2008 Pontiac G6 Convertible Interior Review
Interior - What the Auto Press Says
Reviewers like the design and comfort of the 2008 Pontiac G6 convertible's cabin, and New Car Test Drive praises "a nice interior with attractive fabrics and comfortable bucket seats." However, they express dismay about the G6's minimal trunk space, even for a convertible.
Seating
The majority agrees that the convertible's four-passenger cabin is spacious and comfortable. In the front, says Road and Track, "It's easy to find a good driving position with a manually adjustable steering column that both tilts and telescopes." Kelley Blue Book "appreciated the substantial side bolsters of the front seats," while New Car Test Drive claims the front seats "are made for body comfort and body retention in high-speed maneuvers, and they are very comfortable and thickly padded." The Chicago Tribune notes how the rake of the convertible's windshield keeps wind flowing over the car rather than in the cabin, "to let those up front enjoy open-top motoring without the wind slapping at their skulls."
Automotive writers find that the rear seat passengers should also be comfortable. The Detroit Free Press notes "a usable rear seat with enough legroom for adults," and MSN estimates room enough "for two 6-footers -- unusual for a 4-seat convertible." Mother Proof's writer had space to take her young children. "Both rear seating positions have easy-to-access Latch connectors, and the seats are wide enough to allow booster seats to sit flat without tilting perilously to one side or the other," she notes.
Although the rear seat room is better than most convertibles, reviewers can't help but note headroom is compromised when the top is up. The Chicago Tribune explains: "Though four adults can lounge in comfort with the top down, melon room is tight in back with it up. Long-distance travel would require a helmet for those in economy class."
Interior Features
Reviewers find several things they enjoy about the G6's cockpit. U.S. News reviewer Rick Newman reports: "The gauges are shiny and sporty without being overdone. The dashboard controls aren't particularly slick, but they are easy to reach and use." Cars.com likes the "sporty controls and racing-style gauges with red LED backlighting," and Edmunds notes that they "reside in an attractive and brightly ringed cluster."
Unfortunately, many reviewers still notice "an abundance of hard plastic surfaces, with overall quality that significantly trails" that of its class, says Consumer Guide. Edmunds agrees, saying "low-rent interior plastics" hold the G6 back in its class. "The cabin features lots of chrome and faux metal accents to brighten things up, but the quality of materials on the dash and console is a notch or two below class standards," they write.
The 2008 Pontiac G6 convertible is redeemed by its insulated cabin. MSN finds, "It's pretty rigid with a quiet interior with the top up." The Chicago Tribune appreciates, "You can listen to the radio without having to turn it up full blast and can hold a conversation with the front seat passenger without using handle signals or passing notes."
Although it's not highlighted in reviews, the G6's standard audio system is a Monsoon® eight-speaker system with high-mounted tweeters and subwoofer. The system also has a six-disc CD changer, Radio Data System, an auxiliary jack for an MP3 player and XM radio capability.
Cargo
Reviewers' largest complaint concerning the G6 convertible is its trunk -- or the lack thereof. Trunk space is 12.6 cubic feet with the top up, just enough space for "a couple small suitcases" to the Chicago Tribune, or "groceries…a last-minute entry to the science fair…the occasional zoo of stuffed animals that absolutely cannot be left behind when heading to a weekend at Grandma's" for Mother Proof.
Problems arise when the top is lowered into the trunk, and reviewers find themselves with only 5.8 cubic feet of space. The New York Times reviewers guess that's space "for a sheet of paper or a pack of gum, but not both at the same time," while Edmunds says, "Good luck fitting anything larger than a pizza box in the trunk once it's pressed into service stowing the retracted lid and attendant mechanism." Mother Proof's writer says she's confused by the absence of storage space "because it's when the top is down that I really need a place to store all the loose stuff floating around the car."
