Overview & Reviews

The Pontiac GTO may have been the first true muscle car, but that distinction has never been enough to assure it an uninterrupted production run. Already, the GTO has used up two lives. Originally produced from 1964-'74, the GTO was resurrected for the 2004 model year after a 30-year hiatus. There was no convertible body style this time, but the car was at least a proper rear-drive two-door coupe, courtesy of Holden, General Motors' Australian division. The new GTO (née Holden Monaro) was a definite sleeper style-wise, but in keeping with its muscle car heritage, it brought some serious under-hood heat. Unloved by consumers during its production run due to interior quirks and anonymous styling, this modern GTO now constitutes something of a performance bargain on the used-car market.

Most Recent Pontiac GTO

The original Pontiac GTO was nicknamed "the Goat" as much for its defiant, stripped-to-the-basics personality as for the letters in its name. The 2004-'06 incarnation was so much more refined and upscale that to call it a Goat would almost have been an insult. Many of the old car's charms had also been lost in translation, including its affordable price tag. The new coupe started in the low $30Ks -- hardly an attainable sum for young, cash-strapped enthusiasts. Bland exterior styling was another weak point.

Power initially came from a 5.7-liter V8, but Pontiac swapped in a larger 6.0-liter V8 the following year. The bigger engine took the GTO up to a cool 400 horsepower, but between the 2+2 coupe's high price and dull styling, Pontiac simply couldn't sell enough of them. As a result, the Pontiac GTO was discontinued after the 2006 model year.

Still, when it came to acceleration, there was no denying the reborn GTO's status as a full-on muscle car. Equipped with the LS1 V8 rated for 350 hp and 365 pound-feet of torque, 2004 models could get to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds and blaze through a quarter-mile in 14 seconds flat -- quicker than any of the original GTOs. More impressive were the 2005 and '06 models, which had the 6.0-liter V8. Rated for 400 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque, these models shaved more than half a second off that quarter-mile time.

Although the Pontiac GTO was plenty comfortable for highway cruising, its soft suspension really wasn't tuned to handle this much power. With its sluggish reflexes, excessive body roll and weak brakes, its dynamics were no match for the sharper-handling competitors in this price range. Had the car been priced $5,000 or so less, these faults might have been forgivable. Depreciation has mitigated this criticism, however, as used GTOs can be found for a fraction of the MSRP when new.

Past Pontiac GTO models

Introduced in 1964, the original GTO went through six generations before dying off after the 1974 model year. Always a rear-wheel-drive car, it was sold as both a two-door hardtop and a convertible with an assortment of big V8s. Legend has it that Pontiac stole the GTO name from the equally legendary Ferrari 250 GTO, a car whose name was an acronym for "Gran Turismo Omologato."

Save for the "detuned" 1973 and '74 models, just about any Pontiac GTO from the original era is considered collectible and will bring a high price at auction, provided it's in good condition and has a matching numbers engine (meaning the car still has the original factory engine). Convertibles are rarer than hardtops. The ostentatious GTO Judge model, sold in both body styles, is also less common. Among 1960s GTOs, models with one of the Ram Air packages are most prized, while the 1970 year saw the GTO's performance peak with the availability of a massive 455-cubic-inch V8 good for 500 lb-ft of torque.

User Reviews:

• 

  2004 GTO - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Matt - July 19 - 2:26 am

  Forget about all of the naysayers that expected a retro looking car like the Mustang. This car fits the bill just fine. It is fast, handles decent, and is bigger on the inside than it looks. Trunk space is my only issue because the fuel tank occupies half of it, but mine isnt a daily driver so it isnt a big deal. The car rocks and is almost everything I could ask for in a new car purchase.

• 

  GTO - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By Dean Wheatley - July 8 - 3:13 pm

  I needed a sports car with back seats that actually had some performance - and thats one thing this car plenty of: performance. The vette V8 engine is the reason that you buy this car. Fit and finish is good (as good, if not better than the vette) but handling is, unfortunately, nothing to write home about. The suspension setup is a bit too soft and the tires are nowhere near grippy enough to keep traction. With 400 ponies, you need the traction! The stick shift is just awful and the stick shift is just OK (no overdrive ). Despite is many failings, I believe this is the best bang for the buck. Tighter handling than the gt-500 and almost as quick. A bargain!

• 

  Goin GTO - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Tommyson - July 4 - 10:00 am

  Very comfortable while sitting in drivers seat. Downside to me is gas mileage and some styling. Although the performance makes up for any dissapointments.

• 

  Unleash The Beast - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By BigUnit42 - June 30 - 3:56 am

  Unlike many who own a GTO, mine is a daily driver. My commute is 35 miles one way. In addition to that I take it out often on social occasions. Needless to say I spend a great amount of time in this vehicle. This is the best sports car you can buy for the price. The performance is immaculate, and a year and a half after purchase, it still surprises me. Another surprise was the quality of the interior. Leather all around, comfortable electronic seats, and a stylish dashboard. No part of the interior looks cheap or plastic- looking like many cars today. Gas mileage is low for current standards, but for the size of the engine, it can be preserved quite well if driven conservatively.

• 

  The Review - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By JonJon - June 17 - 8:16 am

  The car is fun to drive

• 

  Buy for POWER and driveability - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By BillyGoat - May 20 - 9:33 am

  After reading some of the other reviews, other purchasers seem to want a luxury car with high performance and 30 MPG. NOT !! The now departing 2006 GTO will be a collectors car soon enough, Id highly recommend begging, borrowing, or stealing the $$ to buy one. The dealer I bought from in Arizona had TEN GTOs for sale - I had the pick of the litter. Sold at INVOICE $$, this dealer simply wanted to unload his inventory...advantage ME. NO VEHICLE currently made will give you the wide swath of luxury and performance this car will. Just drive one. 400 HP, great driving position and non-descript exterior will keep the idiots wondering what the hell just flew past. BUY ONE.

• 

  GTO- Geared Toward Oppression - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By CliffLao - May 17 - 6:10 am

  Paying $30,300 I was really hoping that Pontiac would at least stand behind their product if something were to go wrong. With only 250 miles on the car the transmission started coming out of second and first gears and would not go into reverse without some coaxing. Along with dark gray paint spots all over the bright yellow exterior, I have already attempted on 3 different occasions to allow Pontiac to correct the problems but they will not even acknowledge them. From Showcase Pontiacs Service Mgr explaining to me that I was not driving the car hard enough to Don Mackey Pontiac telling me they do not know how to work on the car, I CANNOT be MORE DISAPOINTED! Lemon vehicle meet Lemon LAW!

• 

  The best "Mothers Day" present ever! - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By mosquito2376 - April 30 - 3:03 am

  I traded in my 1994 GMC Safari, for this beautiful machine during Mothers Day weekend this May. I love its acceleration, handling and sound. The interior is comfortable, my kids can actually look out the side windows and not just see a "seat" in front of them as they do when they ride in my husbands 1998 Z28 Camaro. Buy a 6 speed, I test drove a used 2004 with an automatic and it just made me hungry for more. What a beautiful classy car that definately can compete with the BMWs and Mercedes on the road today. "Sleeper" is the best word to describe this car, Ive had many a young fellow pull up thinking they had the "guts" to beat me and I left them in the dust everytime.

• 

  The Best Yet - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By wsw - April 21 - 3:50 am

  This has to be my favorite car ever. I do not know how many I have owned but the list includes Mustang GTs, Corvettes, Mercedes 560 SLs, Thunderbirds, etc. This is the ultimate driving machine so far. Outperforms everything else and is comfortable for my 63", 275 pound body. I do feel sorry for people that would have to ride in the back seat, but this vehicle was not purchased for them. I have had some initial problems that I believe are attributable to transit involving the front end and strut failure. Only 3000 miles so far so reliability would be slanted heavily by these problems if not properly viewed. Overall, this car is great and has me looking for the next generation.

• 

  Wolf in Sheeps Clothing - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By amfinanceguy - April 16 - 10:00 am

  This may be the car that renews my belief in American auto manufacturers. A true "spiritual cousin" to an M3 (could use a little better handling), if youre "sitting on the fence", do yourself a favor and save $20K over an M3. Quality build, fit, and finish plus that lovely American V8 rumble. What a pure pleasure!! The first car Ive bought since my M3 that has brought just a huge smile to my face every time I drive it.