Chassis/Suspension
We're happy to report that along with the GT's good looks, the base G8 also shares its big brother's well-balanced chassis. The V-6 car is at once at home on back roads and comfortable on long highway jaunts. We did experience some stiffness and float at times, but overall the suspension offers a respectable balance of comfort and sport for everyday driving. The well-weighted steering offers decent on-center feel and the car turns in predictably. Stability control is standard and can be turned down, but never fully off, making tail-out shenanigans difficult but not impossible.
Conclusion
The base G8 is a fun-to-drive mid-size V-6 sedan, certainly the exception to a boring rule. Its rear-wheel-drive layout keeps things interesting. None of the front-wheel-drive four-doors in its class offers the same level of driving enjoyment. The Nissan Maxima comes closest, but it can't match the G8's comfort. The only rear-wheel-drive competition the G8 faces is Dodge's Charger. Neither offers a stellar interior, but the Pontiac feels smaller and more nimble than the Dodge. So far, 60 percent of G8 buyers have chosen the GT, but we are not going to say that the other 40 made the wrong choice. ...next page >>