Used 2009 Pontiac G5 Consumer Reviews
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Dependable Good Gas Mileage
shark0311, 03/23/2014
updated 04/04/2022
2009 Pontiac G5 GT 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
40 of 41 people found this review helpful
I bought the bright red Pontiac G5 GT 2 door coupe with automatic transmission new. It came with every available option, (IE: leather, sun roof, Pioneer XM stereo, heated seats, remote start, 17 inch tires). I drive a lot of highway miles to/from work and I wanted a car that got good highway gas mileage and looked sporty. Highway 32 mpg winter, 36 mpg summer. Mileage decreases at speeds over 65 mph. Original tires lasted to 98,000. Replaced rear brakes at 120,000, front brakes at 182,000. Now replacing second set of tires 3/23/16 at 185,500 miles. I change oil every 4,000 to 5,000 miles and have most routine maintenance performed. The front right strut has failed twice (weak design). Car is getting noisier with age (road noise). Handling in snow is not very good for this lightweight car. Comfort is not the best as expected with a smaller lightweight car, but for a go-to-work car, it exceeds my expectations. Not recommended for adult seating in the back as it is difficult to get in and out and head clearance isn't sufficient for over 6'-0" individuals. Other than this, it has been a relatively low cost maintenance car and very dependable. Replaced serpentine belt and second set of rear brakes around 215,000 miles, replaced battery at 223,000, all for reliability reasons. Still runs good averaging 35 mpg. Struts starting to rattle with age and will likely replace soon. Up to 237,000 miles now with only routine maintenance. 9/30/18 at 10 years old I have 245,000 miles now, averaged 35.4 MPG for the last year, replaced front struts as a new kit (rattled), transmission fluid (routine), and rear brakes (worn). Gave the car to my adult son to drive with 250,000 miles now, so this will be my last update. Still running. Required work on rusted brake cable at 270,000 miles. SOLD
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Still love this car!
Sumer R., 11/29/2015
updated 05/31/2017
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
24 of 25 people found this review helpful
In 2014, I purchased this car used from a reputable dealer in my area. Truth be told, I've always owned a foreign vehicle, but I was working with a limited budget, and understood I couldn't be picky. The dealer showed me this car, and I wasn't totally impressed initially, but after a test drive, I had a change of mind. This car gets it done. I've had it for about 18 months now, and as a commuter, who drives about 30,000 miles a year, my little silver bullet has proven solid through an extreme winter in Ohio, never given me any engine trouble, and is pretty comfy for a base model. I keep the oil changed, and I do regular maintenance as the manufacturer suggests. 6/17 update: Finally something went bad on this little car. In April, I learned the transmission was in need of replacement. I had it replaced for $1992, as a point of reference for anyone looking for costs. Still running. I now have 166,000 on this car.
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2009 Pontiac G5 for sale near you
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I love my G5!
Cakesa3, 12/05/2010
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
19 of 20 people found this review helpful
My dad purchased me this car because I was transferring to a university and I needed a reliable car and I absolutely love it! I have had no problems (other than the steering defect recall which GM is replacing). This car is very fun to drive, handles well, and gets great gas mileage. It doesn't have the greatest horsepower, but will get and go. When it was purchased it had about 23,000 miles and it now has around 26,700. Nothing has been replaced. I plan to keep this car until it won't go anymore. I would recommend this car for a teenager/college student or just anyone who loves a small reliable car! I wish Pontiac didn't go under!
This car is freaking amazing.
imprettychill1, 12/02/2013
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
22 of 24 people found this review helpful
Wow, whoever wrote a bad review is totally wrong and has no idea. It made me realize that a lot of people out there will never be pleased no matter what. The Pontiac G5 is the best car I've ever owned, and my previous car was a six cylinder Lexus ES300. The G5 is small for sure, but it packs a serious punch that I never expected out of a car with a 4 cylinder engine. It's faster than my Lexus was and is way more fun to drive. In my opinion it's the best economy car on the market. Seriously, the dudes (or dudettes) who wrote bad reviews need to get their heads checked because the G5 is amazing. Just wish they were still being made. I would get a new one without any type of reservation.
Great car
Shelly, 05/03/2016
2009 Pontiac G5 GT 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
I have owned my 2009 G5 for 1 1/2 years. I have had great performance, reliability and performance. The only problem I seem to have is the fob keeps burning out. would like to find ananswer for it. I bought it because I travel on the freeway to work every day. Montana has some harsh winter weather, It has great traction in the snow. What I don't like is driving it in the rain on the highway. It seems to hydroplane easily.
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G5 is FUN to Drive!
timetodrive, 10/22/2011
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
12 of 14 people found this review helpful
Not only for teens, being a 60+ guy who wanted to try a stick shift again. Bought new, there is now over 18,000 miles on my G5 - all of it put on by me. It's a blast to drive. I'd forgotten how much punch a manual transmission provides compared to the non-premium automatics. The freeway on-ramps are fun again and driving in traffic is even much more interesting than driving an automatic. I've had absolutely no problems with the car. Mileage is over 28 mpg in town and over 35 on the highway - with regular gas and a fairly "heavy" foot. The ride is fairly quiet and comfortable. Finally, my wife loves to go out with me in our "sports car!"
Good car, but too small!
cchhr, 12/14/2008
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I just got my Pontiac G5. When I test drove it, I should have listened to my legs! I'm a 5'11 woman, and I can't wear heels when driving because of the lack of leg room. I have to push the seat all the way back. But the car is a lot of fun to drive, the gas mileage is incredible. A great buy if you're a shorter person. The interior is a little cramped, and there isn't much room to put anything, but once you get used to it, it's not that bad.
Great commuter, lots of fun
T19, 04/06/2009
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Love the yellow, Im 6ft 1, 280 lbs and this car fits great. its fun to drive, not what I expected a commuter to be. Controls easy to use, radio good, ride good, road noise very low, build quality good. dont like the light material on the seats and doors, should have bought darker. just hope I can keep my lic. My Son wants this car, wants to dump his old civic.. so why do the car critics trash this car?? I would buy another one.
It's a commuter car...
ed, 07/10/2009
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I've had this car for about a month. I love the so-so reviews on this. It keeps demand low and prices. I'm very familar with the 2.2 - same engine I had in my '04 Grand Am and loved it. No problems great mileage - good power too. This time I went for MPG with the XFE and the 5 speed. Without any effort I got 35mpg on my first tank of combind city and highway. It's just a good commuter car. Not a sports car (I have the Miata for that) and not a lux car. With incentive and rebates about 5k lower in price than comparably equiped Honda and Toyota. AS far as resale - drive it. The sale of Grand Am brought half of what I paid with 75k on the clock - not bad for having the better half of its life..
Long Range Commuter
john, 07/26/2009
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
So far perfect. I have a 180 mile round trip commute,at 3 AM onstar is comforting. The car gets great mileage,very comfortable,xm radio in the lonely areas,fun to drive. For a commuter that gets 37mpg the overall performance is outstanding. Base level G5 xfe, 5 Speed about 17K, -4,500 cash for clunkers, 3,500 incentives, 500ish dealer discount +tt&l, came to 10,700 whats not to love. I got way more than I paid for. 11 bucks a month extended the bumper to bumper to 100,000 miles.
Great looking Medium size car Boring inside
Adam Gonzalez, 03/10/2018
2009 Pontiac G5 GT 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
It's a great looking car outside but the same designers did not work inside. It's all gray vinyl inside. No leather, cloth or exciting colors. The driver's side is fine and the fuel, speed gadgets are sporty and go well with the outside of the car. It is fun to drive. I like the car.
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A reliable good looking car
Helen Correia, 05/16/2019
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I bought this car new 2009 one of the best cars ive owned other than recall on ignition from gm and keys car is dependable and rides great love my gt g5 Pontiac
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The worst care I have EVER owned.
LadyRae, 10/28/2015
2009 Pontiac G5 GT 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
8 of 13 people found this review helpful
I cannot WAIT to get rid of this car. It is simply the worse car I have ever owned. I've had the ignition replaced on recall TWICE. At less than 78,000, I've had to replace the brakes at 63,000 (I owned 3 Cavaliers and NEVER had to replace the brakes this early). I've replaced one wheel bearing and the other needs replaced (again, never had that issue on any other vehicle I've owned). Basically, the front end is shot. The body is rusting through on the doors, hood, and trunk. It is simply horrible in snow, rain and wind. The front stereo speakers stopped working within 2 years of ownership. The car is noisy, cramped. I will say the engine itself is good. Just everything attached to it is simply horrible.
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Great choice for the price
Tim, 12/16/2008
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I finally bought this car after reading reviews and staring at pictures of it over a course of 2 years and it's precisely the car I wanted. Coming from a 2003 basic model of a Saturn Ion it's a huge upgrade and great for someone my age (22).
Nice car for the price
kc hillman, 01/30/2009
2009 Pontiac G5 GT 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Needed a new vehicle to use primarily to run around town that would be economical. Noticed the G5 on Pontiac web site. Sticker on vehicle we purchased was over $22500, but GM knocked off $2500 from the start, plus another $2500. off with incentives. The vehicle is a silver GT model which is well loaded (XM radio, remote start, sunroof, automatic, etc.) It rides nice, handles well on 17" rims and is comfortable. It is small interior wise, but we knew that going in. It seems well-built and the whole family is well pleased with it. It may not have a "pure-bred" pedigree since it's basically a Cobalt, but it is much nicer than we'd anticipated! We are glad we gave it a look.
G5 GT - Great Car
razer, 04/09/2009
2009 Pontiac G5 GT 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Just purchased the GT 2009, it's a fun car to drive, lots of leg room in front, and if there isnt enough leg room in the back for other people, then they can take the bus, or consider themselves lucky to get a free ride. I used to drive the Saturn 2006 Ion Red Line with 205 Hp, the GT only has 155 Hp, there is a difference in power but I noticed a bigger difference in gas prices when I fell up at the pumps. In the standard 5 speed model, in 5th gear, the engine rev's very low which helps in reduced engine noise. For the appearance inside, I like it, everything is in front of you, seats are firm, armrest with storage.
Nice little car from Pontiac
IdyJ, 08/16/2009
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
Very affordable vehicle with rebates and browny points. A great commuter car when you consider the competition is more money for not a whole lot more car. Could have a better interior, but I new what I was getting when I got it. I like the engine very quite.
New G5 - Great car !
Indiana G5 Owner, 07/28/2009
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Just purchased new 2009 G5 with automatic transmission, which was priced $4k lower than similar equiped 2009 Honda Civic. Consumer Reports rated the G5 reliability equal to the Honda Civic except for "body integrity and/or finish" and has a better reliability rating than most American built cars. Also has a better factory warranty than Honda or Toyota. Although time will tell if this G5 will be as reliable as my other car; i.e. Honda. So far, enjoying the creature comforts, sound system and the "GREAT" gas mileage - 39+ mpg! I'm happy the car received so-so ratings, keeps the price down and affortable in these tough times.
Bought a bargain
Mean Marcus, 08/29/2009
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I would not have bought this tiny car, except for the $4,500 federal rebate. The gas mileage is incredible. The speed sensitive electrical power steering is just ok. Cornering is ok. I think it should have better front brakes, given the weight ratio. Attn. Gm: this is a coupe. Do you understand? am I getting through? it's a coupe; a coupe. Make it comfortable for two people. Jump seats would be fine in back. And the parking brake nestled under the armrest is just plain stupid.
Fantastic Car
g5driverMI, 09/26/2009
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
For a 19yo 6ft 210lb person i found the car very comfortable. I love the styling and it looks fantastic when cared for. I did find the e-brake under the armrest odd, however not really a problem. I drive very aggressively and still get great gas mileage. Coming from my previous vehicle (2003 Aztek) it is extremely fun to drive. It preforms pretty well, however dogs slightly until you get to 40+ mph. This can be alleviated with affordable after-market parts such as performance exhaust and intake.
Last of the Pontiacs: G5
thebarkingspider, 12/10/2009
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This car has been 100% reliable and, for a small economy car, it's fun to drive. Had the dealer correct a minor manufacturing defect with the antenna, and otherwise it's been perfect. Steering is solid and precise. Acceleration is good, but won't blow your sox off. Visibility is fair -- the faux spoiler partially blocks the view aft, and side mirrors are a bit small. At 6'5", I can't rave about space, but it is adequate, and better than most cars of this size (and many larger cars as well). Plenty of storage, with folding rear seats to expand trunk space. Noise level very good as small cars go.
great little car
jerry c, 01/22/2010
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
this car has been a great so far,love the trunk,our skis even fit inside with the seat folded down,milage has been very good always over 35mpg and as good as 42mpg with the 5 speed trans
I love my car
mccannamn59, 05/26/2011
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The pontiac g5 is the perfect car for a teenager whos trying to save some money on gas, and still drive a nice car.
DON'T buy a Pontiac G5 or Chev. Cobalt
rogerandsally, 03/11/2009
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
1 of 3 people found this review helpful
Do not buy a Pontiac G5 or Chev. Cobalt. If you could buy one for half the MSRP maybe otherwise look else where. Seats very uncomfortable. Gas mileage not that good for a small 4 cyl. Mine did not even come with a spare tire or jack. It is not only plastic, but cheap plastic. And I am sure resale will be horrible. Do not learn the hard way like I have. I LOVE AMERICA, but not their small cars.
G5 Wonderful Car
Dtothebrown, 06/24/2009
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
At first i was a little skeptical as anyone purchasing a new vehicle are. I am 6'4 250 LBS and I find it has more room than most other cars i have driven. The seat has the ability to move back far enough for even me. I was surprised that the actual fuel milage was up near 30 mpg even with someone like me (19 years old) driving it. I love the Intermediate feature even though I really wanted the 5 speed, it is nice to just shift down to that to slow down, very good feature that I have never seen before. The biggest downfall for me, the AC Outlet is placed under the armrest which annoys me.
Not worth MSRP
In Colorado, 09/29/2009
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought this car with a combination of rebates (regular & 'owner loyalty') plus GM doubled my GM Card fun bucks. Bottom line: I got a car with an 19K MSRP for 12K before taxes. I find the interior to be functional an it looks ok. The exterior is plagued with poor fitting body panels, poor even by American standards. Acceleration is adequate with the 5 speed manual. Handling is ok, much better than the 2002 Toyota Corolla it replaced. Rear visbility is abysmal and I almost didn't buy it because of that, but the bottom line was that it was very well equipped for what I paid. Its a commuter car that will eventually be handed down to the kid.
First GM Buyer
First GM Buyer, 12/22/2009
2009 Pontiac G5 GT 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought this car in July with warranty for 5 years or 40,000 miles. The drive is very comfortable however there is a noise problem with the steering wheel (it rattles every time you take a turn). At this moment car is mostly sitting in the garage. The dealer has already replaced the steering column but the noise is still there. GM refuses do anything more, but I am still fighting to get it fixed. I like every other feature though. Dont expect more in this price range, at least $4000 less than comparing Japanese models and the G5 has better features, look, fuel efficiency. I am not sure why GM took this brand off the market.
Okay but not special
tommyboy181, 01/14/2010
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Exterior styling is nice one the G5 but actual gas mileage is lower than I expected. Fit and finish is typical of a domestic lots of hard plastics. Not bad but not appealing either
Most fun car in 40 years
stephen larson, 07/18/2010
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
This vehicle hugs the road, has great visibility, no factory defects and is fun to drive
Unhappy with the G5
Un Happy, 07/29/2010
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My 1st new car and it's been to the dealership 3 times for a clunk in the front end, which started around 7,000 miles. After replacing the rack and pinion, it still had the noise, it went back again and this time the inter. shaft and steering column was replaced, it no longer makes the noise (for now), but I have found 2 items not put back together correctly. I am not happy with the car, or the dealership I have it serviced at. The car handles bad and has since I got it, even with new tires it just doesn't handle well, I can see why the company went under!
50/50
Eddie m, 09/08/2019
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 3 people found this review helpful
Have fun since therr done making them
Dead Battery AGAIN!!!
PoorService, 10/05/2009
2009 Pontiac G5 2dr Coupe (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
It's an otherwise GREAT car but have had a dead battery 2-times!!! Serviced at Steinle GM in Fremont, OH but they can't fix it either because they dont care or dont know how. It has run down protection so the battery should never go dead. They just say "there's nothing we can do".