Description

Cars.com experts walk you through the 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP and how it holds up as a family vehicle.

Transcript

2009 Pontiac G8 GXP Family Vehicle Review Hi, I'm Mike Hanley with cars.com and this is the Pontiac G8 GXP. It’s new for 2009 and since my colleague drove boost because I already covered its performance characteristics in the supper video. I wanted to take a look at how this sports Sedan holds up as a family vehicle. The verdict, surprisingly well. Being with the GXP as a performing car, I was a little worried about how its suspension was going to be able to handle the pop old roads of Chicago. But I was pleasantly surprised that it offers a compliant ride. It does a very good job of absorbing bumps and holes in the road before there were chance to rattle you or your passengers. On the hole it’s a very livable as a daily driver. The G8 GXP is Pontiac’s flagship performance car, so it’s a little odd to see that the manual transmission is an option and the automatic comes standard. It cost 695 dollars but at least it is an option because the VAGT is an offer with the manual and that’s the motor right below this one. If you choose the manual, you get a transmission to that short throws, slightly mechanical feel and a pretty like clutch pedal and that translates to good drive ability in the daily basis. The front bucket seats in the G8 GXP offer a nice balance between comfort and sportiness. They have softy cushioning but there nice and wide too, so that the side bolsters on them don’t grip you unnecessarily tight but their there when you need them. The front cushion in it is also pretty long, so that for taller drivers it offers good back support. Overall space otherwise in the front of the cabin is good and the car comes with a standard tilt telescoping steering wheel, so you can put the wheel just where wanted. Fairly vehicles also have to have a usable backseat and the G8 does. Thanks to its full sized dimensions. Even taller adults have good leg room, and overall space is pretty decent as well. There’s this handy arm rest too in the middle and pop out cup holders down here. In terms of cargo space, the G8 has 17.45 cubic foot trunk which is pretty sizable. The opening is nice and big too, and the inside is relativity rectangular which is nice unlike some other cars though. It doesn’t have folding backseats but it does have a trunk to pass through. Compromises are effect of life especially when you're shopping for a car because for advertising one requirement may mean giving up another. With the G8 GXP though, you don’t have to give mainly family, friendly features like a roomy cabin and compliant ride to get serious performance like a 0 to 60 times of less than five seconds. The only thing you really comprising in all of this is the planet though because the G8 GXP gets an abominable 13 miles per galloon in the city and 20 on the highway. For more car related news, go to cars.com or our blog, kickingtires.net.