First Drive: 2008 Pontiac G8 V-6

Pontiac recently loaned us the keys to its new G8 GT, a V-8-powered sport sedan that Cars.com senior editor David Thomas reviewed, but it wasn't until this week that we got our hands on the base V-6 version of the car. So how does the V-6 hold up to its big brother?

The first thing you notice is how similar the base sedan and the GT model look; both have thin slits in the hood, wide fender flares and aggressively styled twin-kidney and lower grilles. They do have different wheels, taillights and exhaust outlets, though.

There are some differences inside the car, but they're relatively minor. Both cars can have either cloth or leather seats, but the leather seats in the GT can have a two-tone design, and it has different gauges. The fabric seats are just as comfortable as the leather ones and have sizable side bolsters, as the leather ones do. Both cars also have a surprisingly large backseat that features plenty of legroom for adults and a comfortably reclined backrest.

Ride quality and handling performance are pretty much the same. Both sedans use the same suspension system, which makes for a taut ride that can get a little choppy on roads with cracks across the lanes. It doesn't punish you, though, and manages to keep body roll mostly in check. The car has precise steering with moderate power assistance, but it would be even better if the system gave the driver more road feel.

The biggest difference between the cars, not surprisingly, is engine performance. Where the GT's 361-hp, 6.0-liter V-8 drives the sedan forward with authority when you mash the gas pedal, the 256-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 doesn't provide the same kick as the V-8. It's still entirely acceptable, however, and is by no means an underpowered car. The V-6's exhaust note isn't as melodic as the V-8's, either. Pontiac says the base G8 can hit 60 mph in 7 seconds, while the GT can do it in 5.3 seconds.

Both engines team with an automatic transmission — a five-speed for the V-6 and a six-speed for the V-8 — and gas mileage isn't that different between the two even though there's a wide performance gap. V-6 cars get an EPA-estimated 17/25 mpg while the V-8 is rated at 15/24 mpg, which says more about the V-6's thirstiness than the V-8's frugality. Unfortunately, only the upcoming 2009 G8 GXP — an even hotter, 402-hp version of the G8 — will be available with a manual transmission.

Even though the G8 V-6 is the base version of the sedan, its price tag isn't much lower than the G8 GT's; V-6 models go for $26,910 while the GT retails for $29,310. Pontiac spokesman Jim Hopson says early sales of the car are showing the GT to be the model of choice, with it accounting for 86% of sales to date. That number will likely decrease once all the power-hungry customers are taken care of, but it might not fall far considering it doesn’t cost all that much more than the V-6 and doesn't use considerably more gas.

Comments

[Liger]

I saw one of these G8 V6's today. I was just kind of shocked where I saw it. And then not really all that shocked when I thought about it. The car was sitting in the emerald isle rental section at National Rent a Car in New York (Laguardia). All clean and ready to be rented. I assumed (wrongly) that these we be such hot selling cars, they wouldn't end up in fleet sales. Guess I was wrong.

[Dave T.]

Liger,
A lot of Rental companies want "hot" new models in their fleets as an advantage over others. Especially in their clubs. Also a lot of companies want to get new models in front of folks via a high end rental. Trust me this car costs too much to import from Australia to be a fleet vehicle. They'd rather put money on the hood. But it just came out so too soon to say.

[DodgeFan]

Remember a certain # will be put in fleet for people to drive. I expect cars to say longer in rental fleets now due to the higher cost of cars.

[J]

Gas hogs?

[Al]

I worked in Australia for a while quite a few years ago, and the Holden Commodores were really horrible quality and badly assembled.

They were mechanically primitive, very crudely built and their reliability wasn't even close to the Japanese imports. Heavily unionized Australians were not known for their work ethic and have been known to sabotage products to spite their employers.

As nice as the G8 looks, I'll wait a while to see whether an Australian-built, American-powered Commodore with heavy US design influence has given birth to a quality Pontiac.

[PerezTT]

Like Liger, I encountered a G8 V6 at a National Car Emerald Aisle- Executive Selection area (in my case, the location at Chicago's Midway airport), and of course selected it for my rental. It had only about 520 miles on it when I left the National lot.

I concur with Mr. Hanley's review. To me, the 3.6L V6 was notably noisier at all speeds compared to the same engine in the Saturn Aura XR and Cadillac CTS. Beyond that, the G8 was one the best General Motors cars I have driven.

Incidentally, the Chicago Midway National location had several other vehicles that I didn't expect to see in their fleet: Buick Enclave CXS (with the 19" chrome wheels!), Toyota Avalon Touring, and Chevy Malibu LT (new 2008 model).