Cashing in on the boom in popularity of the budget sub-compact class, Pontiac has released the “all new” Pontiac G3 for the 2009 edition. We say “all new” because it isn’t really new at all – rather a fairly average rebadging effort on the Chevrolet Aveo that is built in South Korea. The trouble is that Pontiac’s G3 offers nothing new on the already mediocre Aveo except a jacked-up price. Performance, comfort and styling are all pretty much the same and as with Pontiac’s effort on the G5 coupe, we seriously wonder if there are enough people out there buying cars in this economic climate to justify more versions of the same car – especially an unremarkable one. There are plenty of great little sub-compacts out there on the market these days and at the same price you can pick up any number of far better options like the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Hyundai Accent and Scion xD.
2009 Pontiac G3 Performance
So far in the US we have only been offered the five-door hatchback version of the Pontiac G3, but there is a sedan G3 already available in Canada, and that may be something to watch out for. The powertrain on the 2009 Pontiac G3 is based on a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 106hp and 105lb-ft of torque. That is by no means fast but the acceleration is adequate for city driving, helped somewhat by the vastly more responsive five-speed manual transmission, despite the absurd level of play in the gear shifter. The four-speed automatic is slow to change down gears and does tend to wander through gears while cruising.
Steering is fairly responsive for a little car and thankfully does not err on the side of being over-powered like many of these sub-compacts. The suspension is well-cushioned, but as with many of these light cars, larger bumps send it jittering along the road and cornering brings on a serious level of body-lean
Fuel economy of the Pontiac G3 is significantly better than the Chevy Aveo, managing 27/34mpg city/highway in the manual and 25/34mpg in the automatic, which stands it well amongst the pack in the sub-compact class.
The 2009 Pontiac G3 is not a bad little car to drive, providing enough get-up-and-go to deal with most city demands. It does what is required of it and not a lot more however, being neither particularly fun nor comfortable to drive.
2009 Pontiac G3 Interior and Features
There is just one trim available in the Pontiac G3, with a number of options available. Standard is 14-inch wheels, cloth seating, air conditioning, the OnStar emergency communication system, a six-speaker audio system with MP3 outlet but in the standard package windows and mirrors are all manually operated. This can be upgraded to the Preferred Package to add power features, remote control entry, and heated outside mirrors. The Cruisin’ Package throws in satellite radio, steering-wheel mounted audio controls and cruise control. The Sport Package upgrades the wheels to 15-inch and leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.
This is no luxury sub-compact, so don’t be surprised at the proliferation of hard plastic surfaces and cheap fittings, however it is plenty comfortable enough for throwing the kids and their school bags in the car. The front seats are fairly roomy and surprisingly high, but lack enough legroom to make it comfortable for over 6-footers. Rear seats are also adequate and will seat three kids or two adults without too much intimacy. The rear seat split folds 60/40 which allows for 42 cubic feet of storage, however with the rear seat up it adds to only 7 cubic feet.
2009 Pontiac G3 Safety
In government crash tests the 2009 Pontiac G5 managed five perfect stars for frontal impact situations, and four stars for side impact. However this basic sub-compact does not add too many standard safety features to their vehicle, providing only front-side airbags and the OnStar emergency communication system. Many of the usually included features like ABS and traction control are either not available or have to be added as options.
Overall the 2009 Pontiac G3 is a functional sub-compact five-door hatchback that offers average performance, average comfort and average fuel economy, for a little more than the average price. In an increasingly competitive class that has seen some high quality additions like the Honda Fit in the last couple of years, the G3 does little to distinguish itself from the rest of the pack in any of its features.