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2008 Pontiac Torrent Review

October 30, 2008

STYLING | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

The Torrent's twin-port grille is traditional Pontiac
Cars.com

a smoother design flow
Automobile

a well-designed interior
Cars.com

The 2008 Pontiac Torrent has many improvements over the previous model, and the new Pontiac Torrent 2008 GXP version brings sportier looks to what TheCarConnection.com notes may be a dated design.

The Torrent is a near-twin of the Chevrolet Equinox, but some distinct styling cues give it a little breathing room of its own. Cars.com notes "the Torrent's twin-port grille is traditional Pontiac," and goes on to describe the Torrent’s classic crossover shape: “Headlights that wrap into the front fenders flank the grille, below which is a wide air intake. The front and rear overhangs are short, and the fenders are flared. Fog lamps and front and rear skid plates are standard.” MSN Autos says the Torrent “looks sportier than the Equinox”; in fact, it's “sporty enough for a roomy SUV, although it can't match the appearance of something like the Infiniti FX sport-utility vehicle, which emphasizes sport over utility.” Kelley Blue Book advises "if you're looking for an SUV that stands out from the pack, the Pontiac Torrent's attractive shape barely pokes its head past the average mark."

The new GXP model helps somewhat, with its larger 18-inch wheels and lower stance giving it a sportier demeanor. "Some chrome from the company parts bin, including door handles and dual exhaust tips, round out the [GXP] package," reports Automobile. They also note "the absence of a roof rack gives the 2008 Pontiac Torrent GXP a smoother design flow compared to the standard model."

Inside, the Torrent is a little more distinctive. Cars.com says the Pontiac Torrent has "a well-designed interior," and MSN Autos talks about the “quiet, inviting, sporty looking interior.” Kelley Blue Book gripes that "some controls are not as logically laid-out as they might be, and the base vehicle isn't so different from its Equinox cousin." Cars.com adds that the 2008 Pontiac Torrents "have a unique gauge cluster and leather-wrapped steering wheel." Edmunds considers the interior “attractively styled” and remarks “the driver faces a stylish set of chrome-ringed gauges, sporty three-spoke steering wheel and a simple control layout.”

Conclusion

The 2008 Pontiac Torrent offers a conventional crossover shape with distinct Pontiac cues.

STYLING | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:The Torrent's twin-port grille is traditional PontiacCars.coma smoother design flowAutomobilea well-designed interiorCars.com The 2008 Pontiac Torrent has many improvements over the previous model, and the new Pontiac Torrent 2008 GXP version brings sportier looks to what TheCarConnection.com notes may be a dated design. The Torrent is a near-twin of the Chevrolet Equinox, but some distinct styling cues give it a little breathing room of its own. Cars.com notes "the Torrent's twin-port grille is traditional Pontiac," and goes on to describe the Torrent’s classic crossover shape: “Headlights that wrap into the front fenders flank the grille, below which is a wide air intake. The front and rear overhangs are short, and the fenders are flared. Fog lamps and front and rear skid plates are standard.” MSN Autos says the Torrent “looks sportier than the Equinox”; in fact, it's “sporty enough for a roomy SUV, although it can't match the appearance of something like the Infiniti FX sport-utility vehicle, which emphasizes sport over utility.” Kelley Blue Book advises "if you're looking for an SUV that stands out from the pack, the Pontiac Torrent's attractive shape barely pokes its head past the average mark." The new GXP model helps somewhat, with its larger 18-inch wheels and lower stance giving it a sportier demeanor. "Some chrome from the company parts bin, including door handles and dual exhaust tips, round out the [GXP] package," reports Automobile. They also note "the absence of a roof rack gives the 2008 Pontiac Torrent GXP a smoother design flow compared to the standard model." Inside, the Torrent is a little more distinctive. Cars.com says the Pontiac Torrent has "a well-designed interior," and MSN Autos talks about the “quiet, inviting, sporty looking interior.” Kelley Blue Book gripes that "some controls are not as logically laid-out as they might be, and the base vehicle isn't so different from its Equinox cousin." Cars.com adds that the 2008 Pontiac Torrents "have a unique gauge cluster and leather-wrapped steering wheel." Edmunds considers the interior “attractively styled” and remarks “the driver faces a stylish set of chrome-ringed gauges, sporty three-spoke steering wheel and a simple control layout.” ConclusionThe 2008 Pontiac Torrent offers a conventional crossover shape with distinct Pontiac cues. 2008 PONTIAC TORRENT STYLING | [7 out of 10] Cars.com: "The Torrent's twin-port grille is traditional Pontiac " Automobile: "a smoother design flow" Cars.com: "a well-designed interior" The 2008 Pontiac Torrent has many improvements over the previous model, and the new Pontiac ...

Read More of this Review:

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

Other Choices:

As outfitted, the Torrent GXP will handily run circles around a Hyundai Santa Fe, Mitsubishi Outlander, Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, or 2009 Dodge Journey. None of those competitors even offer performance packages. The 2008 Pontiac Torrent also delivers a far more credible facsimile of sporty handling than the typical truck-based SUV (or even car-based crossover), but its Chevrolet Equinox donor chassis can't keep pace with the Opel that underpins the new Saturn Vue and Vue Red Line performance edition. In the 2008 Pontiac Torrent GXP, though you're not going to out-corner sportscars, you will be piloting something a lot more agile than the typical lumbering SUV--something that's happy to tackle corners at speeds that would make most of its more SUV-looking crossover competition seriously unhappy.

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See the Pontiac Torrent in Other Years:

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006

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