2007 Pontiac G5 Review
The Pontiac G5 is a Chevy Cobalt clone…. badge engineering at it’s most crude level. Take a sub-par vehicle, stick a new badge and grille on it, and what to you expect? A sub-par vehicle. And that’s exactly what the G5 is - lousy gas mileage and all.
2007 Pontiac G5 Specs
- 148 HP 2.2 liter I4 standard
- 173 Hp 2.4 liter I4 available
- 5 speed manual or 4 Speed auto
- EPA says: 25 mpg city /34 mpg highway (manual)
2007 Pontiac G5 Reviews
Autobytel reviews the 2007 Pontiac G5 and writes - ‘Where’s the excitement? Outside of the decent drivetrain, the G5 does nothing to advance the reputation or desirability of the Pontiac nameplate. Cheap plastics abound, mediocre build quality is everywhere and the styling is just ho hum. Sitting in the back seat is bearable for short distances, but at some inconvenience to the front passenger. On the positive side, I liked the engine, brakes and steering, and the G5 provided decent fuel economy during its visit. Unfortunately Pontiac hasn’t made any advancements worthy enough to get a recommendation from me to shoppers looking in this class. ‘
About Cars reviews the 2007 Pontiac G5 and writes - ‘The G5’s primary competitor — besides, of course, the Cobalt — is the Honda Civic coupe. The Civic starts around the same price, gets better gas mileage, and includes side airbags as standard equipment, an important consideration for younger and less-experienced drivers. (Side ‘bags are optional on the G5, but how many dealers will order them, especially if they are looking to keep prices down?) And the Civic’s interior styling, particularly it’s two-level dash, is way more modern than any of its competitors.’
Edmunds reviews the 2007 Pontiac G5 and writes - ‘Now for the bad news. We suspect that a lot of buyers in this class are typically more interested in overall quality and a comfortable cabin than boy racer styling components. Compared to the Honda Civic’s interior, for instance, the G5’s design seems rather bland and its materials of a lower grade. The G5 also loses out in the areas of handling dynamics and overall refinement. Further limiting the appeal of the G5 is the fact that it’s only available as a coupe.’
I just bought my 4-door, manual transmission G5 last week and I could say it’s just right for the price. The suspension is great, very smooth considering the relentless mexican roads. very comfortable ride, good engine power, good braking. The seats are a little bit stiff. Driving in the highway is very exciting and in the city is surpsinsigly agile. Gear shifts can be done smoothly and with little effort.
HOWERVER the assembly quality has a lot to improve. While I was washing it, I found some terrible issues, like very noticeable gaps between head lights and front bumper, head lights and trunk, rear glass and pillars. The design intention is right, but the manufacturing has some opportunity areas to improve, as well as materials used. The plastics of the dashboard could be qualified as regular, but door panels look really cheap, like that of subcompact cars not sold in the U.S. like Ford Fiesta.
Fuel consumption is good too, considering the displacement of the engine (2.2L) So far is 12 kilometers per liter (hwy)
I haven´t driven that much (420 kms, most of them in highway) but I could say is a recommendable car. I had a budget so this car fitted perfectly for my needs: a vehicle with good level of safety in terms of braking and security features, nice engine power, acceptable fuel economy, good looks and good interior size for a 3-member family. Here in Mexico the Honda Civic is way too expensive ($18k usd is the cheapest version) compared to the $14k usd I had to pay for my victory red G5. Mazda 3 was another great option, but 2 thousand bucks higher than the Pontiac. I hadn’t had the chance to drive a Mazda, but in every review I’d read about it, you find a lot of eulogies about it’s performance and secutity, not to mention the beautiful agressive sporty look that turns heads on every place it passes by. If I wasn’t in a budget, I would go for a Mazda 3 without thinking. If you’re short in cash, a Pontiac G5 is a safe choice.
Feb 6th, 2008 at 2:10 pm