- sedan 245,385
- 528 below average
- 1,949 great
- Twin Falls, ID
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- autoshopper.com
- 528 below average sedan 245,385 automatic
1998 pontiac bonneville review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Branded with class. introductionin the automotive world, 'brand' is the buzzword of the day. And at general motors, that means every product is supposed to deliver the sort of cues and features that best define its place in the automotive hierarchy. A midsize pontiac is supposed to be distinctly different from a midsize buick or chevrolet. putting the brand concept into practice isn't as easy as it sounds, especially for a company as big as gm. But pontiac has excelled in this area. To help the bonneville stand out, pontiac has outfitted it with spoilers, scoops and body cladding. Likewise, the interior is a haven for those who like the latest bells-and-whistles. beneath its extroverted exterior, the bonneville is a nimble sports sedan, offering exemplary handling for a car of this size. It appeals to driving enthusiasts who need or want a big sedan. the sse is the premium package in the bonneville line-up. The base model is the se. Between those two and the ssei and new sle packages, there's a selection of features and powertrains to fit a range of budgets and needs. walkaroundpontiac's bonneville was one of the first truly modern designs to roll out of the gm styling studios. It remains contemporary, even though it's been on the road for several years. Bonneville is curvaceous without being soft, like some of the marshmallow designs that have become popular in recent years. On the head-turner index, this car continues to draw admiring stares. subtle touches help distinguish the sse from other bonneville editions. It gets wide ribbed monotone bodyside moldings, a monotone ground effects package, sporty 16-inch aluminum wheels, leather bucket seats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Dark pewter-colored leather wrapped around the doors and seats, a rich yet subtle hue with european-style stitching. Dark-colored controls have a nicely grained texture and organic (flowing) shape. The controls are well placed, with a large easily accessible volume knob adjacent a smaller dial for tuning. A deft touch of the index finger is all that's needed to change stations or adjust the volume. It's a nice safety feature as messing around with stereo controls can lead to serious accidents. less elegant is the distracting array of buttons on the center console. There are nine separate ways to adjust the seats and it takes careful attention to make sense of the small icons that indicate the settings. Once the controls are mastered, the power buckets are comfortable and supportive, even in hard cornering. rear seat passengers will find more than adequate leg room, even with the front seats all the way back on their tracks. This car has acres of space to offer and it uses it well. the instrument panel is a clean, performance-oriented design, though newer designs have passed it on the pizzazz scale. The other is a gimmicky compass that tends to lag behind in turns. a head-up display, or hud, offered as an option on sse and ssei models projects images on the windshield just off the line of sight. This technology, borrowed from military fighter jets, provides the driver with information at a quick glance. The main display is a digital speedometer. Some people love head-up displays, others hate it, but it can be turned on and off. We appreciated the little gas pump that popped into view alerting us that we were running low on gas as we were on a long drive on a lonely freeway and weren't in the mood for a long walk. driving impressionthe bonneville's 3800 series ii v6 is responsive and powerful, generating 205 horsepower and 230 foot-pounds (lb.-ft.) of torque. It delivers surprisingly good fuel mileage and environmentally friendly emissions numbers. The relatively high amount of torque available provides robust power for rocketing away from a standing start or climbing long, power-sapping grades. The supercharged 3800 series ii increases the output to 240 hp and a tire-smoking 280 lb.-ft. This setup moves the bonneville closer to muscle car territory. an electronically controlled 4-speed automatic transmission is designed to handle the power of these engines and allows the driver to select between normal or performance shift modes. The latter shifts at higher rpm under heavy acceleration to increase acceleration performance. In normal mode it shifts up earlier to increase fuel economy. the bonneville features front disc and rear drum brakes. Anti-lock brakes are standard equipment across the line-up, and traction control is offered as an option. the base model bonneville comes with conventional power steering. Magnasteer uses an innovative magnetic control to reduce the amount of physical effort needed to steer at low speeds. Under aggressive acceleration, the car had a tendency to pull the steering to one side. It's often associated with high-horsepower front-wheel-drive cars. Anti-lock Brakes✔ Bucket Seats✔ Air Conditioning✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Aluminum Wheels
1,949 Twin Falls, IDTwin Falls, ID at autoshopper.com