Pros: Balanced high performance, athletic styling, exhaust note, relaibility, comfortable ride, interior fit and finish.
Cons: Thirsty with the automatic, doesn't like snow, could stand to lose about 200 pounds.
The Bottom Line: Euro refinement and American muscle. A must for those of us who can’t afford a corvette or M3, but still want a serious performance car. The legend has returned.
First and foremost, if you want a super-long, super-detailed review of the 2004 Pontiac GTO, you might want to look else ware. I am a recent 27 year old buyer of a “almost new” (4K miles on the odometer) 04 GTO and this may end up as a rant more then a detailed review. For the rest of you still here, enjoy my “epinion” on the GTO.
Overview: What is the 04 Pontiac GTO? The Pontiac GTO is a RWD high performance coupe. It is new in the US, but has been already sold overseas for years as the Monaro by Holden, an Australian division of General Motors. It is also sold under the Monaro name in Europe by Vauxhall, another overseas GM division. The GTO is in fact, made in Australia, then actually shipped to the US. It is priced 30,000-34,000 brand new.
The GTO is motivated by the American spec LS1 V8 that pumps out 350 hp and a beastly 365 lbs of torque. This same power-plant is shared with the C5 Corvette and the currently discontinued Camaro SS/Z28 and Trans Am. The long list of standard features includes, among many others, a 200-Watt Blaupunkt 6 disk 200 watt Stereo, 4 wheel anti-lock brakes, independent rear suspension, all speed traction control, limited slip differential, steering wheel stereo controls, dual instrument display, a trip computer, leather, remote entry, and dual power seating.
Exterior: The GTO presents an athletic, yet understated appearance. The wide 17 inch wheels, V-rated tires, and its low built stance manage to tell others this car means business, without screaming for attention with tacky factory add-ons such as a huge spoiler and useless air ducts. A nice touch is the 5.7L GTO badges on the side of the car and the single side outlets of the dual exhaust, which invokes a throw back to its legendary 60s ancestors. The cars face maintains the Pontiac company kidney twin grill, with very un-Pontiac euro looking headlights. The exterior manages to be aggressive without screaming for attention.
Interior: I’ll go ahead and say this, the interior has by no means ever been a deal breaker for me, however, outside of Cadillac and perhaps the C6 corvette, the GTO’s interior is one of the best that GM has to offer, and puts many interiors of more expensive cars made by the Europeans and Japanese to shame. The attention to detail and fit and finish should silence, and even shock a lot of people that have criticized GM interiors over the years. The comfortable and supportive seating leather is top notch, and the red thread, hand-stitched look of the steering wheel leather and shifter leather is quite a nice touch. I tried hard to find any sort of visible cost cutting in this interior, and came up empty handed. Ergonomics are also top-notch, buttons and controls are easy to use and see . The trip computer is also easy to use, displaying the average fuel economy, instant fuel economy, trip distance, range, and a lot of other useful data. The interior space is quite impressive, especially for a coupe. I am 5'11 and 200 pounds, and can fit in the car with a lot of space to spare. Even in the back seats, I can fit there comfortably. Yes, you heard that right. 2 full-sized adults can fit in the back seat comfortably. With the fully adjustable seating, and ample front leg-room, I can only imagine someone MUCH larger then me having a hard time getting in and out of the GTO.
Personality/driving impressions: The moment you turn on the car, the throaty rumble of the engine takes you back to an era in which FWD economy-cars, SUVs, and minivans were the rarity and not the norm. The old-school muscle-car exhaust note alone is nearly worth the price of owning this car. At low speeds, the engine loafs about at 1500 RPMs, and manages to be audible without being intrusive. At highway speeds, the comfort and refinement nearly make you forget you are in a 350hp muscle-car. The 200-watt stereo is nice for cruising, but I often find myself turning the stereo off, completely entertained by the bass of the motor. The ride is supple and smooth even on not-so-smooth surfaces. In unfavorable conditions, the impressive traction control more then gets the job done by keeping the vehicle in control, historically not a trademark of RWD performance coupes. The steering is well balanced, as the power-steering isn’t overly obvious. The auto shifts smoothly in daily driving despite being a close ratio set-up. However, turn off the traction control, punch the gas, and the personality of this vehicle goes from civilized coupe, to a roaring lion. From a dead stop, 0-60 comes in the mid 5s, in the 1/4 mile, you can expect anywhere from high 13s to low 14s. Lighting up the rear tires is all too easy with the massive amounts of torque on tap. Top speed runs more your thing? Top speed is a super-car scaring 160 mph with even more possible if you are crazy enough to get the electronic top speed limiter disabled. Punch the gas from a roll, this vehicle can chirp the tires even in second gear, and if you aren’t paying attention, you can get to triple digit speeds in seconds. If you really want it to, this vehicle has the potential to leave everything from some kids modified sport compact, to some rich guys higher end performance car looking at its taillights at a stoplight. The understated appearance and the low production volume have the potential to make the GTO the stealth bomber of street racing. But this vehicle isn’t just about its straight-line speed. This vehicle can corner and handle well at high speeds that can rival many more lighter and smaller vehicles. Braking is also impressive. I have taken the GTO in winding country and mountain roads, and felt planted on the road and confident when the roads got twisty. Try doing that with your grand-dads muscle-car. Overall the GTO manages to bring a blend of European road manners, and classic old school American brute force to the table that is unseen in every other performance coupe on the market.
Downsides: Fuel economy. The automatic version of the GTO is thirsty when it comes to gas due a lot to its aggressive gear ratio. I get an average of 19-20 MPG. On top of that, the GTO asks for premium fuel, but you can get away with mid-grade without a significant decrease in performance. On that note, many of its rivals such as the RX8, Mustang Cobra (04), and the Mitsubishi EVO get similar and even poorer fuel economy. The fuel economy isn’t great, but it’s similar and in some cases a lot better then some less powerful, smaller bored rivals. Granted, most people, my-self included, know that you don’t really buy a vehicle like this to save on gas. The other significant downside is the weight. It’s bordering on porker status at 3700 pounds. A lighter weight, say 3500 pounds would help with the fuel economy and improve the already impressive performance. I have heard that the GTO’s weight went up due to the fact GM had to convert the Aussie-made vehicle to meet strict US safety standards.
Controversy: There has been plenty of controversy surrounding the latest GTO that I would love to address. They are mainly, the styling, the price, and luxury features.
Styling- Some auto reviewers have not been kind to the GTO in this regard. Some complain that the GTO is too “boring” and “plain” looking compared to the 60s GTOs. Some have even argued that it should be more “retro”. What is my take on this? Many of these people whining about the styling are many of the same people that for YEARS complained that many of Pontiac’s cars looked “over-styled” and “boy-racerish”. They complained about the excessive body cladding, huge spoilers, ram-air hood scoops, and ground effects. On top of that, some auto reviewers for years begged GM to import some of their performance cars overseas to the US. So what does GM do? They bring over a high performance vehicle; sell it as a Pontiac without the tacky cladding, ground effects, and giant spoilers. Now they turn around and complain that the styling is “boring”? What gives here? Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I doubt the negative styling comments from the (in my opinion) anti-Detroit auto press would be around at all, had this vehicle been bought to the US by a European or Japanese automaker.
I’m also glad that GM didn’t make the GTO some flavor-of-the-month retro vehicle. Lets take a look at the other coupes that are around in the GTO’s price range. The Infiniti G35 and BMW 330 coupes are by no means hot-rod styled coupes, yet they get no bad press for it. If anything, the GTO looks much more aggressive close up then both of those vehicles.
I also think the comparisons to the old GTO’s styling borders on baffling. It has been said that the originals had more flair and pizzazz then the current one. I would say, wait just one minute. The fact is, the original GTO was a regular modest looking midsize Tempest that had a huge motor in it. Even back then, most of the originals did not have the “hey look at me” styling that some today tend to think. It wasn’t until the 69 Judge versions did the GTO have loud styling (stickers, big spoilers, etc.).
Also, my own personal experiences with the GTO in public make me question the complaints about the styling in the press. I have had Jaguar, BMW, Corvette, and even Porsche drivers pull up next to me just to tell me how cool they thought the vehicle looked. The GTO turns plenty of heads despite these suspect claims of boring styling. The design is clean and modern, it looks aggressive enough for most people to realize it is a serious car, but it doesn’t take the tacky approach to get attention. The original GTO never needed gaudy styling to establish a cult following on the streets, the drag strips, and the race tracks. The latest version holds true to that tradition.
Pricing- Some of the press also seems to fire broadsides at Pontiac for the “pricey” low 30K sticker price. Let’s be realistic here: Any other automaker will have no problem charging people 20K more and beyond to give you the same kind of vehicle considering the performance, the interior, and the standard features. Proof? Ask BMW how much they will charge you for the interestingly similar 6 series coupe. Ask Benz how much a CLK coupe goes for. Similar power, similar performance out of these 2 cars, but more then double the price, yet the Pontiac is expensive? How much will BMW charge you for the M3? It’s a much smaller vehicle on the inside with less power, yet 20K more expensive then the GTO. Even a similarly equipped mustang GT will flirt with the 30K mark. It’s laughable to call the GTO overpriced considering how much just about every automaker will charge you for the same kind of performance coupe.
Luxury features-I have read about many different reviewers not happy that the GTO doesn’t have certain luxury features. Navigation and heated seats seem to be a common gripe. What is my take? The GTO is a performance coupe before its anything that can be considered luxury car. Complaining about a muscle-car not having heated seats and a navigation system is like complaining about a bird not being able to swim underwater. In my honest opinion, the last thing a 350hp beast needs is another screen to distract you from the road. As for heated seats, I really don’t see these cars being smash sellers where you would really need heated seats. Let the luxury automakers toss in the gadgets and gizmos for those willing to fork over the extra thousands for them. If anything, the over-technology of many cars today has cheapened the driving experience of many other performance cars. No, I don’t need wipers to sense the rain. No, I don’t need a huge computer screen in the middle of the dash to help me control the car. No, I don’t need Xenon lights. And, no I don’t need hundreds of little buttons in the interior that I’ll never bother trying to figure out. And I surely have no need for a 6 grand navigation system that I’ll probably never use. The GTO gives me plenty of standard creature comforts without overpriced and unnecessary gadgets that can cheapen the driving experience.
In closing, the GTO is a serious performance coupe that puts the driving back into the hands of the driver. It's fast, handles well, and looks attractive. More importantly, its affordable for us younger middle class type that may not have the loot to fork over 44 large for a vette or 50 large for an M3. The GTO is clear proof that the general has not abandoned serious muscle-cars, and has in fact evolved them from a straight line speed, one-dimensional performance cars, into a polished, balanced, and even refined muscle-car capable of giving much more expensive machinary a run for its money. The GTO is already quickly, and rightfully gaining a cult following in this country, despite 3 dollar gas and a shamefully hypocritical auto media. The GTO not only properly pays homage to the original by being a feared street brawler, but also manages to show a polished and poised side that the original could only have dreamed of. Note to GM: build more cars like this.
Latest Update (December 3, 2008):
Almost 4 years later, I'd like to give viewers here an idea of how the car has held up over time and further experiences over the years. To give a quick background, the car currently has 63,000 miles, and is still daily driven. There has been an addition to my family, a son who is now two, which will have a part in this update.
The charm and character of this car has not faded over time. It is still roaring strong despite regular abuse at the tracks, a run-in with a deer, and of course, 4 years of daily driving. In Colorado, I have gotten to let the car play on the mountain roads west of town. And impressive are words to describe its poised and balanced handling. In my old review, I complained about the weight, but over time, some performance cars have come out since then, most notoriously the 4200 pound dodge challenger, that make the GTO look like a lightweight. The 2004 GTO remains a serious rival in performance to performance cars made years later avaliable today.
I'll briefly discuss topics of my experiences with the car since my last review:
Reliability/Maintenance: Overall, the reliability had been solid. I had a phantom electrical gremlin in the door locks that was resolved under warranty. The other small issue is the "environmentally friendly" paint (Read: Chip happy) which has lead to a few small chips on the hood and bumper. You have to look really close to notice it. But other then that, I have had no issues out of the car. As mentioned, it has 63,000 miles and is still rumbling and roaring around town. It also remains a consistent 13.7-13.8 car on street tires at the 1/4 mile drag strips.
The oil changes cost a shade more (about 3 bucks over the basic price of an oil change) due to the fact it holds a tad more oil then a normal car. Tires have not been as expensive as would expected for a performance car. They range in the 95-115 range per tire. (If you drive this vehicle the way it's intended, you will be buying tires a little more often then the average driver.)
Also, the leather has held up fine, no cracks or tears despite baby seats, some months sitting outside in the sun, and a couple moves with all sorts of items in the car. All it asks for is an occasional leather cleaner that can be had at any auto parts store for well under 10 bucks.
The interior has also been problem free. No knobs and buttons falling off, no stitching becoming undone.
The power seats, windows, and mirrors continue to function well. As well as the 6 disk CD player/sound system.
Daily Driving/Liveability: As expected, the GTO is still thirsty about the gas in city driving. One easy way to burn gas in this car at infamous levels, is utililize the drive-thrus or sit in heavy traffic. However, the highway fuel economy is well above 23mpg. When it was over 4 bucks of gallon for the premium required to drive the car, it wasn't the greatest, but 55 bucks to fill up the tank was alot better getting then 100 bucks to fill up a tank for a large or even medium sized SUV. Fortunately, I banked on gas going up considerably before I bought the car, so no ugly surprises for me at the pump.
With the addition of my son, the GTO provides decent practicality for a small toddler. In fact, the baby-seat is currently in the car. It's good backseat space provides enough room for him and his things. The downside? The tiny trunk limits baggage space which sometimes has to be put in the other empty back seat if a trip is a few days. As with any coupe, getting the child in and out of the car can be a hassle. But overall, the vehicle is fairly "toddler friendly".
One big, but not surprising, con of the car is winter performance. This car understandably is not a snow-bunny. The snow itself is not the problem, but snow mixed with hills. A big suggestion is getting a front wheel drive or all wheel drive winter beater for when the snow starts coming down and you have to go up and down hills.
Overall, the car has been wonderful to live with. And surpisingly impressive as a daily driver.
Conclusion: Even though the car is 4 years old, I still get lots of questions and compliments about the car. It manages be be different, without being tacky. The rumble at idle still turns heads. I have gotten out of tickets due to cops asking me about the vehicle before they even tell me why they pulled me over. Most impressively, young people, who supposidly are only curious about japanese sport compacts, are often asking the most questions about the GTO. Sometimes, some of these younger men (and women) know more about the GTO then even I do. This seems to tell me, even though some in the auto media didn't "get it", those who know serious performance cars did. On certian online auto forums and race tracks across America, the GTO remains respected, feared, and often the spark of spirited discussions and debates, 2 years after the last modern GTO was made. Even with a slow economy, and previous 4 dollar a gallon gas, aftermarket companies that specialize in GTOs are still around and mostly thriving. The cult following I spoke of years ago, is alive in well, likely bigger due to the fact the car is no longer made, just ask any GTO owner, or many younger auto enthusiests hoping to get a used one when they can.
With the way cars seem to be evolving: hybrids, electric cars, etc, this car will remain in my family, hopefully long after my son becomes an adult. If not for being a great car, but a reminder, that GM, in 2004, built a car with European road manners, Japanese reliability and quality, and old-school American muscle at a price the average middle class performance car enthusiest could afford.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 25,0000
Condition: Used Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: Auto
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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