The Pontiac G6 and I got off on the wrong foot last year. I loved the styling of the concept, and while the production car has less flowing lines it's still much racier than most midsize sedans. But then I drove the car in the sportiest trim then available, the GT, and the driving experience was nothing special.

Even then I knew that a more powerful GTP version, with an optional six-speed manual, was on the way. So I held out hope that it would be a much more exciting car to drive.

The GTP has now arrived at dealers. The six-speed was delayed, so I first briefly sampled an automatic sedan. When the stick-shfit car arrived I took it for a more extensive test drive. This review focuses on this most recent test drive.

A coupe is also available. A hardtop convertible has been scheduled to follow later in the model year, but it has also been delayed, perhaps indefinitely, because the top keeps failing durability tests.

Styling

From participating in various forums I've learned that most people see nothing striking about the G6. The tall, pinched-in rear end attracts the most criticism. Well, to my eye the G6, despite some aesthetic shortcomings, continues to challenge the Acura TL for the title of most attractive midsize sedan. Just don't look at it directly from the rear.

Wheels make a big difference. The 16s on the base car totally destroy the G6's appearance, as much because of how they're styled as their inability to fill the wheel wells. Since Pontiac sells most G6s this way, perhaps these wheels are clouding overall perceptions of the car? The 17s standard on the GT are the most attractive wheels of the bunch. A shame, then, that few GTs come equipped with them. Most instead are built with a value package that includes crude-looking chrome wheels with thicker spokes.

I personally don't care for chrome wheels. Even if I did, it would still seem odd to me that both GM and Chrysler frequently bundle chrome wheels in packages or make them standard on the uplevel trim lines. Since people who really want chrome wheels are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for them, while others would rather not have them at all, it would seem much more logical to offer them only as a standalone option.

The GTP comes with 18-inch wheels that fill the wheel wells best of all--the G6 was clearly designed with this size wheel in mind--but fall somewhere between the standard and optional GT wheels in terms of styling. The optional wheels are the same design, just polished to a mirror finish. Though the effect approaches that of chrome, I find it more agreeable. As a standalone option these wheels cost $550, while the value package they are part of provides a savings of $500. Net result: with the value package you're essentially paying $50 for these wheels.

I haven't driven the coupe, but then it should drive much the same as the sedan. What it doesn't do is look the same. A much faster rear roofline and 350Z-like tail lamps make the coupe even more striking than the sedan, if less original. The overall look is very close to that of the Infiniti G35 coupe. The convertible draws on the Lexus SC 430 as well for inspiration.

Interior quality has been improving rapidly within the auto industry. This might explain why I found the large amount of hard plastic inside the G6 more objectionable this time around. In all G6s the plastic parts of the interior are dark gray. When the seats are the same shade, the interior seems overly stark, even drab. The beige and burnt orange seats, which sharply contrast with the rest of the interior, usefully provide visual interest.

Accommodations

The driving position is good, if a touch low. The view forward is better than that to the rear, courtesy of the steeply rising beltline. From the driver's seat the G6 feels larger than it is, which is good or bad depending on whether you feel that bigger is better. I personally prefer smaller.

I've never much cared for the G6's front seats. With the more aggressively tuned 6-speed GTP they come up especially short in terms of lateral support. Through the curves my torso slid back and forth between the widely-spaced bolsters. General comfort is also mediocre at best. I fiddled with the lumber support lever a number of times, but never felt comfortable. The larger, cushier, more supportive seats in the Grand Prix would be welcome here.

The back seat is a bit low to the floor, but legroom is generous (more so than in the larger Grand Prix) and headroom is adequate.

The trunk is about average in size, but the opening is tight. The rear seat folds in two sections.

On the Road

Last year only a 3.5-liter V6 was available. For 2006 this engine, now rated at 201 horsepower (up one), is joined by a 167-horsepower 2.4-liter DOHC four and a 240-horsepower 3.9-liter V6. The GTP comes with the latter.

Teamed with the automatic, the 3.9 does feel stronger than the 3.5, but not dramatically so. While peak horsepower is up twenty percent, midrange power (as indicated by the peak torque figures) increases by just 8.5 percent. Given the transmission's four widely-spaced ratios, you're not spending at lot of time at the peak. Thankfully the GTP does come with a shorter final drive, so this peak is attained more quickly.

The automatic does have a manual shift feature. It reacts more slowly and generally isn't as intuitive to use as the excellent paddles in the Grand Prix GXP. And there simply aren't enough ratios to choose from. Those who cannot abide a clutch might want to wait for the six-speed automatic GM is developing with Ford.

The six-speed manual helps extract a bit more performance from the engine, but even then the car doesn't feel especially powerful or even sporty. Grunt right off the line is strong, with a tug on the steering to make it clear which wheels are doing the work. but at higher RPM this engine doesn't sing, variable cam phasing or not.

It doesn't help that the manual shifter is among the worst, maybe even the worst, I've sampled in recent years. It feels like junk, very loose and flimsy. The sound of cheap plastic bits clicking across one another, especially into and out of reverse, deepens the impression that GM didn't work very hard on what they likely saw as a feature with limited appeal. In sharp contrast to the loose feel through neutral, it takes an unusual amount of effort to slide the shifter the last fraction of an inch into a gear. First and second are especially difficult to downshift into.

On the other hand, in sixth the G6 is turning very few revs on the highway. Just remember to keep shifting--the engine is quiet enough once in fourth that it's easy to forget there are two gears to go.

Two of the three pedals work little better than the shifter. The clutch is very light in effort, normally a good thing, but it doesn't engage until very near the top of its travel and then with absolutely no feel. The throttle is also very light and has a very short travel, making precise modulation difficult.

In contrast, the G6 GTP's brake pedal is unusually firm for a GM car. It took me a few minutes to recalibrate my right foot; initially I often got more from the calipers than I wanted. But I prefer too firm to too mushy.

Under heavy acceleration there is a touch of torque steer, about the same amount you'll find in other front-drive sedans with this much torque. In the Acura TL torque steer is much worse with the manual transmission. The nose, though loose and floaty compared to most current sport sedans, is more tied down than in the Grand Prix GTP.

Fuel economy is a sore spot: the EPA ratings of 18/29 (18/26 with the automatic) are in V8 territory. Most competitors do ten to twenty percent better.

The regular G6 is a victim of GM's numb, artificial-feeling electric-assist steering system. The GTP, however, is fitted with a conventional hydraulic system. While feedback could be better and its on-center feel could be tighter and more direct, the hydraulic system is more naturally weighted than the electric system and does not provide an excessive amount of assist at moderate speeds. Though still far from a strength, at least the car's steering is no longer a weakness.

The brochure implies that the GT and GTP share suspension tuning. My test drive did little to suggest otherwise. The G6 GTP has a solid feel with a moderate amount of understeer in hard turns. But it doesn't feel agile or even sporty.

The manual helps just a little here; even with it I never felt in tune with the car. Rather, I felt like I was stuck with a boring date (I haven't always been married), one of those where neither person can think of anything to say to the other. So both just sit there, waiting for the evening to run its course.

The GTP's standard tires are Eagle LS2's, a touring tire with a bias towards ride comfort. Call me confused. Wasn't the GTP supposed to be a sport sedan? Higher performance tires are a $150 option, but be warned that they are summer tires and unfit for use in the snow. They also require the polished wheels.

Oddly given the tire choice, ride quality is about the same as in the GT, and thus firmer than many people will want. Reactions to small bumps and potholes border on sharp and loud, with more than a touch of busyness. A shame, since otherwise noise levels (when the throaty six isn't being exercised) are fairly low.

Notably the itching of the door seals I noted in the 2005 was absent in both 2006 cars. I suspect GM made a running change to correct the issue I noted last fall.

Pontiac G6 Price Comparisons and Pricing

GM recently cut prices about $800 on all 2006 cars. Some of this cut came out of the dealer's margin, so invoice prices (the basis for many G6 sales) didn't drop so much. To compensate dealers, the MSRP stayed the same and invoice prices dropped on options.

After adjusting for differences in equipment ($900), the GTP costs just $200 more than the GT. A no-brainer if you're set on a G6.

The closest competitor to the G6 GTP is probably Nissan's Altima SE. Even with a $1,500 rebate (there is currently no rebate on the 2006 G6) and a $700 adjustment in its favor for additional features, the Nissan costs about $1000 more than the Pontiac. Probably too close for comfort--I'm seeing rebates in the G6's future.

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, www.truedelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.)

TrueDelta's page for the Pontiac G6:

http://www.truedelta.com/models/G6.php

Last Words

My test drives of a pair of 2006 G6 GTPs found some improvements over the GT, especially the steering, but not nearly enough to get me excited. The handling needs to be sharper, the automatic needs another ratio or two, the manual needs a much better shifter, the engine needs more zing, and the interior needs some dressing up. As is, three stars.

If you want a fun-to-drive sedan, and it has to be a Pontiac, then the Pontiac Grand Prix, despite faults of its own, is a much better choice.

A Note on Pontiac G6 Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy a G6 rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Pontiac G6 reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need data on all cars--not just the G6--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. Non-participants will have to pay an access fee.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

Some of my reviews of related vehicles:
Chevrolet Malibu Maxx SS review
Ford Fusion review
Honda Accord V6 review
Kia Optima review
MazdaSpeed6 review
Mitsubishi Galant review
Nissan Altima SE review
Pontiac Grand Prix GXP review
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