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:

• 

  Nice for what it is. - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By Small town fool - November 23 - 8:33 pm

  Tried to get a Vibe but for the price, this was better. Great handling and fuel mileage.

• 

  Green Machine, not a gas guzzlin SUV - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By Janko - August 14 - 12:23 am

  Im giving this car a 10 across the board. Im doing this with the mindset of my expectations of a compact economy car. It met my expectations 100%. Im 66" tall and cannot believe how comfortable the seats are. I love this car and its exactly as I expected. For the people who rate the performance anything less than a 10, go buy a Corvette. I had a Honda and am soooo happy I sold it to buy the G3. No complaints, very happy!!!

• 

  Great little Car!!! - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By peewee - November 26 - 11:53 pm

  Its a great little car for the price, I havent had it very long so I cant say to much but its turning out to be a fun car to drive.

• 

  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.

• 

  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!

• 

  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.

• 

  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

• 

  have you driven a PONTIAC lately? - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By Pontifan - April 17 - 3:36 pm

  Traded in a 95 Jeep Cherokee for this beauty! Anything better than 12mpg in town was worth it. But this car is amazing! Love the interior, only it needed a full center console for storage. Love the lumbar support. It really is FUN to drive. I look forward to going to work every morning just to get in it! I, too would like to have tinted windows. Im down south, and it makes a difference. Got it fully loaded for $10,200!! By the way, I was going to get a g5, but muuuch less head room! Thanks, Pontiac, for the great car.

• 

  Just LOOKING at it makes me smile! - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By MichaelB - December 5 - 10:23 pm

  What a fun car! Even when youre not driving it you can just look at it and get a good chuckle! Surprisingly good seat comfort (thats vital to me). Great gas mileage. Performs just fine on the freeway, but theres a little road noise at freeway speeds.

• 

  Small,But Roomy,and Fun...To Pass Gas St - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By Chris - January 15 - 2:03 am

  Just a great car,American cars(Pontiac) is the way to Go,Quality,Value,Fun,....Pontiac is Quality for a Great Price!!I Recommend this car in a tough economy over that Toy.Previous car any day of the week...Im American and want the $$ to go to an American Co.