Overview & Reviews

Bells and whistles are nice, but for some car shoppers, the primary need is for cheap, basic transportation. With these frugal buyers in mind, Pontiac launched its budget-priced Sunfire in the mid-'90s.

Budget cars of recent years have undergone an evolution of sorts. Many models have shattered our ideas of what to expect in this segment, offering a level of overall quality that belies their low price tags. The Pontiac Sunfire, unfortunately, wasn't one of them. Build quality was unimpressive and interior materials made no attempt to disguise this Pontiac's econobox status. Safety was an issue; the Sunfire performed poorly in side-impact and frontal-offset crash tests. Also, the fact that Pontiac opted not to give the car any substantial revisions in its many years on the market didn't do the Sunfire any favors. By the time it was retired in 2005, the car was riding on a severely dated platform, lagging well behind its newer competition.

But the Pontiac Sunfire did shine in a couple of respects. More recent models offered a lively engine. Feature content on newer models was also noteworthy, with luxury-themed amenities like OnStar and a sunroof offered as options. It was also one of the most affordable ways to get into a convertible.

Still, these strong points aren't enough to earn the Pontiac Sunfire a recommendation. Though it's inexpensive, used-car shoppers are advised to ignore this siren call and consider more desirable small sedans and coupes instead.

Most Recent Pontiac Sunfire

The Pontiac Sunfire was available in one generation, built from 1995-2005. Upon its introduction, this Pontiac was available as a coupe, sedan and convertible.

Initially, sedans and convertibles came in one trim level, the SE. Coupes, however, were available in both base SE and GT trims. In 1999, the convertible's sole trim level had its name changed to GT; a couple of years later (in 2001), the convertible was dropped from the lineup. The Sunfire's lineup was further streamlined in 2003 with the elimination of the sedan, leaving the coupe as the sole offering. That year, the Sunfire coupe was only available in base trim, but in 2004, an even more inexpensive Special Value trim was added to the lineup.

When the Pontiac Sunfire was introduced in 1995, two engines were available. Base models were powered by a 2.2-liter four-cylinder capable of 120 horsepower and 130 pound-feet of torque. GT models got a more muscular 2.3-liter inline-4 good for 145 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque. The following year, the 2.3-liter was replaced with a more powerful 2.4-liter that promised 150 hp and 155 lb-ft of torque. In 2003, both engines were dropped from the lineup and a more fuel-efficient 2.4-liter "Ecotec" four-cylinder good for 140 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque became the sole available engine. Buyers had three transmissions to choose from: a three-speed automatic (which was dropped from the lineup in 2002), a four-speed automatic and a five-speed manual (standard on most Sunfires).

Though the Sunfire saw no redesigns, it did see a few tweaks and upgrades over the years. The standard features list on early Sunfires was sparse, with little more than cloth seats and an AM/FM radio; on the plus side, ABS was standard. Options included air-conditioning and a power moonroof. In 1996, traction control, remote keyless entry and auxiliary steering-wheel-mounted audio controls were added to the options list. The following year, convertible Sunfires saw upgrades in standard equipment, with an automatic transmission being added to that roster. In 1998, safety got a boost, thanks to the addition of second-generation airbags to the standard features list; a new sound system was also added to the options list.

Further revisions in 2000 added new front and rear fascias and a new five-speed manual transmission; a premium Monsoon audio system was also added to the options list. In 2003, the Sunfire got another refresh, with an upgraded sport suspension and new front and rear fascias. ABS was no longer standard on base models, though it was available as an option. Satellite radio, side airbags and OnStar became available as options.

The Sunfire won't win any awards for cabin design. Materials quality is subpar, build quality is lacking and the overall aesthetic falls short when it comes to style. Furthermore, its seats don't offer much by way of comfort. Still, later models do offer impressive options like OnStar and satellite radio.

In editorial reviews, the Pontiac Sunfire scored decent marks for overall handling, though its manual shifter drew some fire for being somewhat imprecise. The Ecotec engine was also praised for its power and smooth delivery.

We'd recommend avoiding this vehicle, but if you've got your heart set on one, choose a 2003, 2004 or 2005 model to enjoy a Sunfire with the Ecotec, the model's best available engine.

User Reviews:

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  Good car for a first time buyer - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Matt - May 13 - 7:40 pm

  Ive had my sunfire for about six months now and have enjoyed it. I used to have an Alero and I like this much better. The burnt orange color gets comments all the time and tinting the windows adds to a sweet look. The fuel economy is amazing; Ive gone about two weeks without fueling up! And thats with a car starter that I let run for a few minutes before I leave!

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  Cheap Car. Reliable for first 80K mi. - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Annie - May 8 - 12:06 pm

  This was the first car that I ever bought. Bought it with 32K miles on it. CD player broke after having it a week. Was fixed for free under warranty. Replaced brakes twice, but they are like $15 each. Seats are uncomfortable and front seat belt strap hits you across the neck. Car handles rough and shocks/struts start to go bad. Doesnt have much power. Car handles HORRIBLE in the rain and windy weather. Slow oil leak started around 60K but not a major issue. Fog lamps stopped working around same time. Drivers side door started catching on frame and wouldnt open. Have to get rid of it now at almost 85K because transmission is bad, but has been reliable up until that point.

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  Loved my Sunfire - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By banaMwape - May 8 - 10:00 am

  Its been almost a year since I lost my Sunfire, but I loved it! Tires were the only regular problem I had. But after four years, the battery only stalled on me once, and the window motor started shorting. But those were minor problems compared to the fact that I was able to move efficiently. I took many 14 hour road trips in my little sunfire. Comfort was a bit short on those trips, but gas mileage could not match to most other cars. $60 could get me from Tucson to Dallas easy. I loved the sunroof. Rarely used the MP3 player. Loved the sound. Loved the mobility. Loved the style. It was my first car so maybe Im a bit bias here, but still! Pontiac Sunfire = Amazing First Car!

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  CRAP CAR - 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
  By MELINDA - May 3 - 10:00 am

  AT FIRST THE CAR WAS GREAT BUT ONCE I HIT THE FIRST YEAR MARK THINGS STARTED GOING WRONG AND FALLING APART. THE DASH WAS ORIGINALLY INSTALLED INCORRECT AND CANNOT BE FIXED, THE ROATERS ARE SHOT AND NEED REPLACED. NOW AT THREE YEARS I AM GETTING RID OF IT BECAUSE IT IS BURNING AND LEAKING EVERY FLUID UNDER THE HOOD. BECAUSE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS IT SUCKS GAS AND I AM SPENDING MORE ON GAS PER MONTH THAN MY CAR PAYMENT. ALL THE BURNING FLUIDS EMITS FUMES THAT ARE WORSE THAN DRIVING BEHIND A DESIL SEMITRUCK.. I WILL NEVER BUY PONTIAC AGAIN AND AM LOOKING TO SELL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!!

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  Cant Beat the Price - GREAT Value - 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Nice Car - May 3 - 10:00 am

  MSRP was $17,451, 2.4L engine, Automatic, Power Package, 15" Rally tires, Anti Theft with Keyless entry., Bought for $12.500 =$15,500-$3,000 rebate. Paid $11.400 + $2,335 GM Mastercard Credits Out the Door!!!!! 2.4L Automatic getting 24 MPG combined. Seats are hard. Car is nimble and quick. Best value out there.

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  The Little Engine That Could - 2000 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Scoop444 - April 25 - 7:53 am

  Bought a red GT in 2004 with 60K Miles on it. Beautiful car, monsoon radio really pumped, I also added and amp with 3 10 speakers. I am in the army and my hometown is about 320 miles away, so I went home a lot. I used to fly up and down i-95. This car accelerates fast and handles exceptionally well. But after 4 months of use, the engine gave out on me. I replaced the engine and she never drove quite the same. The CD player stopped working after 7 months as well as the LCD display for the Monsoon audio system. You cannot replace the radio head unit because Monsoon wiring techniques. Door handle fell off and I had too super glue it back on. Its a tank tho.

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  Great car and sad thats its gone - 2000 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Kenzie - April 8 - 9:30 pm

  My sunfire was the first car I ever got and I drove the crap out of it. It ran great and in the seven years I had it I replaced the fuel pump and breaks. The other day I got hit by a gravel truck and even with the low safety rating this car had me and my dog walked away from the accident fine. Im sad to see my sunfire go and it will be missed

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  Powerful and Inexpensive - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Ian - April 5 - 3:40 am

  Reasonable handling on sharp curves, easy to steer during steady speeds however more effort is needed for steering during low speeds via coming in and out of a parking space. The ECOTEC is very powerful and is extremely quiet during idle and midrange speeds, however hard acceleration causes the engine to howl but not annoying. The automatic transmission handles well it revs/shifts quickly, the transmission itself is easy to “quick shift” via making a swift “K-turn,” it makes little to no mistakes when “finding” it’s gear when going uphill, however going uphill is a battle within it self. Overall it is worth the price. GM/Pontiac has done a superb job on the “tuner like” engine.

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  Steady As She Goes - 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
  By MNKittyMao - April 3 - 10:00 am

  Bought used 11/1999 w/ 30k miles. Had great sporty look w/o high price. Basic package. No probs, just reg maint. Now has 100k+ miles and still runs/handles great. Learned from previous cars the hard way.. take care of them, they will last a lot longer (esp oil, the blood of a car).. and the more bells and whistles the more to go wrong.

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  cant beat this price - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By cruella - April 3 - 10:00 am

  This car was bought for a sixteen year old. For a first car, you cant beat the price and the extras. It has all the cool features like a sunroof, sporty look, CD player. What else could you want? Kids dont need a race car---they just want "the look", and she absolutely loves it!