Pontiac SUV
SUV Reviewer
The Pontiac SUV was a bold attempt to bring all vehicles under a single outline for the company. With the Torrent and the Aztec as Pontiac's attempt to bring the SUV line into the limelight, the company struggled with overall sales and in 2010 the Pontiac SUV line as well as the rest of the vehicles under the name was not reintroduced for the 2011 season. As part of the GM car manufacturer, the line was shut down due to dwindling sales and lack of consumer interest.
The Aztec was the Pontiac SUV that was designed to bring the company into the sport utility race. The 2000 release of the SUV was done with a reasonable amount of fanfare and brought the consumer interest in the company to a high point. However, a lack of reliability drew the criticism of Aztec owners and drivers only a few years later. The original Pontiac SUV was taken off the Pontiac list of new cars in 2006.
The Pontiac Torrent was introduced as the Pontiac SUV crossover. There were some interesting features that helped to improve the overall value of the Torrent. Simple but thoughtful features like the cargo shelf that could be removed easily and slide and recline second row seating brought a wave of interest. The GXP model offered a great ride with the dual exhaust and the sport tuned suspension. Additional features like heated front seats and sport tuned steering sweetened the pot.
The Torrent offered the Pontiac SUV crossover benefits of being powered well enough to have good on road handling, excellent cargo and passenger room, and excellent cornering skills. The ride was not only smooth but responsive and the tradition of Pontiac's performance was carried on.
This model is only available as a used Pontiac SUV crossover and it should be noted that not all of the features found in the later models will be found in the earlier models. Safety features like the side airbags weren't part of the Torrent's standard package until 2009. Other features that included a navigational system, or the anti lock disc braking system were also not available on the earlier models.
Despite GM's efforts to bring the Pontiac SUV into the limelight the company was unable to produce enough interest in their total line of vehicles to undo the financial impact that it has suffered. With the car company fiasco of 2009/2010 the company was facing some decisions. GM opted to stick with the vehicle lines that were producing a greater amount of profitability and reliability in terms of performance and sales. The Pontiac SUV crossover Torrent was considered a great effort that came just a little too late.
Pontiac fans still find that the Torrent can be found through used car dealers and private sales. As an overall value it ranks right around the middle of the pack. Those vehicles that are for sale as used models have most likely had mechanical function work performed since the reliability for long term ownership was questionable at the time of shutting down the line.
The Aztec was the Pontiac SUV that was designed to bring the company into the sport utility race. The 2000 release of the SUV was done with a reasonable amount of fanfare and brought the consumer interest in the company to a high point. However, a lack of reliability drew the criticism of Aztec owners and drivers only a few years later. The original Pontiac SUV was taken off the Pontiac list of new cars in 2006.
The Pontiac Torrent was introduced as the Pontiac SUV crossover. There were some interesting features that helped to improve the overall value of the Torrent. Simple but thoughtful features like the cargo shelf that could be removed easily and slide and recline second row seating brought a wave of interest. The GXP model offered a great ride with the dual exhaust and the sport tuned suspension. Additional features like heated front seats and sport tuned steering sweetened the pot.
The Torrent offered the Pontiac SUV crossover benefits of being powered well enough to have good on road handling, excellent cargo and passenger room, and excellent cornering skills. The ride was not only smooth but responsive and the tradition of Pontiac's performance was carried on.
This model is only available as a used Pontiac SUV crossover and it should be noted that not all of the features found in the later models will be found in the earlier models. Safety features like the side airbags weren't part of the Torrent's standard package until 2009. Other features that included a navigational system, or the anti lock disc braking system were also not available on the earlier models.
Despite GM's efforts to bring the Pontiac SUV into the limelight the company was unable to produce enough interest in their total line of vehicles to undo the financial impact that it has suffered. With the car company fiasco of 2009/2010 the company was facing some decisions. GM opted to stick with the vehicle lines that were producing a greater amount of profitability and reliability in terms of performance and sales. The Pontiac SUV crossover Torrent was considered a great effort that came just a little too late.
Pontiac fans still find that the Torrent can be found through used car dealers and private sales. As an overall value it ranks right around the middle of the pack. Those vehicles that are for sale as used models have most likely had mechanical function work performed since the reliability for long term ownership was questionable at the time of shutting down the line.
