* Click HERE to see a video on the Pontiac Pursuit *
A large step forward
Compact cars are the strongest selling segment of vehicles in Quebec. General Motors, the largest auto makers in the world, has produced some of the best selling compact cars in Canada for quite a long time. The proof is in the pudding - the Chevrolet Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire are all over the streets.
The Pontiac Pursuit and Chevrolet Cobalt are all-new for 2005. They have huge shoes to fill. They are replacing the Cavalier and Sunfire that have been in dealerships basically unchanged since 1995. Consider for a moment that the platform that they have been using dates back to 1982. Same goes for many of the mechanical components. A change was long overdue. To keep costs down, GM took a platform called Delta, already used in many of their products worldwide (such as the Ion), and created a reply to the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Mazda3. Enter the Pursuit and the Cobalt. The Pursuit, by the way, is exclusive to Canada.
A base Pursuit starts at $15,925 (the Cobalt starts at $15,495). A fully
equipped Cobalt or Pursuit sedan can retail for up to $25,000. Our tester for the week was a Pursuit SE with the automatic transmission, leather seats and the Onstar communication system for a total price of $24,815.
Exterior styling
In the looks department, I was never a big fan of the styling of the Cavalier and Sunfire. This may be because of the fact that our roads are saturated with them due in part to their popularity as rentals and company fleets. The Pursuit and the Cobalt are far more sporty and aggressive looking. It seems as though they have more character. It is true though, that the same fate may await the Cobalt and Pursuit. The "wow" effect may quickly wear off. Even so, the new twins should fair better than the previous Z24 and GT versions that appealed mostly to the younger crowd. Thanks to a hipper more aesthetically pleasing look the new duo will attract a broader range of buyers.
Paint application is decent however good-sized portions of orange peel were very visible. Body panel assembly was never a high-point for GM. The Pursuit is better than what I have seen in the recent past, however uneven gap
s abounded around the doors and trunk lid.
There are already many after-market manufacturers that have created a long list of add-on performance parts and accessories. We were treated to one such example, built by Street Force, at General Motors' regional headquarters in Pointe-Claire, west of Montreal. A large air dam, side skirts and 18" alloy wheels gave the already good-looking Pursuit an extra edge.
A large step forward
 |
The Pontiac Pursuit and Chevrolet Cobalt are all-new for 2005. They have huge shoes to fill. They are replacing the Cavalier and Sunfire that have been in dealerships basically unchanged since 1995. Consider for a moment that the platform that they have been using dates back to 1982. Same goes for many of the mechanical components. A change was long overdue. To keep costs down, GM took a platform called Delta, already used in many of their products worldwide (such as the Ion), and created a reply to the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Mazda3. Enter the Pursuit and the Cobalt. The Pursuit, by the way, is exclusive to Canada.
A base Pursuit starts at $15,925 (the Cobalt starts at $15,495). A fully
 |
Exterior styling
In the looks department, I was never a big fan of the styling of the Cavalier and Sunfire. This may be because of the fact that our roads are saturated with them due in part to their popularity as rentals and company fleets. The Pursuit and the Cobalt are far more sporty and aggressive looking. It seems as though they have more character. It is true though, that the same fate may await the Cobalt and Pursuit. The "wow" effect may quickly wear off. Even so, the new twins should fair better than the previous Z24 and GT versions that appealed mostly to the younger crowd. Thanks to a hipper more aesthetically pleasing look the new duo will attract a broader range of buyers.
Paint application is decent however good-sized portions of orange peel were very visible. Body panel assembly was never a high-point for GM. The Pursuit is better than what I have seen in the recent past, however uneven gap
s abounded around the doors and trunk lid. There are already many after-market manufacturers that have created a long list of add-on performance parts and accessories. We were treated to one such example, built by Street Force, at General Motors' regional headquarters in Pointe-Claire, west of Montreal. A large air dam, side skirts and 18" alloy wheels gave the already good-looking Pursuit an extra edge.