The primary point here is the G6's wheelbase, which is about 130 mm longer than those of its key competitors. This means it's easy for everyone to exit-entry, and the tallest and widest persons will find it expansive and much more comfortable.

Personally, I hate cars that make me feel cramped, and that applies to many of the cars in this segment. For sure I'm an uber-big guy, but I can't believe that more normal size people wouldn't appreciate the extra space.

More than comfort is in play here, since sitting too close to the wheel or the door can be dangerous. Pontiac G6 therefore provides you with what you might call a personal buffer, and that's a very good thing.

For reasons of comfort and style, then, this is a very nice car to spend time it, and in less than a year you'll be able to order it with

(Photo : General Motors)

You may have noticed that, so far, I have not mentioned what is supposed to be Pontiac's touchstone attribute -- performance. This is because -- like most of you --  I live and drive in the real world rather than some imaginary plane of existence in which you can actually drive cars as fast and hard as you want.

From that perspective, all that stuff about ''total performance'' and ''four-wheel sport-tuned independent suspension'' and ''razor-sharp handling'' and other whoopy-zoomy features makes for a very competent and comfortable car in every real world situation you will encounter.

As the vehicle line executive of the G6 and therefore the person most responsible for its development, Canadian Gene Stefanyshyn has also made sure that it will do exceptionally well should you ever make the wrong left turn coming home from the grocery store and end up in that speedier plane of existence.

G6 is a lot more capable than it needs to be for the kind of quotidian life it will live because it shares the same Epsilon architecture as cars that will often be driven harder, such as the Opel/Vauxhall Vectra and the Saab 9.3.

Even if you don't get a chance to experience the G6's sporty character very often, Pontiac made it hard for you to forget what it's capable of. The front seats are supportive the way a sporty car's seats are supposed to be, for example, and there are lots of visual cues reinforcing the point.

(Photo : General Motors)

That longer-than-average cabin also allows the insertion of that optional Panoramic roof, which is a four-panel, electronically-operated glass roof. Three of the four panels slide rearward (the fourth panel acts as an air deflector), creating a sunroof large enough for even the rear-seat passengers to enjoy the experience.

Sunroofs are a waste of money, as far as I am concerned, but if you like them, this one-of-a-kind (in North America, at any rate) is the technology's Wayne Gretzky.

Finally, a word about the G6's engine. Most importantly, it suits Canadian and American driving habits, since it delivers great and timely quantities of the torque (up to 220 lb-ft of it) that delivers sold launch and passing skills to the front wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. It would have been better if GM had a five- or six-speed automatic ready now for this car, for mileage reasons if nothing else, but it doesn't. That will undoubtedly follow in due time.