Pontiac Sunbird has flown the coupe, being replaced with something hotter; Sunfire. It's been 13 years since General Motors' Pontiac Division introduced Sunbird, a low-priced, entry-level vehicle delivering reliable transportation. Although it served GM well, the time had come for a major overhall. Enter the all-new, completely redesigned Sunfire, a sporty, front-wheel-drive compact. Three trim levels are currently available; a two-door SE coupe, a four-door SE sedan and a two-door GT coupe. An SE convertible is due out later this month according to General Motors. Suggested retail price starts at $11,074. Our test-drive model, a brilliant-blue, two-door SE coupe with 3-speed automatic and other assorted options retailed for $14,259, including destination charge. Our option group included tilt steering wheel, air conditioning, rear defogger, and cruise control. Sunfire differs from Sunbird on many levels. Sunbird had no air bags. Sunfire's equipped with driver and passenger-side air bags. Sunfire's wheelbase, defined as the distance between the front and rear axle, is 104.1 inches, 2.8 inches longer than Sunbirds. Anti-lock brakes are standard equipment in every Sunfire. The exterior is ready for the year 2000. Sight lines are sleek and smooth. A $70 rear deck spoiler is optional, and adds a muscular touch. If Sunfire's good looks strike a familiar chord, it's because cues are borrowed from Pontiac's sporty Firebird. It's front fascia; headlights, turn signal lights and snoot, are reminiscent of Firebird. Inside, Comfort controls knobs are within easy reach and utilize universal symbols for floor, vent, bi-level and defroster options. A push button engages the air conditioning system. Our AM/FM/cassette stereo system had large, easy-to-operate station pre-set buttons. Between the front bucket seats is a large, deep flip-top bin. Several small pocket areas, useful for corralling loose change or storing cellular phones, are also located next to the driver. Another novel device is a removable, circular, flip-top ashtray. This ashtray fits snuggly into the front-seat cup holder. Drivers have the option of moving the ashtray to the back-seat cupholder, or removing it altogether from the vehicle. Sunfire's dashboard is smartly redesigned. Speedometer, fuel gauge, tachometer displays are large and easy to view. When the sun goes down, the dashboard illuminates with fiery, bright red back lighting. A dashboard indicator displays what gear the car is in. The floor-mounted transmission also has the " P," "R," "N," "D," "D1" and "D2" denotations, but these are not illuminated, making it difficult at night to tell what gear your in without looking up at the dashboard indicator. Cruise control and headlights are operated from the left-hand-side turn-signal stalk, . Windshield wipers activate from a right-hand side stalk control. The glove box is huge. It accommodates a 12-pack of your favorite non-alcoholic beverage, and some ice to keep things cool. Back seat head room and leg room are adequate for a compact model. Although Pontiac promotes Sunfire as a five-seater, three adults in the back is a tight squeeze. The entire backseat flips forward, if needed, to transport long items including skis or lumber. Sunfire utilizes one key for ignition, glove box and trunk operations; a departure from years past when a separate trunk and glove box key was needed. Two engine choices are available: the standard 2.2-liter, 4-cylinder, multi-point fuel-injected, 120 horsepower engine is standard in SE models. A 2.3-liter double overhead cam 16-valve quad 4 powertrain is optional in all SE trim levels, and standard in the GT. Fuel economy is an area where Sunfire shines brightly. General Motors estimates 25 mpg city and 32 mpg highway. Our model with 2,200 odometer miles registered an impressive 28 mpg combined. The gas tank holds 15.2 gallons of unleaded fuel. General Motors assembles Sunfire at its Lordstown, Ohio facility. |