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Acceleration
"Real muscle-car feel lends credence to Pontiac's quote of 4.7 sec 0-60 mph with
either transmission. Automatic transmission hesitates a bit to downshift, lacks
a manual shift gate. Manual transmission has imprecise shift action, long throws,
heavy clutch action."
Value
"A nicely appointed cabin with a usable back seat are pluses in this class, but
it's the blend of American muscle and Euro-worthy road manners that makes GTO
a Recommended pick. Low demand has dealers discounting already reasonable base
prices, but be sure to budget for potentially heavy fuel thirst."
Ride
"Performance-car firm, but mostly comfortable. Some testers find ride control
laudable, others criticize it for bounding over bumps and swells. Little impact
harshness or tire thump except on very sharp bumps with 17-inch tires. No chance
yet to assess optional 18s."
Economy
Manual transmission test cars averaged 17.5-18.0 mpg in mostly highway driving. No opportunity to measure with automatic transmission. A federal Gas-Guzzler Tax applies with automatics. Pontiac recommends premium-grade fuel for GTO.
Noise
"V8 growls at full throttle, makes subdued burble at steady 65 mph. Tire noise
audible but not intrusive, except on very coarse pavement. Wind rush rises markedly
above 70 mph."
Comfort - Front
"Six-footers have ample leg room, about an inch of head clearance. Firm, well-shaped,
comfortable seats with great lateral support in turns. Good driving stance, helped
by standard tilt/telescope steering column, but offset pedals with manual transmission
cramp left-leg space. Visibility good all-around. As in other coupes, long doors
are clumsy in tight spots, but afford easy front entry/exit."
Comfort - Rear
"Seat shaped for two only, but roomy enough for adults. Front seats power fore/aft
via outboard buttons on backrests, but very slowly. Even then, entry/exit quite
tight, as backrests don't tip forward far and there are no assist handles."
Controls
"Large, legible gauges. Simple, generally user-friendly controls, though display
for standard trip computer needs better daytime contrast. Cabin trim attractive,
but way short of BMW-level look and feel."
Cargo Room
"Puny for exterior size. Trunk fairly deep and wide, but only some 18 inches
front to rear, so a couple of golf bags fill it up--and rear seatback doesn't
fold down. Cabin storage just adequate."
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