1996 Pontiac Sunfire Review (continued)
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Walkaround

One look tells you that the Sunfire design owes a great deal to the Firebird, from the dual ports in the front to the lighted P-O-N-T-I-A-C" on the rear deck. Similarly, there's also a strong family resemblance between the Cavalier and its bigger, more powerful brother, the Camaro, though we think the Sunfire is the more attractive of the two. When it comes to design, Pontiac gets to have all the fun at GM.

The Sunfire has plenty of style and pizzazz. Everywhere we drove, people gave thumbs up to the Sunfire's look.

In terms of size, the sedan is considered a compact, the coupe a subcompact, according to Environmental Protection Agency interior volume ratings. Though its overall length is shorter, the Sunfire is two inches wider and has three more inches of wheelbase than its predecessor, which makes for a roomier interior and better ride quality.

Another goal for Pontiac designers was to make the sedan version as sporty-looking as the coupe so that buyers, particularly those with young families, could enjoy the practicality of a 4-door without sacrificing much in the styling department. We'd say they hit the mark and then some.

The Sunfire faces some formidable competition in its class from the likes of the Honda Civic, Dodge/Plymouth Neon, Ford Escort, Toyota Corolla and Celica and Nissan Sentra and 200SX. But in style, at least, it measures up admirably."

Interior Features

The Sunfire provides a spacious, attractive and functional interior. While raw interior volume numbers favor the Chrysler Neons and the Ford Escort/Mercury Tracer, the Sunfire is certainly roomier than the old Sunbird, and there's plenty of space up front. Tall passengers in the rear seat, found that their heads grazed the ceiling, but rear seat space is in short supply in any small coupe. Sedan versions do a better job in terms of rear seat roominess, and this too is improved compared to the previous car.

The flowing lines of the new dashboard design are much cleaner than in the Sunbird, whose dash looked like a jigsaw puzzle with its many piece. Materals, too, have been upgraded. Plastics appear softer and more muted, with a matte finish.

Our only reservation was with the seats. Some test drivers thought they could use thicker foam in the bottom cushions and a little more lower back support.

There's another irritating trait of Sunbird and Cavalier coupe seats. Under hard braking, an unoccupied front passenger seatback flops forward. We've seen this in a number of other GM coupe seats, including those in the Firebird and Camaro, and we wish GM would correct it.

A fold-down seat in the rear is standard and greatly expands the usable space in the Sunfire. With the rear seat folded down, skis or surfboards can be carried in the Sunfire with the trunk lid closed.

Storage is plentiful throughout the car. The glovebox sets new records for roominess with enough space to accommodate a 12-pack of soda and an ice pack to keep it cold. The center console armrest features a deep storage bin suitable for tape cassettes and cupholders. The parking brake is mounted alongside the armrest. When the front console ashtray is removed, the space becomes an additional cupholder for front-seat passengers. The ashtray can be installed in a rear cupholder or thrown out altogether.

Map pockets in the door panels, however, are almost useless. They're positioned so far back on the door that they're difficult for front-seat passengers to reach when the doors are closed.

Generally speaking, the new soft-touch surfaces of the secondary controls lend a nice feeling of quality to the instrument panel. However, a few elements could be refined. The directional controls for the vents, for example, are so small they are hard to grip. Yet, the armrests on the door are fat, making them hard to grip to close the door.

But the overall appearance of the interior is far more contemporary and classier than the previous car.

Safety equipment is gets two thumbs up. The Sunfire is equipped with dual airbags, and antilock brakes are standard. There are also comfort guides on the seat belts to make them more easily adjustable for small childre, a nice touch for families. Child-safety rear door locks are standard on sedan models.