Pontiac Sunfire Interior Review
Sunfire's sporty exterior theme is continued inside the cabin. The appointments, like the instrumentation, are simple but serviceable. The speedometer and tachometer, are large and centered for easy glancing-day or night.
Assembly quality appears to measure up to Pontiac's lofty goals for this car, and the attractive interior features some very thoughtful touches.
Get behind the wheel and there's little hood to see, but lots of glass and good mirrors provide plenty of scenery. For the cockpit feel, radio and HVAC controls are angled toward the driver. The steering wheel can be equipped with convenient stereo controls that reduce the driver's need to take his or her eyes off the road.
We found the interior to be quite accommodating for driving to and from work or on distant highway trips. Sunfire may be classified as a compact, but it definitely does not cramp the body-no matter what the size. We have found that in many cars where space is limited, the center console tends to rub a raw spot on the driver's leg. This is not the case in the Sunfire. Often times the armrest sits too low or too high for the driver to actually rest his arm. Here the seat and armrest work in unison to achieve optimum comfort.
Typically with a two-door compact, a back seat is not completely functional. The seat is often too short and resembles that of a ladle, so that even a five-year-old has trouble climbing out. Compared to a Toyota Paseo or a Mitsubishi Eclipse, assistance is not needed from mom to get out of the GT coupe.
There's some storage, as well as drink holders and reasonably attractive cloth and plastic are used.
Pontiac Sunfire Road Test
We spent a week in a Sunfire GT Coupe in the Atlanta area and found it to be an enjoyable car, whether on the area's busy freeways or winding along county roads.
The Sunfire hangs in there well in fast corners. It is poised and predictable and exhibits surprisingly little understeer for a front-wheel drive car. The GT seems at its best in transient, or slalom-type, maneuvers. You can really throw it around. Our only quibble with its handling is the unassisted steering that is a little slow.
The chassis and suspension and steering combine to produce an exceptional blend of ride and handling, and the car projects a secure feeling of stability and solidity.
The suspension is composed of MacPherson struts up front and a twist beam axle in the rear. It's not as sophisticated as many setups in this class, but it gets the job done. A precise feel of on-center steering and quickness are attributed to Sunfire's power rack-and-pinion steering. Sunfire's body rigidity provides a ride that's firm, confidence at higher speeds, and quiet.With the 2.4-liter 16-valve Twin Cam engine, the GT Coupe comes to play with more horsepower than a Honda Civic and more torque than a Dodge Neon Sport. It raises the Sunfire's performance from the realm of acceptable to spirited.
Like most GM cars, the Sunfire and Cavalier disc/drum braking system includes an antilock feature. However, it's not as sophisticated as the systems found on more expensive cars, and overall braking performance is average.
Aggressive yet sensible styling and some nice innovations and standard features make the Sunfire confident and competent with the competition.
Pontiac Sunfire Lineup