most sophisticated in this class. Its four-cylinder engines are flexible and rev freely, the manual transmission is a pleasure to shift, and its interior quality is top notch. The Ford Focus coupe isn’t pretty but has plenty of features, including the new SYNC entertainment controller. The Scion tC is reasonably handsome, with a rev-happy four-cylinder engine and a much more visually satisfying interior, but it's also quite cramped.

Next Steps:

Get a free price quote

for the 2009 Pontiac G5 from a dealer near you

Check Insurance Rates

for the 2009 Pontiac G5

Check Financing Rates

for the 2009 Pontiac G5

Check Local Classifieds

for a 2009 Pontiac G5 near you

See the Pontiac G5 in Other Years:

2009 | 2008 | 2007

Comments (2 total)

  1. By Jim #1, Posted: 6/22/2009

    Good commuter car- traded in an 03 Sunfire and not sorry. At $12k, 30 plus mpg- I won't complain.
    I see too many newer import cars here in the rust belt doing just that-rotting out- because of cheap foreign steel. Expect my G5 to hold up as well as my Sunfire did in that regard. Spotless.

  2. By darren budd #2, Posted: 9/30/2009

    I have a pontiac g5 gt and i had it about 2 months and i love it, great fuel economy great price and it was loaded with every bell and wistle and it hasnt rattled out like my sisters cobalt did i recomend this car over a cobalt as chevy is poorly assembled in the end

Post a comment

Post anonymously, or
(Required)
(Required - will not be published, sold or shared)
(Optional - your 'posted by' name will link to the URL)

Remember Me?

I have read TheCarConnection.com's privacy policy