* Click HERE to see a video on the Pontiac G6 *

A better Grand Am

They say: The King is dead, long live the King. In this case, the Grand Am died (almost) and General Motors has now turned to the all-new G6 for salvation. Despite having sold very well over the years, few would agree that the Grand Am was a beautiful car. It may have looked like it had more character than a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord, however the moment you would look past the vast expanses of rippled plastic cladding and you're your place behind the wheel, the impression would quickly fade. The Grand Am's driving dynamics were quite acceptable and thanks to massive rebates and deals from the manufacturer, Grand Ams will still be around for a long time. For 2005, only the GT coupe is available.

The all-new G6, based on the Epsilon platform shared with the Chevrolet Malibu, has come out of the General Motors design studios kicking and screaming for attention. GM is continuing the brand imaging started decades ago by advertising the G6 as the new rocket in the mid-size car segment. Is there any truth to their claim? Let's find out.

A base G6 starts at $24,700 and will rise to over $35,000 for a GT with options. We tested a GT equipped with the panoramic sunroof and the Onstar communication system that retailed for $30,885.

Exterior styling

The G6 is a far better looking automobile than the Grand Am. GM has finally done away with the body cladding and replaced it with cleaner, unobstructed lines. The shape of the car is racy and probably one of the car's better aspects. When I first looked at pictures of the G6, I thought that GM had run out of money to complete the rear of the car. Now that I have carefully looked at it, I can actually appreciate the overall styling. Our tested GT actually looked sharp with the thin 5-spoke 17" alloy wheels. One of the interesting features of the G6 is the 4 panel panoramic sunroof. Its functionality and appearance certainly are unique but at a high price. I will explain further on.

Interior styling

The cabin of the G6 is a mixture of yays and nays. To begin with, the design of the dashboard is nice and clean. I like the chrome-rimmed gauges as they are large and easy to read. The radio and HVAC controls require no time to adapt to. The Monsoon audio system is powerful but the sound becomes distorted as the volume climbs over the halfway mark. Only the onboard computer could take some time to remember which button does what. The front seats are supportive and sufficiently comfortable. With a tilt and telescopic steering column and power adjustable pedals, a proper driving position is easy to find. Both front and rear passengers will find plenty of legroom although headroom is tight in the rear.

Now the nays. The plastics, as is almost always the case, are cheap. Thankfully, the interior colour of our trial car was black and not light taupe. There are many casting lines visible on the plastic panels which cause sharp edges like those of the door bins. Rear visibility is quite poor. The rear deck and trunk lid are elevated to follow the car's beltline. Backing into a parking spot requires faith: with well over a meter between the G6 and the car behind it, only the upper portion of the windshield is visible through the rear window. I did this test with a late model Volkswagen Passat.