2002 Pontiac Montana Review

Prices:
$24,295-$26,635
Likes:
Roomy. New third-row seat. Sharper styling. Good performance.
Dislikes:
Rather heavy steering. Occasionally bouncy ride. mediocre city fuel economy.

Many folks avoid minivans because of their domesticated image. Pontiac thus goes out of its way to characterize its Montana as a fun-to-drive minivan with sporty styling. The front-wheel-drive Montana is very similar to General Motors' Chevrolet Venture and Oldsmobile Silhouette. But it's sportier because Pontiac is GM's sporty car division.

It is hard to make a minivan look like much more than a big box. But revised front and rear styling of the 2001 Montana give it a more striking appearance, with Pontiac's trademark twin-nostril grille. It doesn't look as zoomy as the old Pontiac Trans Sport plastic body minivan, but that model was too radical for the generally conservative minivan market.

The Montana comes with short (112-inch) or long (121-inch) wheelbases with dual manual sliding rear doors and an optional power right-side sliding door. Occupants sit high, but a low floor makes it easy to get in and out. Standard wheelbase models cost $24,295 and $25,990, while the extended wheelbase version goes for $26,635. All Montana models are pretty well-equipped, with items such as standard air conditioning, AM; FM; CD player and power windows, locks and outside mirrors, which also are heated. Safety features include standard side airbags up front unusual for a minivan.

There's a standard new luggage rack and available new rear parking aid that sounds an alarm chime if objects unseen by a driver are detected about five feet behind the rear bumper when the transmission is in reverse gear. The dashboard is filled with sports sedan-style instrumentation, including a tachometer and voltmeter. You can even get a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Also new is an available in-dash CD changer.

The shorter version is a little nimbler in traffic, but all Montana's are easy to handle, and parking is no big hassle. That's partly because the Montana is rather narrow about six inches narrower than DaimlerChrysler minivans. The slimmer width makes the Montana and its companion GM minivans more suited for roads in Europe, where these vehicles are sold as GM Open models. Still, the Montana has good packaging efficiency, with seating for six to eight occupants.
The large front seats are supportive in the quiet, high-quality interior. The windshield is huge, but thick windshield posts can badly block vision at times. Gauges can be quickly read and the large controls are nicely located and work smoothly.
The power steering is rather heavy, but precise. The brake pedal has a nice progressive feel and the ride is smooth although it's a bit soft and thus gets bouncy on some roads. An optional Sports Performance Handling Package with a stiffer suspension cures that problem. A traction control system also is available for better grip on slippery roads.

Power comes from a fairly strong 3.4-liter, 185-horsepower V-6. The V-6 grumbles at low speeds, but is generally smooth. It delivers decent 65-75 mph passing times and loafs at 2,200 rpm at 70 mph making the Montana a relaxed long-distance family vehicle.
The smooth four-speed automatic transmission keeps the V-6 in its power band for good response. The pushrod engine delivers an estimated, mediocre 19 mpg in the city because this minivan weighs nearly 4,000 pounds. But fuel economy improves considerably once the Montana is rolling. The highway figure is 26 mpg.

Only 87-octane gasoline is needed, and the 20-gallon fuel tank provides a good cruising range. No matter how they look, minivans are supposed to be roomy and very functional. The latest Montana thus offers a new stowable third-row bench seat for the extended-wheelbase model. The extra seat isn't as nice as the one in the Honda Odyssey minivan, but it allows seating for eight and folds even with a covered floor-mounted parcel tray at the back of the load area to increase cargo capacity.

Another standard new feature for all models is the latest version of GM's OnStar satellite security and service system. Also offered are new folding second-row captain's chairs and a new, larger (6.8-inch) video screen for MontanaVision. It's a fully integrated, factory installed rear-seat entertainment system available for the long-wheelbase model.

Entertainment systems have become a major attraction in minivans. MontanaVision thus also has enhanced sound quality, along with a hi-fi videocassette player, tape storage, full-function remote control with onscreen display, wireless headsets, six headphone jacks with dedicated volume controls, a video game input for connecting a camcorder or Nintendo-type game and rear-seat audio controls.
Older folks might remember keeping themselves amused as kids in the back seat of the family car by looking for license plates from different states, playing cards or using a coloring book. The Montana then probably would have seemed like a dream come true.