New Car Review: 2008 Pontiac G8 GT

It's hard to argue that GM hasn't made some "questionable" decisions in recent years. From style to substance, there was almost something lacking no matter what vehicle and what dimension one was comparing. However, the company is apparently trying to make amends with it's fanbase, and the result is what we have before us today, the Pontiac G8.

Offered up with a variety of options, including engine size, wheel dimension, and interior gadgetry, the G8 attempts to take a swing at the BMW 3 series, and whether or not that punch lands is something that remains to be seen. Since even Pontiac's own commercials pit it against the 3 series, let's take an honest look at how the two stack up against one another.

From the outside, there's nothing truly offensive about the G8, but there's really nothing to drool over either. For the way the design of the car has been praised over and over again, perhaps it's time to take an unbiased and honest look at the vehicle. The dimensions are nice, and in person, the massively large body manages to communicate it's smooth styling and BMW-like hints. The wheels, whether they be eighteen or nineteen inch look great. However, while the car looks beautiful from a side profile, there's definitely a couple things lacking when we look at it from either the front or the back. Namely, the tail lights just look tiny and out of place. On a car that turns out to be as big as the G8, having tail lights that fit with the rest of the car would be a definite plus. The lights themselves look like something a 17 year would throw on his Honda Civic. The front end is another matter entirely. Whatever the reason may be, a massive sedan does not need two overly reaching hood scoops coming off it for no apparent reason. Ever notice that small little accent towards the back of a BMW hood? That's what subtle styling looks like. Quite simply, anyone trying to look professional or sophisticated in this vehicle is going to fail as soon as one glances at the half sports car/half refined elderly driver front end. Of course, there are certain moments when the G8 really does look impressive, and it's not a bad looking car by any means. It just seems as though the design is way off from what the company is trying to accomplish. The small spoiler accent (a la Audi) coming off of the back end is a nice little touch. A little more feedback and a little more time spent going into the exterior really would have payed off. Of course, it's all a matter of opinion, and in the humble opinion of this reviewer, BMW did it first and did it better. The smooth lines and refined styling of the 3 series manages to catch the eye without screaming "look at me!" something the G8 hasn't quite managed yet.

Moving to the interior: It's been said many times before, American cars just don't have stylish interiors. Of course, while it would have been natural to expect the G8 to fail here, it actually does a fairly decent job, pending a few just plain oddities. My test model came equipped with cloth, and while it appears flat and boring, it really doesn't look all that bad, and it manages to do a nice job holding the driver in place. There's plenty of room inside, which is to be expected from a car that is this large. The instrument panels look nice, although the strange and out of place digital oil temp and volt gauges just look bad. The G8 took a cue from my long dead 1988 digital dash equipped 300zx, and the result looks just like you would expect. Overall though, the G8 offers plenty of room, a great driving position (hampered only by disgustingly large A-pillars) and is a nice place to spend some time. Still though, it's hard to shake the overall feeling of plastic. Plastic is everywhere, and when going up against the 3 series, that much plastic is a bad thing. Everything is blocky, and while it doesn't look bad, it doesn't look particularly great either. The available in-dash satellite navigation definitely spruces things up, and is a fine feature on a car that is otherwise devoid of options. One final note, the controls mounted on the center console for the windows and mirrors are strange, and while this is not a new trick, when there are four window buttons and two mirror buttons to manage, it just makes everything look clogged. A better place? Where 99% of new vehicles have them, on the driver side door. I'm starting to sound like a BMW fan, but there's just something nice about the inside of the 3 series. Smooth leather, flowing lines, gently swooping center console. It's refinement, and although it comes at a price, BMW once again manages to trump Pontiac on designing the inside of a car.

Of course, looks aside, driving a car is the true point of distinction. That's what creates loyalists, and it's something that is truly hard to measure. That being said, there really is a lot to like about the G8. It handles decently, and the 5.3 second 0-60 sprint time is brisk, to say the least. However, the only major problem is that while all the components are there, the execution just doesn't seem to add up. While the car has a respectable 361 horse power, you never really feel like your using it. This could be due to the overall nature of the vehicle, but the point remains, that much horse power should feel like that much horse power. Yes, the G8 has a lot of weight to move around, but there have been many applications where the Corvette engine (the same found in this car) has been used to obtain much greater power numbers. Raw power aside, though, the car does handle very nicely. Pontiac claims an almost 50/50 weight split, and while that may be possible, the G8 manages to slide itself around corners and exercises and impressive bit of grip. The only issue here being that the car is not very forgiving. With that much weight to lug around, slowing down the vehicle for quick, controlled corners becomes a major issue. The steering wheel feels massive, and when pushed into the still sluggish "sport mode" the gearshift is almost too far away to be manageable while trying to use the "automanual" mode. Still though, aside from a few ergonomics issues, the G8 is a blast to drive. It's got plenty of power, handles superbly for such a large machine, and it manages to provide a lot of comfort even while speeding down those twisty country roads. The vehicle is equally at home on the highway, and cruises comfortably. The gas mileage is decent, not incredible, but still good for packing a large V8 under the hood (Pontiac lists only 1 mile per gallon better for the V6 model). This, primarily, is due to the cylinder deactivation that is automatically activated on the highway, definitely a neat idea.

While the G8 may not be the BMW-killer that Pontiac is making it out to be, it's a wonderful car in it's own right. It's fun, comfortable, offers decent performance, gets fairly good gas mileage, and retails for a fairly low price. A little more work on the outside, and some nicer materials used for the interior really could have made this car the total package. While those who drive BMW's are still going to drive them, those that are looking for a new car and want something just a tad bit different (and a little less expensive) should definitely check out the Pontiac G8, it's an overall good car that offers the chance to surprise you.