2004 Pontiac Bonneville - Reviews - Buying Guide
2004 Pontiac Bonneville Buying Resources:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville Review:
The Bonneville is synonymous
with those old-school luxury sedans that glide over the highway
and pull smoothly in and out of driveways and anywhere else
they are parked. It is long, elegant and refined, and it proves
that there is still a place for such a vehicle in today’s
market.
Pontiac’s largest sedan combines
power with a surprising amount of performance engineering
components to create a deceptively quick model. You might
not guess it from looking at it, but the Bonneville can really
move when it needs to.
For 2004, the Pontiac Bonneville
has a brand-new model to show off: the GXP. It tosses aside
last year’s SSEi trim, offering a more up-to-date version
of class. It will be available in early 2004 and comes with
refined styling (including new fascias, headlamps, taillamps,
exhaust tips and a spoiler), more horsepower and a luxurious
interior.
Under the Hood
Two engines drive the 2004
Pontiac Bonneville lineup, though 4-speed electronic automatic
transmission is standard across the board. The first engine,
on SE and SLE models, is a 3.8-liter V6. It gives the front-wheel
drive Bonneville 205 horsepower at 5200 rpm and 230 lb-ft
of torque at 4000 rpm.
The GXP uses a 4.6-liter Northstar
V8 engine to really crank it up. With 275 horsepower at 5600
rpm and 300 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm, the GXP has no problem
at all getting up to speed.
Making the GXP’s ride smooth
as silk is a performance-tuned handling package that includes
a four-wheel independent suspension, the StabiliTrak electronic
stability system and an electronically controlled transaxle
with a 3.71 final drive gear. Quick stops are handled by standard
four-wheel antilock disc brakes.
Standard Features, Options
Packages and Style
On the inside, the 2004 GXP
model is just as impressive. It has suede inserts on the seats
and door panels, a brushed aluminum shifter handle and ebony
interior switches. The GXP also includes a center console
storage with rear heating/cooling outlets, driver and front-passenger
side-impact airbags and dual-zone climate control with individual
climate settings for the driver and front passenger.
The SE and SLE models are
certainly no bare-bones trims, however. With the latter, the
standard package includes a driver information center, one
year of the OnStar system, 17-inch five-spoke aluminum wheels,
all-speed traction control, heated power exterior mirrors,
a 3.05 performance axle ratio and a rear deck spoiler.
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