Overview & Reviews
For 47 years, the Pontiac Bonneville was a constant sight on Pontiac's dealership lots. Very few nameplates have lasted that long, and even fewer belonged to mainstream vehicles that were neither luxury nor sports cars. Like other long-lasting, everyman models from America's domestic automakers, the Bonneville subsequently experienced the major trends that swept through its brand and the auto industry as a whole during its lifetime, serving as a telling chronicle of what we've driven over the years.
Named after the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah where many land speed record attempts are made, the first Pontiac Bonneville debuted in 1957 as a tail-finned, high-performance convertible based on the Star Chief. It was the brand's top-line model and coupe, sedan and even wagon variants followed shortly thereafter. Through the late 1950s and '60s, the Bonneville earned a reputation for being both luxurious and performance-oriented thanks to generous power outputs from some of its big, muscle-car-era V8s. Today, some of these early Bonnevilles are highly prized as collector cars.
As with other cars during the Nixon era, the Pontiac Bonneville lost its performance edge as new governmental regulations went into effect. The biggest change occurred after the second gas shortage of the 1970s, when for 1977 Pontiac downsized the Bonneville into a more fuel-efficient, full-size car powered by V6 or V8 engines. In the early '80s the nameplate hit an all-time low when it was affixed to GM's midsize car platform, reducing the once-proud Bonneville to a gussied up LeMans. Another metamorphosis occurred in 1987, when the Bonneville returned to full-size status, atop GM's new front-drive family car platform.
This generation and the revamped 1990s Bonny that followed embodied Pontiac's new direction, focusing on exaggerated sporty styling and high-tech gizmos. In terms of sales and image, however, the Bonneville was on a constant slide as fewer consumers were interested in a large, sport-oriented front-wheel-drive sedan. Production finally ended in 2005.
Used-car shoppers interested in a Bonneville will most likely be taking a look at the two most recent generations of the car. In general, these cars provide plenty of interior room and trunk space thanks to their full-size sedan status, and, depending on trim, also offer respectable acceleration and handling. Typical downsides, however, include overwrought interior and exterior styling, some cheap interior materials and dubious build quality.
Most Recent Pontiac Bonneville
The most recent Pontiac Bonneville was produced from 2000-'05. This car's general shape wasn't too different from the car it replaced. But it was sleeker despite retaining some of Pontiac's signature ribbed plastic body cladding -- particularly on the exaggerated SSEi. This look was cleaned up on the V8-powered GXP for 2004, with a more attractive face and cladding-free sheet metal.
Inside, this Bonneville brought the idea of a driver-centered cockpit to new heights with controls angled heavily toward the driver. Dozens of little gray buttons and switches, eight round air vents, six gauges, an information center and an optional head-up display furthered the jet aircraft motif Pontiac was shooting for. This might sound cool, but it was tremendously busy and grew dated quickly.
This generation Bonneville didn't change much during its run. It was initially available in base-level SE, midgrade SLE and top-of-the-line SSEi trim levels. The bottom two trims came with a 3.8-liter V6 (205 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque) and a four-speed automatic transmission. The performance-oriented SSEi boasted a supercharged version of the 3.8 V6, increasing power to 240 hp and 280 lb-ft. These were hardly muscle-car numbers, but the SSEi outperformed other V6-powered large cars of the era like the Chrysler 300M and Lincoln LS. This advantage didn't last long, though, as horsepower numbers in the 2000s rose precipitously.
The SSEi was replaced by the V8-powered GXP in 2004. This 4.6-liter V8 made a healthy 275 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque and was enough to propel this large sedan from zero to 60 mph in less than 7 seconds. With that much power sent to the front wheels, the GXP handled it surprisingly well, with decent handling and few complaints about torque steer.
Although this generation's Bonneville was hardly our favorite full-size sedan, it did provide comfortable transportation for up to six passengers while adding in an appreciated amount of style and performance. The SSEi and GXP are the models that driving enthusiasts will want to focus on, but all Bonnevilles suffered from the gizmo-heavy interior and, like most GM cars from this era, inconsistent build quality and cheap, glossy interior plastics.
Past Pontiac Bonneville Models
The previous-generation Pontiac Bonneville was produced from 1992-'99, with a subtle midlife refresh in 1996. It was initially available in base SE, sporty SSE and supercharged SSEi trim levels. An SLE (Sport Luxury Edition) package was available on SE models starting in 1993 and became its own trim level for 1998. The SSEi did the reverse, as it changed from being a trim level to becoming an optional package (on SSE models) in 1994.
The SE and SSE Bonnevilles came standard with a 3.8-liter V6 that made 170 hp and 220 lb-ft of torque. Those figures grew to 205 hp and 230 lb-ft in 1995. The available supercharged version initially made 205 hp and 260 lb-ft, and those figures swelled to 225 hp and 275 lb-ft in 1994. The supercharged V6 was boosted one more time in 1996 to 240 horses and 280 lb-ft of torque. A four-speed automatic was standard on all engines throughout this generation's lifespan, but SSEi versions starting in 1994 featured "Performance" and "Normal" shift modes that quickened downshift response and raised rpm shift points.
Major equipment changes included standard antilock brakes in 1993 and standard dual airbags in 1994. (Passenger side was previously only standard on the SSEi.) That year also saw the introduction of optional Computer Command Ride, a two-mode system that adjusted suspension performance. Electronic load leveling and keyless entry became standard features on the SSE and optional on the SE in 1997.
Inside, these Bonnevilles were driver-centered like the following generation, but much less busy. Nevertheless, SSE models are remembered for having optional 12-way power seats with lumbar control that included nine dedicated buttons on the center console. We thought this Bonneville was also a decent choice for large-sedan buyers, with sportier styling and more high-tech niceties than most of its competitors.
The previous Pontiac Bonneville was produced from 1987-'91 with styling that was considered quite head-turning for the time. It brought back some of the sportiness that had been sucked out of the Bonny since the 1960s, particularly the SSE model. Like future Bonnevilles, this one also reveled in technology, with the SSE sporting numerous gauges, driver information displays, an abundance of power seat controls and ahead-of-its-time steering-wheel-mounted audio and temperature controls.
User Reviews:
Showing 261 through 270 of 462.00-
6CYL W ATTITUDE - 1999 Pontiac Bonneville
By MOOMAN - May 19 - 10:00 am6 CYLINDER PUTTING OUT 240 HP UNHEARD OF! CAR IS A ROCKET. GREAT HANDLING W LOTS OF TOYS
-
Great Bonnie! - 2005 Pontiac Bonneville
By DMP - May 4 - 10:50 pmPurchased as a demo in 2007 with 21K kliks as a replacemennt for my 94 SLE (nice car); Now at 53K. Daily driver for mostly city driving. I love the styling - stealth-look black exterior turns heads and clears traffic on the highway. Interior is comfortable for my tall frame. Excellent ride. The GXP is very thristy; in keeping with the performance image the final drive was raised to 3.7 which drops the mileage by about 20% over other NorthStar equipped cars.
-
Reliable and Economical - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
By HAppy - April 6 - 10:00 amMy fourth Bonneville. Each one has been troublefree.. one set of brakes and one set of tires in 80,000 miles -- no other out of pocket repairs other than oil changes
-
Sporty Mom car - 2003 Pontiac Bonneville
By nmhst - March 25 - 2:00 amThis car not only looks good,but drives wonderfully. I have three kids and they have plenty of room. The trunk space does not let me miss my SUV. Dont let the name "Bonneville" mislead you. It is not the big old bug car.
-
Could have been better - 2005 Pontiac Bonneville
By cmsherm - March 16 - 2:33 pmStyle of the body makes the vehicle look welcoming due to the fact that this looks more like a sports car than the traditional family car. The interior looks much more inviting than most of GMs bench seat in the front of their sedans. However, looks can be deceiving. The seats are very uncomfotable and traveling long distances make riding a horse seem more appealing. The vehicle has good acceleration once you get out of first gear and the exhaust has a nice rumble when you hit the gas. It is fun to drive on winding roads due to the wider wheel base. You can find curves that suggest 30 mph, all the while you can be doing 60 mph mashing on the gas and never leave your lane.
-
2000 Pontiac boneville - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
By PAM AMATO - March 16 - 3:03 amLots of problems with this car. Window motors keep failing, ac went out, transmission problems. Looks good, put poor quality mechanical devices
-
Rock solid car - 1998 Pontiac Bonneville
By bnw - February 19 - 6:22 pmWeve had Saabs and VWs, Olds and Buicks, Dodges and Triumphs. This Bonney, now at 237,000 miles, is the best car Ive ever had (even though its being a sedan kept us from being able to move furniture in it). Time, distance, and New England winters are finally catching up with it -- no major repairs ever needed until this past year -- and Im finding that I cannot find anything near as good and as responsive and comfortable to drive (while being affordable) as the Bonney nowadays. Massive, major mistake to deep-six Pontiac and Oldsmobile.
-
Satisfied Buyer - 2004 Pontiac Bonneville
By Lily - February 19 - 10:00 amGreat car. No complaints.
-
My Bonnie is the best car Ive ever had - 1998 Pontiac Bonneville
By Stephiey13 - February 15 - 4:30 amI bought this car from an individual, and I am ashamed to say that I was very ruluctant to buy it because of a Grand Am I had before, which was a big piece of junk, but now I am so glad that I did. Its the best and most dependable car that I have ever owned. Rides smooth, the seat adjustments are awesome, very comfortable, has a lot of kick when you need it. She has 230,000 miles on her and shows no signs of stopping. I have had to replace the water pump, a pulley and the belt, and the radiator hose, thats it. Awesome car, and I would love to buy another one but they are getting hard to come by anymore, the 98 models are the best in my opinion.
-
Best New Car In Years! - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
By topdown73cat - February 10 - 2:00 amWe have purchased numerous new cars over the last 20 years. Our 2002 Bonneville SE is the best new one yet. It is much quieter, better fit and finish, excellent performance and far less TROUBLE than the 1996 Dodge Intrepid ES we had. We have owned the Bonneville 7 months now and only oil changes have been done. At 7000+ miles it hasnt been into our dealer yet!
