Short Take Road Test
When the Chevy Cavalier morphed into the Cobalt for 2005, Pontiac said no thanks to a version with a twin-port grille for U.S. showrooms, but in Canada, Pontiac re-upped, calling it the Pursuit.
Pontiac dealers here were soon lobbying for a "value leader," something under the $17,345 Vibe, and got the 2007 coupe-only G5, starting at $15,390, in June 2006.
Base G5s get a 148-hp, 2.2-liter Ecotec four-cylinder, and $19,040 G5 GTs step up to a 173-hp, 2.4-liter four, along with four-wheel disc brakes, 17-inch alloy wheels, and a stiffer suspension.
In GT form, the G5 has more horsepower than all six competitors in our last small-sedan roundup ["Sensible Shoes," December 2006]. Performance from this GT, equipped with a quick-reacting four-speed automatic, was strong, getting it to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 15.9 at 86 mph. That's quicker than all but the Mazda 3 s from the comparo, and those cars were all manuals. A G5 GT with a five-speed stick should dart to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds, as did an equivalent Cobalt SS we tested, a time that's second only to a Mustang V-6 for cars that start at less than $20,000.
