The Pontiac G8 is kind of like a one-hit wonder—although that was through no fault of its own. When the G8 entered the scene in 2008, there was no way of knowing that the Pontiac brand’s days were numbered.
Built in Australia, the G8 was essentially a rebadged Holden Commodore with front styling changes and different interior details. It was created to replace the Bonneville and the Grand Prix in the Pontiac lineup, and as a competitor to the four-door Dodge Charger.
Firmly planted in the sports sedan segment, the Pontiac G8 flew under the radar with its conservative styling, but the roofline slope and hood scoops on V8 models hinted at its performance. It may have looked sedate with its four-door styling, but it had pure American muscle car blood in its veins.
The Pontiac G8 arrived in Canada for the 2009 model year. Unfortunately, sales across North America didn’t take off in the way General Motors hoped, and with the economic downturn in 2009, market prices dropped. In mid-2009, both Pontiac and the G8 went the way of the dodo, leaving behind the promise of a truly practical performance car.
Pontiac G8: Cost, Reliability, and the Best Years to Buy
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Pontiac G8 Pros and Cons
- Pontiac G8 Generations
- Pontiac G8 First Generation (2008–2009)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Pontiac G8 years are the best?
Since there was only one model year for the Pontiac G8 in Canada, 2009 is your only option. If you choose to look to the U.S. market where a 2008 model is also available, it’s hard to say that one year is better than another. CarComplaints.com logs six complaints for both years, and there were four recalls on each model. But if you look at overall complaints, including those from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the 2008 model comes out ahead.
What are the worst Pontiac G8 years?
As noted above, if you’re shopping for a Canadian Pontiac G8, 2009 is the sole model year available. However, CarComplaints.com says 2009 is the worst year of the two offered in the United States. In addition to 191 complaints logged on the NHTSA website, there are several suspension issues as well as reports of camshaft and lifter failure.
Is a used Pontiac G8 a good deal?
As a new car, the original MSRP of the Pontiac G8 ranged between $32,500 and $37,500 in Canada. The average price of a used model now is between $10,000 and $20,000. Given the G8’s age and the relatively few number of units available—we found just four in our research on CarGurus.ca, meaning there’s a good chance you’ll need to travel to find one—it’s hard to rate the G8 as a good deal.
Pontiac G8 Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Excellent interior
- Well-balanced handling
- Spacious rear seats
Cons:
- V8’s exhaust note is muffled
- No native navigation available
- Don’t expect much in the way of fuel economy/mpg
Pontiac G8 Generations
Pontiac G8 First Generation (2008–2009)
Based on the Australian Holden Commodore, the Pontiac G8 burst on the scene in the United States in 2008, with Canada’s launch following a year later. It was the first rear-wheel drive four-door sedan sold under the Pontiac name since the 1986 Bonneville and Parisienne. Yes, the Pontiac GTO, Firebird and Solstice were all RWD, but they were coupes.
The G8 sedan arrived with a base 256-horsepower, 3.6-litre V6 engine, which in Canada was mated exclusively to a five-speed automatic. The entry-level trim included 18-inch alloy wheels, a sports body kit, fog lights, power windows and locks, air conditioning, cruise control, black cloth seats, dual tailpipes, and a seven-speaker audio system with XM satellite radio. In terms of safety features, the G8 came equipped with six airbags, ABS brakes, traction control, and stability control.
The Pontiac G8 GT had a 361-hp, 6.0-litre V8 with Active Fuel Management, and the only transmission was a six-speed automatic. GT models also added features such as quad tailpipes, functional hood scoops, dual automatic climate controls, larger disc brakes, a limited-slip rear differential, a six-disc CD player, and an 11-speaker Blaupunkt premium audio system.
For 2009, the high-performance GXP trim launched in the United States, though this version was never offered in Canada. It got a detuned 402-hp 6.2-litre V8 engine from the Chevrolet Corvette, mated to either a six-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission. The 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP also added a Nürburgring-tuned FE3 upgraded suspension package, larger ventilated Brembo disc brakes, a unique front bumper cover, and a non-functional rear diffuser. It could go from 0 to 96 km/h in 4.5 seconds and had a quarter-mile time of 13 seconds. If you’re interested in finding one, you can now import the 2009 G8 GXP as it’s old enough to qualify for Canada’s classic car exemptions.
General Motors announced the retirement of the Pontiac brand in 2009, so production for the G8 stopped midway through that year.
In Canada, there are only a handful of Pontiac G8s left, so expect to travel to find one. Prices run between $10,000 and $20,000 on average with the top end of that range being V8 GTs. Higher-odometer cars in worse condition can sell for less. If you’re interested in importing an American unit, expect prices between USD$10,000 and USD$15,000 for the 2008 model and from USD$12,000 to USD$23,000 for 2009. In addition to being newer, the 2009 model year has the GXP, which is a rarity with less than 2,000 units produced. Looking at Classic.com, we see the average auction price for the G8 is about USD$24,000, and the top sale was USD$52,000—and that was for a GXP with the manual transmission.
