1999 Pontiac Sunfire Review
1999 Pontiac Sunfire Review

Used Sunfire for sale
Appraise This CarPontiac Sunfire model years
Pontiac Sunfire types
- Sedan
- Coupe
- Convertible
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Racy styling, comfy interior, rev-happy twin-cam engine, good value.
Cons
- Option list can overpower sale price, body roll apparent during hard cornering.
What’s new
After Sunfire coupes got a rear spoiler last year, this year it's the sedan's turn, only as an option. The top-line 2.4-liter twin-cam engine is revised to improve breathing, including new fuel injectors, injection rails, exhaust manifold and catalytic converter. Fern Green Metallic is added to the paint color chart.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 1999 Pontiac Sunfire GT 2dr Convertible 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 $3.03 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia
$164/mo for Sunfire GT
Sunfire GT
vs
$167/mo
Avg. Compact Car
Vehicle overview
Pontiac has a winner here. The Sunfire is poised to take on the Neon, Cavalier, Escort and assorted import compacts by offering excellent value, sporty styling and reasonable performance in a well-rounded package. The '99 Sunfire is available as a coupe, sedan or convertible in SE (base) trim, and as a coupe or convertible in the GT (uplevel) series. Dual airbags, ABS and an anti-theft system are standard equipment. A 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine, which last year received a boost in low-end torque, powers base models. Power is rated at 115 horsepower, and can be fed through the standard five-speed manual or optional three- and four-speed automatics. GT models get a slightly larger 16-valve four-cylinder, good for 150 horsepower. The GT's 2.4-liter twin-cam motor is optional on the SE, and we highly recommend it, particularly mated to a five-speed manual transmission. However, one benefit of the four-speed automatic is the standard traction control system that comes with it.
Equipped with the bigger engine and a manual transmission, the Sunfire is downright speedy, about as quick as the Neon Sport Coupe. The automatic raises acceleration times by about one second in the dash to 60 mph. Options on the Sunfire include sharp alloy wheels, a power sunroof and a variety of sound systems, among others. Equip an SE Coupe to the gills, watch the price soar to the mid-18s, and suddenly the Sunfire isn't such a strong value. Creative fiddling with the options sheet should result in a well-equipped sport coupe priced around $16,000.
Other than offering the convertible in GT trim, Pontiac hasn't changed much for 1999. Improvements to the 2.4-liter twin-cam engine include fuel injectors, fuel injector rails, exhaust manifold and catalytic converter. A decklid spoiler, standard on coupe models, is now optional on sedans, and one new color is available. Sunfire has nooks and crannies in the console and on the door panels to store things like compact discs or cassettes, and sports a huge, 12.7-liter glovebox, big enough to store and average-sized purse or even a 12-pack of soda and an ice pack. For the more musically oriented buyer, a six-speaker sound system is available.
We drove a Sunfire SE Convertible for a week, and had complaints only about excessive body roll, an ineffective climate control system when the top was down and weak stereo speakers (perhaps we should recommend the six-speaker sound system to cure this malady). Otherwise, our twin cam-powered five-speed test car was a hoot, prompting a friend with a 1991 Mustang LX 5.0 automatic to quip, "I better get some different gears in this thing. I can't have Sunfires keeping up with me." Best of all, our well-equipped test car carried an affordable price tag.
We think the Sunfire has what it takes to succeed in the crowded compact marketplace. If anything, the Sunfire makes a strong argument against purchasing its slightly larger stablemate, the Grand Am, or its more pedestrian twin at Chevy dealers, the Cavalier. If a small but sporty coupe, sedan or convertible is on your shopping list, check into the Sunfire.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 1999 Pontiac Sunfire.
5 star(43%)
4 star(38%)
3 star(13%)
2 star(4%)
1 star(2%)
53 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
3.25 out of 5 stars
3 engines! 2.4 L
terror 6, 04/09/2010
1999 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
My sunfire, while fun to drive, has had nothing but problems. It had a wiring issue that 12 "technicians" at RON TONKIN LIARS AUTO sales could not find. Pontiac said there wasn't any known issues or recalls. I bought this car with 60,000 miles. It had already had a motor replaced with another used one that the LIARS at R.T.K. didn't tell me about. Since I bought it I have had to replace … the 2.4 engine at 80,000 and now I have a rod knocking at 100,000. The vehicle gets routine oil changes, has never been over-revved and has never overheated. But yet I am looking at yet another engine swap. I baby this 4 cylinder and it still went pear shaped. Where is the Pontiac of old?
2.13 out of 5 stars
Don't Buy One
Upset Owner, 06/18/2003
1999 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
Two blown head gaskets in under 30,000
miles, do I need to say any more? I
forgot to mention that it had to be
return after 4 miles for a loose wheel.
There are too many small problems to
list.
4.25 out of 5 stars
I like my car!
Melanie, 10/17/2007
1999 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2dr Coupe
I have to say that I have enjoyed this vehicle and was pleased with its reliability. Do buy the extended warranty, though, as things can go amiss. Muffler still new however I've had to replace the big muffler brackets a couple of times. Bit of a gas guzzler. This past year leaves me with a problem with the driver's side door lock - any cold or condensation makes it virtually impossible … to unlock. Apparently this is an ongoing issue with the Sunfire. After replacing the tumbler, then the hinges and lubing the door clasp, I am hoping this winter will be better and I won't have to climb in over the stick shift through the passenger side. I trust my car and it's been very good to me.
2.75 out of 5 stars
CRAP CAR
MELINDA, 05/15/2002
1999 Pontiac Sunfire GT 2dr Coupe
AT FIRST THE CAR WAS GREAT BUT ONCE I
HIT THE FIRST YEAR MARK THINGS STARTED
GOING WRONG AND FALLING APART. THE DASH
WAS ORIGINALLY INSTALLED INCORRECT AND
CANNOT BE FIXED, THE ROATERS ARE SHOT
AND NEED REPLACED. NOW AT THREE YEARS I
AM GETTING RID OF IT BECAUSE IT IS
BURNING AND LEAKING EVERY FLUID UNDER
THE HOOD. BECAUSE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS
IT SUCKS GAS AND I AM … SPENDING MORE ON
GAS PER MONTH THAN MY CAR PAYMENT. ALL
THE BURNING FLUIDS EMITS FUMES THAT ARE
WORSE THAN DRIVING BEHIND A DESIL
SEMITRUCK.. I WILL NEVER BUY PONTIAC
AGAIN AND AM LOOKING TO SELL AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE!!!
1999 Sunfire Highlights
Sedan
Engine Type | Gas |
---|---|
Combined MPG | 25 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $149/month |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 13.1 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Safety
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver3 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver1 / 5Passenger2 / 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 – OriginalPoor
- 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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