Overview & Reviews

The five-door Pontiac G3 subcompact hatchback enjoys the dubious distinction of being the shortest-lived Pontiac model of all time. It debuted for 2009 and GM went bankrupt shortly thereafter, necessitating the discontinuation of the Pontiac brand. If you're interested in a G3 (though frankly we're not sure why you would be), keep in mind that the car of which it is a clone, the Chevy Aveo, continued to be produced after '09.

Like the Aveo, the Pontiac G3 traced its roots to GM's Korean Daewoo division, which had a little runabout called the Kalos available for rebadging purposes. There wasn't much to be said for the G3 when it was new, and there's even less going for it on the pre-owned market -- other than its assuredly rock-bottom price, that is. Despite the G3's diminutive size, its fuel economy wasn't any better than the larger Honda Civic's, and its performance and refinement were unimpressive.

Most Recent Pontiac G3

Produced for 2009 only, the Pontiac G3 was a five-door subcompact hatchback available in a single trim level. Standard equipment included steel wheels, foglamps, a rear spoiler, a tilt steering column, manual accessories (meaning no power windows and such), air-conditioning and a six-speaker CD/MP3 stereo with an auxiliary input jack. Notable options were power accessories, cruise control, satellite radio, aluminum wheels and a sunroof.

Power came from a 1.6-liter four-cylinder rated at 106 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque. This engine was backed by a standard five-speed manual transmission or an optional four-speed automatic. The former's EPA-estimated fuel economy was 30 mpg combined, while the latter's dropped to 28 mpg combined.

Inside, the Pontiac G3 was attractive enough, sporting decent-quality materials adorned with metallic-look accents. Climate controls were straightforward, though the stereo employed an array of buttons instead of more user-friendly knobs. The G3 offered a convenient 42 cubic feet of cargo space with the 60/40-split rear seats folded, but the 7.1 cubic feet available behind the rear seats won't hold more than a few bags of groceries.

In reviews, we noted that the Pontiac G3 got the job done in a competent but forgettable way. The steering was responsive enough and the ride was adequate by subcompact standards, but the engine protested loudly when full power was needed. We actually preferred the optional automatic transmission to the manual gearbox. Though the five-speed was rated as slightly more economical around town, its ratios were overly wide, and it was a chore to shift.

User Reviews:

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  1st time buyer - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By tcunningham - March 30 - 2:00 am

  I brought this car in Aug 09 and in Sept 09 the 1st accelerator chip was replaced and was assured it would not happen again. I have had the accelerator chip replaced two times in this car. Went out on the expressway. This was my first new car and now Im scared to drive it. The car doesnt save me gas because I drive more and fill up at lease 2 to 3 times a week. The chip will go out without warning while on the highway. This last time I was almost hit by a truck. This is not a reliable car, it is almost like a death trap.

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  Cheap unreliable car - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By chente1 - December 28 - 10:12 am

  My wife got this car new on a emergency.( Cheap and need it a car right away). Since she got it, it had problems with the electrical system. She took it to the dealer several times but they always give her excuses not to fix it, even thoug it was under guarranty. Car have 80000 miles and already need it a new tranny and radiator, which GM didnt want it to fix, even thoug it was under warranty, 100,000 miles power train.($5500.00 repair) at this point, the A/C is acting up, even thoug we took it to the dealer before the end of warranty, but they didnt want to fix it. So now we have a car with bad sensors ( four total at $150.00 a piece) plus airbag and tire sensors all acting up. Thanks GM!

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  Excellent choice for North America - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By Eather - September 26 - 8:46 am

  Best car for the money. Honda, Toyota, and Nissan should be real scared right now. This car is stellar. I had no idea Daewoo could make such a great set of wheels at such a low price tag too. I cant say what reliability is since we only had it for about a month now if that. We got this car under the cash for clunkers program as a "bridge" vehicle until the plug in hybrids come out. Looks like someone else reviewing this vehicle is doing the same thing as well.

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  Cheap fun - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By djehall - August 15 - 2:40 am

  Bought this three weeks ago. I traded in a Nissan Frontier I wanted better gas mileage and no longer needed a pickup. My local Pontiac dealer had one left, with every toy I wanted (sunroof, cruise), and toys I didnt know I wanted until I had them (OnStar, XM, lumbar support). I liked the interior, especially the seats. Sad that Pontiac is going the way of the DeSoto, but decided to take up GMs offer on remaining Pontiacs. This is fun to drive, gets good gas mileage, and Im not worried about finding replacement parts, since its a rebadged Aveo. Wife likes it as well, and offered to give me her Jeep Patriot for it (I turned her down). All in all, a great and easy choice for me.

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  Not a happy camper with the G3 mileage - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By John - July 28 - 10:46 am

  I am not satisfied with the gas mileage that I am getting on my new g3. I am only getting 24 in the city and 29 on the highway. The rating on the car when I bought it stated 29 city and 34 highway and in small print at the bottom it stated up to 40 mile per gal. Well I am not coming close and I gave up an hhr which was getting 33 per gal. Not a happy camper. I fell like trading it in but would take too much of a hit.

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  Love this car!!! - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By Diana - April 1 - 11:30 pm

  Fun car! Look forward to driving it! Roomy for a small car, comfortable, great gas mileage, & handles well. I see where someone said something about the road noise, I had an AVEO and that had a lot of road noise, the Pontiac G3 has way less road noise and a way better ride! Get the car, youll love it!

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  Low cost transportation - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By doug casey - January 18 - 1:36 pm

  I bought this car with the cash for clunkers program, so the price was $7600 and my now crushed Cherokee. The only option I bought was the AC. The first tank of gas I got 32 combined MPG, mostly highway. I am a conservative driver. All I wanted was good cheap transportation, and I am VERY happy with this purchase. If you want a Cadillac, buy a Cadillac. This car rides and handle fine, good headroom, and is kind of cute. The engine RPM seems high on the highway, but it rides good and is not very noisy. If it is reliable for years, I would buy another.

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  Not owned very long but so far so good - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By G3 - August 5 - 1:06 am

  Its a good car for the price I havent owned it very long so I cant say much but its turning out to be a fun little car

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  Economy, comfort and reliability - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By Nan - March 11 - 8:00 pm

  Great car for the money. Good pick up and drive..Great visibility..very comfortable. Not alot of space in back seat although would be okay for kids. Great trunk space. Regret we dont have ABS.

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  Great car for the money. - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By bigwillyz - September 17 - 5:40 am

  Ive had this car since Sept 2009 and aside from a transmission cooler line not tightend enough at the factory (noticed the first couple of days I had it) I have had no problems. I have over 20,000 miles on it and it runs like a clock. I have not noticed any of the issues noted in other posts but I was dissappointed in the mileage I got out of the OE tires. I have already replaced them and the alignment showed everything was within spec. Its a bit of a rough ride but to be expected in this small of a car. Based on what I paid for this car brand new with full warranty Im thrilled with it.