After being behind the wheels of various SUVs and trucks for the last little while, I was pretty excited that my editor booked

Pontiac's Wave has got a new look and a new name, G3. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

me into a subcompact. I’m not talking about the kind of excitement where I would have sudden outbursts of joy or the type where I would have to contain myself in a public setting, but the kind of excitement that means parking would be easier and that I would be spending less money when filling up the tank. I call this my ‘practical excitement.’ Besides, I love subcompacts to begin with, so it was an all around good situation.

But there’s more than just my ‘practical excitement’ associated with driving a 5-door subcompact. For the 2009 model year, Pontiac adds some pizzazz to one of the most affordable new cars on the North American automotive market, not to mention its new G3 name. And by pizzazz I mean an all-new 1.6L Ecotec engine with variable valve timing, all-new interior and exterior styling, a tweaked transmission to make for smoother and more responsive shifting, improved fuel economy, the GM Oil Life monitoring system and the list goes on. That’s pretty good for a car that has a base price of just $13,770.

From

Some unique styling details... (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

the outside, the G3 receives a fresh new face, or in this case, a fresh new fascia! Pontiac gives its 5-door Wave a new front-end design, a lower fascia insert in the rear and a roof-mounted spoiler. Furthermore, expect to find some pretty cool looking front headlights thanks to their three-dimensional styling that extends into the hood. A set of fog lights also enhances the front-end, giving it a more vibrant look and modern edge.

Moving from the outside in, the G3’s cabin echoes that of its siblings which, in my opinion, is a definite bonus. What I really like about it is the new metallic accents around the centre stack dials, as well as the instrument cluster. Not to mention the red dial needles that give it the signature Pontiac feel. The organization of the interior is very straightforward and simple. It didn’t leave me guessing what button did what and everything felt ergonomically friendly.

Another new

....set the G3 apart from the subcompact crowd. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

favourite feature of mine was the Wave’s ability to have XM satellite radio ($260.) It was another week of all techno, all the time on XM channel 80 and 81 with only a couple of exceptions. My first exception to breaking my techno rule was when my boyfriend, two of his friend and I piled into the Wave and headed off to the Metallica concert. We decided the best way to prepare ourselves for a solid night of head-banging would be to play some heavy metal on our way over to the stadium. That’s when I used the auxiliary jack to hook up my iPod and play some ‘mood’ music! Needless to say the concert was fantastic. One of the best I’ve ever seen. I would almost go as far to say it rivaled the Celine Dion concert that I also recently went to, but that would be a completely different review in itself. My second exception was Sunday, when I usually play classical music or soft rock as I drive to church. Again, more ‘mood’ music. Regardless of what genre I was listening to, the Wave’s 4-speaker stereo played it well. Or at least as well as the four speakers could handle. It’s not an audio system to write home about, but it got the job done.

While

It drives great and gets superb fuel economy. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

the new interior and exterior styling is great and all, it’s under the hood where the magic really happens. The Wave says, “Hello” to a new, more fuel efficient designed-in-Germany 1.6-litre, 16-valve, DOHC, I-4 engine with variable valve timing which produces 106 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 105 lb-ft of torque at 3,800 rpm. Granted there aren’t that many prancing ponies under the hood so fuel economy is very good. It uses an estimated 7.9L/100km in the city and 5.7L/100km on the highway. Throughout my week with the Wave, I drove about 300 city kilometers and ended up paying only $30 in gas that week. I didn’t know that was even still possible!

The Wave is also pretty quiet when getting up to highway speeds or even when driving around in the city thanks to its improved aerodynamics. I generally find that subcompacts with automatic transmissions (the gearbox that the SE comes with) get a little noisy when they have to work a little bit harder. But not here. It wasn’t as quiet as a mouse but I could definitely notice the

Nice interior... (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

difference from the last generation. I even thought to myself, “Gosh, this car is quiet,” while waiting at a red light listening to none other than techno.

In addition to a quieter cabin, the optional 4-speed automatic transmission ($1,150) gets its own special upgrade. Pontiac tweaks these transmissions to allow for more responsive shifting and smoother transitions. And who doesn’t want smoother shifts? Or even a smooth suspension at that? I’m guessing most who purchase this car do and that’s what they get, a smooth-shifting transmission and a smooth riding suspension thanks to its front MacPherson strut and rear torsion beam configuration.

So with all the goodies under the hood and all around, surely the fun stops there. Not quite. Adding to the driving experience, the SE Wave has some pretty

....with an upscale audio interface. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

handy standard features that make it an even more ‘practically exciting’ vehicle. Included in the long list of features is remote keyless entry with an alarm, power windows, power door locks, air conditioning, rear seat heating ducts, front disc and rear drum brakes, cruise control, dual stage front airbags with frontal passenger sensing system, driver seat with lumbar support and then some. That’s not a bad list of gadgets for $16,270. There were, however, some add-ons to make the total price as tested $20,950. As mentioned above, the SE trim came with the optional automatic transmission and XM radio. It also came with the optional Security Package which includes driver and passenger seat-mounted airbags and 4-wheel ABS ($960) and a power tit and tip sliding glass sunroof ($985.)

With all the pros that come with the Wave, there are a few cons that I observed. I couldn’t for the life of me find the central locking button. Why? Because there isn’t one! Usually they are located on the driver and passenger doors, but the only way to open the doors without using the keyless remote is to physically pull up or push down the lock itself. It’s not a huge deal, but something to note nonetheless. The cupholders, which pop out when you push in on the contraption, were located in a convenient spot, but inconveniently trapped in anything, like my phone or iPod, that was stored in the little storage space directly underneath them. And finally, the rear seats, albeit the generous headroom (955 mm / 37.6 in) still felt cramped to the two boys sitting in the back. They also hinted that they would have liked to have a little more legroom as the 898 mm (35.4 in) wasn’t sufficient for them to sit comfortably for long periods of time. Boys!

The 2009 Pontiac G3 Wave SE, with its new name, new parts and new styling proves to be solid competition in the subcompact category. Even with its tiny 5-door frame, it still manages to make some big splashes.

Specifications (Wave SE 5-Door):

• Base Price (MSRP): $16,270
• Price as Tested (MSRP): $20,950
• Body Type: 5-door hatchback
• Layout: front engine, FWD
• Engine: 106 hp, 105 lb-ft of torque, 1.6L, 16-valve DOHC I-4
• Transmission: 5-spd manual (opt. 4-speed auto)
• Brakes (front/rear): disc/drum (opt. ABS)
• Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 3,920  / 1,680 / 1,505 / 2,480  mm (154.3 / 66.1 / 59.3 / 97.6 in)
• Curb Weight: 1,160 kg (2,579 lbs)
• Tires: 185/60R 14
• Cargo Volume (seats up/down): 201 / 1,189 L (7.1 / 42 cu-ft)
• Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 7.9 / 5.7 L/100 km
• Warranty (mo/km): 36/60,000 comprehensive; 60/100,000 powertrain
• Competitors: Chevrolet Aveo5, Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio5, Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris, Volkswagen City Golf
• Website: www.gm.ca

Interior

Exterior

Mechanical

Safety

Dimensions

Misc

(J005) Standard Gloss Paint

(PW8) 15" Alloy Wheels

(MX0) 4-Speed Automatic Transmission

(R6P) Premium Paint

(C60) Air Conditioning

(CF5) Power Sunroof

(D80) Rear Spoiler

(UE1) OnStar

(U2K) XM Satellite Radio

(B37) Colour-Keyed Floor Mats

(JM4) Anti-Lock Brakes