Seatbelts With Airbags? Ford Believes It's The...
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 G8 Review

February 23, 2009

STYLING | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

remarkably contemporary
Cars.com

won’t be mistaken for a luxury sedan
Popular Mechanics

discreet and tasteful look
Jalopnik

assertively Pontiac
USAToday

The combination of assertive and refined styling—with a lack of gimmickry or excessive trim and brightwork—is appreciated by reviewers.

Reviewers, from mainstream consumer guides to enthusiast Web sites, approve of the 2009 Pontiac G8’s polished design. Jalopnik calls it a “discreet and tasteful look. Not really a head-turner, but sharp and far more restrained than the [Dodge] Charger.” Cars.com agrees, saying the G8 “isn't going to snap necks with its looks like the Chrysler 300 did when it debuted, but the bulging hood can't be missed when seen in the rearview mirror.”

“The look is assertively Pontiac,” says USAToday about the G8’s more dramatic elements, such as the “Drooping snout, oversize grille, red dashboard lighting, gimmicky hood scoops.”

The G8’s interior’s is attractive, described by ConsumerGuide as having an “understated cabin decor” and “surfaces finished with quality materials and tastefully textured plastics.” ConsumerGuide also notes the plentiful interior storage, down to the “useful cubby in front of the shifter.” Popular Mechanics says that although the G8’s interior is nice, the cabin “certainly won’t be mistaken for a luxury sedan.”

According to the editors of the CarConnection.com, the G8’s interior is close to flawless when comparing it to other Pontiac products but would benefit from further refinement. GM made progress by choosing appropriate textures; however, the Australian-sourced plastic surrounding the radio and climate controls isn’t the best piece ever installed in a $30,000 sedan. The fonts and digital readouts look more 1980s than 2009. Still, it’s by far the best Pontiac available and a big step up inside over the Dodge Charger—even if its exterior isn’t as sharp as the Dodge/Chrysler twins.

Conclusion

The G8 is a more refined alternative to the Charger, with attractive exterior curves and a handsome interior cabin.

STYLING | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:remarkably contemporaryCars.comwon’t be mistaken for a luxury sedanPopular Mechanicsdiscreet and tasteful lookJalopnikassertively PontiacUSAToday The combination of assertive and refined styling—with a lack of gimmickry or excessive trim and brightwork—is appreciated by reviewers. Reviewers, from mainstream consumer guides to enthusiast Web sites, approve of the 2009 Pontiac G8’s polished design. Jalopnik calls it a “discreet and tasteful look. Not really a head-turner, but sharp and far more restrained than the [Dodge] Charger.” Cars.com agrees, saying the G8 “isn't going to snap necks with its looks like the Chrysler 300 did when it debuted, but the bulging hood can't be missed when seen in the rearview mirror.” “The look is assertively Pontiac,” says USAToday about the G8’s more dramatic elements, such as the “Drooping snout, oversize grille, red dashboard lighting, gimmicky hood scoops.” The G8’s interior’s is attractive, described by ConsumerGuide as having an “understated cabin decor” and “surfaces finished with quality materials and tastefully textured plastics.” ConsumerGuide also notes the plentiful interior storage, down to the “useful cubby in front of the shifter.” Popular Mechanics says that although the G8’s interior is nice, the cabin “certainly won’t be mistaken for a luxury sedan.” According to the editors of the CarConnection.com, the G8’s interior is close to flawless when comparing it to other Pontiac products but would benefit from further refinement. GM made progress by choosing appropriate textures; however, the Australian-sourced plastic surrounding the radio and climate controls isn’t the best piece ever installed in a $30,000 sedan. The fonts and digital readouts look more 1980s than 2009. Still, it’s by far the best Pontiac available and a big step up inside over the Dodge Charger—even if its exterior isn’t as sharp as the Dodge/Chrysler twins. ConclusionThe G8 is a more refined alternative to the Charger, with attractive exterior curves and a handsome interior cabin. 2009 PONTIAC G8 STYLING | [8 out of 10] Cars.com: “remarkably contemporary” Popular Mechanics: “won’t be mistaken for a luxury sedan” Jalopnik: “discreet and tasteful look” USAToday: “assertively Pontiac” The combination of assertive and refined styling—with a lack of gimmickry ...

Read More of this Review:

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

Other Choices:

The G8’s chief rival is the Dodge Charger, which has more aggressive styling but is a little less refined. The Charger and the similar but more glamorous Chrysler 300 offer optional all-wheel drive, whereas the G8 does not. However, the Charger doesn’t have the thoroughly in-check body control and poise around corners to match the G8. The front-wheel-drive Ford Taurus (with an all-wheel-drive option) is just as large as its competitors, but it’s more clearly geared to an older, more conservative crowd. Then there’s the Nissan Maxima, which trumps the G8 for style but, because it’s front-wheel drive and only offers a V-6, can’t touch the G8’s level of performance.

Next Steps:

Get a free price quote

for the 2009 Pontiac G8 from a dealer near you

Check Insurance Rates

for the 2009 Pontiac G8

Check Financing Rates

for the 2009 Pontiac G8

Check Local Classifieds

for a 2009 Pontiac G8 near you

See the Pontiac G8 in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008

Comments (1 total)

  1. By Terry #1, Posted: 2/5/2009

    What the..?!

    "...the Nissan Maxima, which trumps the G8 for style..."
    You are kidding, right? I hate to tell you this, but the Maxima has less style than a Taurus. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

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