Ride, Handling and Comfort
Small cars with short wheelbases endure a bad rap for not riding as smoothly as large vehicles. To some extent this is true with the Wave yet in comparison to the norm for its class, the Wave has no apologies to make. I found the structure of the little sedan to be extremely solid, contributing to ride characteristics that are firm but composed and comfortable. As expected, road and wind noise exceed that of up-scale marques but interestingly road noise is well muted, making wind rush the most apparent intrusion at highway speed. On the plus side of noise control- the engine is notably quiet while highway cruising. This is not always the case with hard working four-bangers. Overall, I was impressed with the Wave's road manners and would have no problem heading out for a long run in this sled. Where I suspect discomfort would eventually manifest itself is in my lower limbs due to slightly less legroom than I would prefer.
Passengers seated in the rear may protest if expected to squeeze extremities into the reduced legroom behind the driver's seat when the driver's seat is fully back in its tracks; a compromise would be needed if complaining is to be kept at a minimum. Rear seat passengers exceeding the six-foot mark may also find headroom constraining but hey, this is a sub-compact vehicle. All in all, the folks at Pontiac performed exceptionally well in carving out the maximum interior volume from a diminutive outer shell.
The Wave Goodbye
The auto industry is packed with more highly efficient econo-boxes than ever before. To make a wave in this segment (pardon the pun), a vehicle must provide tremendous value, economy and driveability. Excluding my issue around antilock brakes available only as an option, the snazzy 2007 Pontiac Wave is such an example. It is a pleasurable, even fun, car to drive. Along with great fuel economy, the wonderfully nimble Wave delivers fairly spirited handling. The MSRP on my well-dressed SE tester was $15,495. Choosing the Security Package, which adds antilock brakes and front seat, side-mounted airbags inflates the price by $960.00; money well spent I would argue. Oh, don't forget the all too important spoiler at $295.00! As you can see, it's not hard to spin a $13K car into something close to $20K!
Solid build quality
Pleasing driveability
Frugality
Moderate legroom
Wind noise on highway
Four-speed autobox rather than five
Antilock brakes are not standard equipment
Entry price of $12,995 easily increases to > $17K
photo:Rob Rothwell
Small cars with short wheelbases endure a bad rap for not riding as smoothly as large vehicles. To some extent this is true with the Wave yet in comparison to the norm for its class, the Wave has no apologies to make. I found the structure of the little sedan to be extremely solid, contributing to ride characteristics that are firm but composed and comfortable. As expected, road and wind noise exceed that of up-scale marques but interestingly road noise is well muted, making wind rush the most apparent intrusion at highway speed. On the plus side of noise control- the engine is notably quiet while highway cruising. This is not always the case with hard working four-bangers. Overall, I was impressed with the Wave's road manners and would have no problem heading out for a long run in this sled. Where I suspect discomfort would eventually manifest itself is in my lower limbs due to slightly less legroom than I would prefer.
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| The rear spoiler is not that useful on a 103hp car. |
Passengers seated in the rear may protest if expected to squeeze extremities into the reduced legroom behind the driver's seat when the driver's seat is fully back in its tracks; a compromise would be needed if complaining is to be kept at a minimum. Rear seat passengers exceeding the six-foot mark may also find headroom constraining but hey, this is a sub-compact vehicle. All in all, the folks at Pontiac performed exceptionally well in carving out the maximum interior volume from a diminutive outer shell.
The Wave Goodbye
The auto industry is packed with more highly efficient econo-boxes than ever before. To make a wave in this segment (pardon the pun), a vehicle must provide tremendous value, economy and driveability. Excluding my issue around antilock brakes available only as an option, the snazzy 2007 Pontiac Wave is such an example. It is a pleasurable, even fun, car to drive. Along with great fuel economy, the wonderfully nimble Wave delivers fairly spirited handling. The MSRP on my well-dressed SE tester was $15,495. Choosing the Security Package, which adds antilock brakes and front seat, side-mounted airbags inflates the price by $960.00; money well spent I would argue. Oh, don't forget the all too important spoiler at $295.00! As you can see, it's not hard to spin a $13K car into something close to $20K!
 |
Solid build quality
Pleasing driveability
Frugality
 |
Moderate legroom
Wind noise on highway
Four-speed autobox rather than five
 |
Antilock brakes are not standard equipment
Entry price of $12,995 easily increases to > $17K
photo:Rob Rothwell
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