2007 Pontiac G6 Convertible Road Test

[91 s-10baja]

A retractable hardtop is pretty much the ideal setup for anyone who loves wind-in-the-hair motoring, but lives in a region of ever-changing weather conditions.

Unfortunately, the engineering complications involved in strengthening the undercarriage, sectioning a metal roof and employing a series of electric motors to raise and lower it have consigned the technology to expensive automobiles such as Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and Volvo.
That is, until now.
Pontiac descended through the $30,000 price barrier in April with the introduction of its new front-wheel-drive G6 convertible and will be followed by other relatively inexpensive models from Volkswagen, Mazda, Chrysler and perhaps even others. For now, however, Pontiac stands alone as the least expensive retractable hardtop on the market.
The car I drove, the 2006 G6 GT convertible, started at $27,865. Well equipped, it could be driven away for $29,300. For 2007, the base price has been raised to $29,215 so it appears the car may have re-crossed the $30,000 line.
My turn to try out the Pontiac occurred right before Labor Day, and the timing seemed perfect. I had planned a few days relaxation along the south Jersey coastline and the Pontiac would fill the bill nicely. And, then, along came Ernesto.
I didn’t get a whole lot of sun-splashed, wind-in-the hair motoring Instead, I got lots of slashing rain and wind gusts up to 70 mph. Through it all, the car remained not only bone dry; its tight construction insulated me from the ravages of the storm. No rattles. No squeaks. No leaks. No signs of body flex.
On the few occasions when the weather let up, I lowered the top and went for a short spin. Wind turbulence was well controlled and allowed normal conversation among driver and front seat passenger up to legal highway speeds. And that was without the optional wind blocker.
However, despite structural reinforcements to what is essentially a G6 coupe, the car would get a mild case of the shakes over railroad tracks and rough roads.
Of course, the weather never stayed dry for long, so the top went down and then up more than a few times. The mechanism worked flawlessly, accomplishing either operation in about 30 seconds.
According to Pontiac, there are about 12 cubic feet of trunk space available with the top up, but a mere 2 feet with it down. There is also plenty of room in the back seat for cargo. In other words, two people can pack enough gear for long-distance travel if they are willing to keep the roof in place until they arrive at their destination.
Pontiac advertises the G6 as a comfortable, four-seat convertible. It may be – for short trips. But with the car’s high belt line, a rear seat passenger can feel claustrophobic. My 5-foot, 3-inch daughter-in-law was not happy staring at the front seatback and head restraint and had trouble peeking out the side. And, if the front passenger happens to be tall, rear leg room can become pinched when the front bucket is extended backwards.
The convertible’s base engine is a 3.5-liter V-6, which produces 201 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. The optional engine, a 3.9-liter V-6 with variable valve timing, produces 227 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. Both are mated to a four-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift feature.
For 2006, the convertible with the bigger powerplant was known as the G6 GTP. For 2007, the GTP designation is dropped and the engine is part of an optional sports package.
Built on the same architecture as the Chevrolet Malibu and Saab 9-3, the G-6 features four-wheel independent suspension, four-wheel disc brakes and hydraulic rack-and-pinion power steering.
Despite those seemingly sporty credentials, the G6 GT convertible is a comfortable cruiser, not a back-road bruiser. Acceleration is adequate but certainly not exhilarating. The ride is comfortable on smooth roads, a bit jiggly on the bumpy ones. Steering is numb.
There should be no complaints about fuel mileage. I averaged 18 miles per gallon of regular fuel around town and 28 on the highway. Those figures nearly match the EPA’s estimates of 19 mpg city/27 mpg highway.
Along with its reasonable price tag, the GT convertible comes standard with more comfort and luxury features than one might expect. They include air conditioning, eight-speaker sound system, driver information center with trip computer, cruise control, power windows, remote keyless entry and automatic on/off headlights.
Options on the test car included XM satellite radio and a remote vehicle starter system. That’s what drove the price up to $29,300, including destination charge.
The interior in the car I drove had sturdy and comfortable cloth seats. I would recommend them over the optional leather upholstery because the cloth seats don’t get hot when the sun beats on them.
Safety features include airbags for the driver and front passenger, stability control, daytime running lights and, of course, that steel roof. Side-impact bags for front-seat passengers are a $295 option.
While the GT convertible does not offer the driving dynamics an enthusiast might want, it provides a comfortable ride and a lot of comfort and convenience features, most notably that fancy top.
The car already is selling very well and my guess is that Pontiac has hit on a formula that will continue to resonate with a lot of buyers.

http://familycar.com/RoadTests/PontiacG6Convertible/

[stevecmh]

The convertible looks Amazing in Black. just breath taking how come GM never uses that one for a test car...

I really want a Coupe in black with the 3.6... i do like how u can get the same redish leather in the G6 that u can in the Aura.. looks beautiful

[Butz]

One of the nicest Pontiacs in a long time, only of it weren't for the crappy interior! What were they thinking at the time?

[DuSpinnst]

Yea the G6 is mostly a nice car. Minus the Interior looking like crap, and the fact that the Suspention and Steering are horrid.

Actually, I really don't even like the design. But that's more of a taste thing.

[mjd1001]

Originally Posted by stevecmh

The convertible looks Amazing in Black. just breath taking how come GM never uses that one for a test car...

I really want a Coupe in black with the 3.6... i do like how u can get the same redish leather in the G6 that u can in the Aura.. looks beautiful

I want the same car. I'm not a huge convertible fan, but if they did offer the 3.6 and the 6 speed auto...I can honestly say that next year when we do get a new car it would likely be the G6 vert. Alas, the vert is not offered with that powertrain..and the few rumors I have heard say it won't be offered with it any time soon, do to size/packaging constraints in the vert.

[mrbig]

The G6 looks nice in pictures and on paper but in person it looks as cheap as a two dollar whore.

[grayhorse]

That's why no 3.6L HF engine for the '07 G6 with retractable hardtop because of the $30K price barrier?

[mjd1001]

Originally Posted by grayhorse

That's why no 3.6L HF engine for the '07 G6 with retractable hardtop because of the $30K price barrier?

As per my prior post...I don't think it's because GM doesn't want to..I think there is an issue physically fitting it in the car.

I know they had to re-work the exhaust route on the convertible. The retractalble hard top not only ads weight to the car but it also forced moving around some undercarriage components to make it fit. I think with the additional size of the 6 speed auto and how it fits into the car, it simply won't fit properly with the new 3.6 in the convertible.

I'm sorry I don't have more specifics to back this up...but that is the reasoning I heard on these message boards in the past when this issue came up. And I am dissapointed in it as well as you are...I am not getting this car with the 3.5 and a 4 speed auto...nor with the 3.9 and the 4 speed auto with the fuel economy it gets. I'm just not going to consider any of those. However, if it was to be fitted with the 6 speed auto and the 3.6...then it is a different story. Unfortunatly, that is not the case.

[ponchoman49]

Quote: For 2007, the base price has been raised to $29,215 so it appears the car may have re-crossed the $30,000 line.

All this and Pontiac de-contented the bodyside door molding and dropped the mileage ratings for the 3900/auto to an SUV like 17/24! If anything, the price should have went down.

[1BadPig]

You have to pay for the 5 yr/100K warranty one way or another!

[appman]

I would like to see a turbo verison(GXP) of the G6, hopefully with a 5pd.

[Steel4ring]

I love this car!

[asim]

Originally Posted by Butz

One of the nicest Pontiacs in a long time, only of it weren't for the crappy interior! What were they thinking at the time?

I agree. The G6 really has the potential to be a great convertible, not just a so-so one. They really should have fixed up the interior in the G6 and the Malibu. EPII can't come soon enough...

[usa1]

Everyone hardtop convertable is cool to watch in operation. Truly amazing designs. They are a mechanical engineers dream design.

mark

[ChevyLaxMan]

Originally Posted by mjd1001

As per my prior post...I don't think it's because GM doesn't want to..I think there is an issue physically fitting it in the car.

I know they had to re-work the exhaust route on the convertible. The retractalble hard top not only ads weight to the car but it also forced moving around some undercarriage components to make it fit. I think with the additional size of the 6 speed auto and how it fits into the car, it simply won't fit properly with the new 3.6 in the convertible.

I'm sorry I don't have more specifics to back this up...but that is the reasoning I heard on these message boards in the past when this issue came up. And I am dissapointed in it as well as you are...I am not getting this car with the 3.5 and a 4 speed auto...nor with the 3.9 and the 4 speed auto with the fuel economy it gets. I'm just not going to consider any of those. However, if it was to be fitted with the 6 speed auto and the 3.6...then it is a different story. Unfortunatly, that is not the case.

Does the top tuck under the hood now?