2001 Pontiac Bonneville Review
2001 Pontiac Bonneville Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Loads of gee-whiz features, head-turning styling.
Cons
- Stout V6 in a segment that demands a V8, nameplate lacks snob appeal of luxury imports.
What’s new
Heated seats are available on the SE and SLE, and Ivory White is a new color for the year. OnStar telematics with a one-year membership is optional on the SE but comes standard with the SLE and SSEi.
Edmunds says
Pontiac bills the Bonneville as "Luxury with Attitude." That's an accurate description, given its basis on Cadillac's Seville platform and available 240-horse supercharged V6 engine. If traditional Pontiac styling twists your crank, and you want a large sedan packed with performance and features, the Bonneville is your kind of ride.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2001 Pontiac Bonneville SE 4dr Sedan (3.8L 6cyl 4A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.36 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$195/mo for Bonneville SE
Bonneville SE
vs
$213/mo
Avg. Large Car
Vehicle overview
Billed as "Luxury With Attitude," the Pontiac Bonneville was completely redesigned on a bigger and better platform with an all-new look for 2000. This updated architecture resulted in a 62 percent improvement in torsional stiffness over the previous iteration, providing a rigid body shell for a solid, quiet ride. Rolling on a 112-inch wheelbase, the Bonny backs up Pontiac's "Wide Track" marketing pitch with a class-leading 62.6-inch front and 62.1-inch rear footprint.
Styling combines a steep hood and windshield rake with an aggressive roofline to impart a decidedly wedge-like profile. But the Bonneville still retains such traditional Pontiac design cues as cat's-eye headlamps with large, round fog lamps, a V-shaped hood, and sculpted bodysides with muscular haunches. Three models are available, SE, SLE and SSEi.
Standard on the SE and SLE is GM's 3800 Series II V6 that not only pumps out 205 horsepower though a four-speed automatic transmission, but also can get an amazing 30 miles per gallon on the highway. Move to the SSEi and you get a healthy, 240-horsepower supercharged variant of the 3.8-liter V6 that makes you almost forget that this full-size luxury sport sedan is not available with V8 power.
The base SE is fully equipped, with standard features such as seat-mounted safety belts, driver and front-passenger side-impact airbags, and four-wheel antilock brakes. Other standard items include 16-inch wheels and tires, power mirrors and illuminated entry. The midlevel SLE adds dual climate controls, a programmable driver information center, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, and an upgrade to 17-inch wheels.
Of course, the SSEi not only packs supercharged punch, but ups the equipment ante with dual exhaust, high-performance 17-inch wheels and tires, GM's StabiliTrak suspension system, and a Bose eight-speaker premium audio unit. You also get other high-tech goodies, such as EyeCue head-up display, variable-effort steering, and 12-way power leather front buckets with memory.
Speaking of the interior, all controls are canted toward the driver in true Pontiac tradition, with full instrumentation backlit in the brand-signature red lighting. If your needs call for six-passenger capability, a 55/45 bench seat with center storage armrest is available on the SE (in cloth only). A lineup of Delco radios is offered, as is GM's three-button OnStar communications system.
Overall, the Bonneville is a stylish and speedy full-size sedan built off a true, world-class platform that has won critical acclaim beneath Cadillac's Seville. If the Bonneville's racy new looks suit you, the only way to improve the breed would be to borrow the Caddy's Northstar V8.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2001 Pontiac Bonneville.
5 star(53%)
4 star(35%)
3 star(8%)
2 star(1%)
1 star(3%)
51 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4.63 out of 5 stars
Ten times around the globe
rdthore, 03/23/2013
2001 Pontiac Bonneville SE 4dr Sedan (3.8L 6cyl 4A)
I have over 220,000 miles on this car and only minor wear and tear repairs to this point.
I bought this used with 18,000 miles in 2003 and have driven it in the harshest of ND and MN winters.
There isn't a spot of rust anywhere on it.
I've since handed it down to my daughter and have no qualms about her taking it to college.
It's big, it's safe and with over 200k miles, it still gets … almost 30 mpg at 75 mph and 20 in town.
4.5 out of 5 stars
my 2001 bonneville sle
w. jones, 04/15/2002
2001 Pontiac Bonneville SLE 4dr Sedan (3.8L 6cyl 4A)
At almost 20,000 miles has never been
back to dealer for any reason,great car
5 out of 5 stars
An excellent car and fun to drive!
flyingdutchman01, 09/10/2003
2001 Pontiac Bonneville SE 4dr Sedan (3.8L 6cyl 4A)
I've owned quite a number of cars and
this one stands out above all the
rest. I'm at 105,000 miles now and it
still runs like it was new. It has
required nothing but routine
maintenance. Mine is a base SE model
but there is plenty of power and the
ride is nothing short of supple. From
my point of view it gives the Lexi,
Audis, and BMWs that I pass on the
highway a … good run for their money,
costs alot less and looks better.
Great car!
4.63 out of 5 stars
my pontiac
My pontiac, 11/28/2010
2001 Pontiac Bonneville SE 4dr Sedan (3.8L 6cyl 4A)
I bought this 2001 Pontiac Bonneville because I wanted a sporty family sedan I had a Mitsubishi diamante and let me tell you I've read some these reviews with problems with the Bonneville well go own a Mitsubishi. those cars were problems from the beginning my Bonneville currently has 140,000 miles on it I had to replace the catalytic converter other then that the cars dependable for me … only thing it lacks is speed it seems slow but it is a big car I didn't think I'd ever own an American car I'm more of a foreign car owner but I thought I'd give it a shoot and haven't regretted it yet I wouldn't buy another American car again but I will keep this Bonneville running for as long as possible
2001 Bonneville Highlights
SE
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $25,220 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 20 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $195/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Bonneville include:
- Stability Control
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver4 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver4 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRolloverNot RatedDynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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