During the week we had the car, in a mix of highway and urban errand running, we saw fuel consumption of 10.6L/100 km. Admittedly, more than

2005 Pontiac Pursuit (photo : John Leblanc, straight-six.com)

the 9.9 L/100 km City figure Transport Canada claims, but it was during a particularly cold week, so we'll cut the Pursuit some slack.

The Pursuit's rear suspension is a trailing-arm setup held by a twist beam, the same formula found on Jettas and Golfs since, well, forever. GM engineers went so far as to cut open a Jetta's trailing-arm bushing and, lo and behold, found expensive fluid-filled, two-chamber hydraulic dampers. So now, the Pursuit has similarly exotic underpinnings.

All of this newfound engineering effort and expense pays off when you're at highway speeds in the Pursuit. The body feels very strong--even driving out of Montreal on its notoriously bumpy Route 40. The Pursuit is (again, surprisingly) quiet, with only minor wind noise coming from the side mirrors.

Pontiac wanted, and got, a great riding car. Which is not the same as a great handling car. Those expensive Pirellis, combined with the electro-hydraulic steering, provide lots of weight and excellent on-center feel. Although the Pursuit SE Sport's handling is stable, it's just not as much fun to drive as a Mazda3 or Ford Focus, squishy in instances where these competitors hang on.

More surprises are in store when you plop yourself inside this newest little Pontiac.

2005 Pontiac Pursuit (photo : John Leblanc, straight-six.com)

The seating up front is German firm. Bolstering is not as aggressive as what you'll find in a Mazda3, but adjustments for height and lumbar make getting comfy quite easy. The steering wheel is thick, and the leather is of upscale quality. All of the cockpit's controls are easy to find and contemporarily styled (i.e.- splashes of fake aluminum and plastichrome). Despite our car being a pre-production model, all of the dash parts fitted well with nary a gap in sight. The only cheap feeling parts were the HVAC dial controls.

When compared to the ol' Sunfire, the new Pontiac Pursuit is a big step up in features, and, when fully optioned, price. In fact it's incomparable. If you're use to paying Sunfire prices, try Pontiac's other Canadian-exclusive, the sub-compact, Korean-built Wave ($13,595).

The Pursuit's base price falls inline with a Toyota Corolla ($15,490), Mazda3 ($16,95) or Ford Focus ($16,795). And remember, you pay a few hundred dollars extra over the near identical Chevrolet Cobalt sedan for the Pursuit's perceived extra "sportiness", being a Pontiac and all.

2005 Pontiac Pursuit (photo : John Leblanc, straight-six.com)

Because of the legacy of its predecessor, the challenge for the Pursuit is that it has to be better than its competitors to catch the small car buyer's chequebook.

The 2005 Pontiac Pursuit possesses all the attributes of a contemporary, upscale compact: low road noise; firm on-center feel from the variable rate electronic steering; large, comfortable seats; and a smooth drivetrain. Which, for the first time in 23 years, should be enough to let your own prejudices about previous small Pontiac's left at the showroom door.