Used 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
Buying Guide for the Pontiac Sunfire:
Pontiac’s sporty subcompact
coupe zips into 2004 without many changes to speak of. The
new year sees manufacturers offer the latest array of exterior
colors, plus fresh interior trim highlights and a new sound
system.
The Sunfire is a favorite
with young buyers for its sporty style, low price, dependability
and versatility. Though a subcompact, the Sunfire still provides
a 60/40 split-fold rear seat. The split-fold rear seat extends
Sunfire's cargo-carrying capacity by enabling longer items
to be conveniently transported inside the vehicle.
While young people may tend
towards the fun side of transportation, their parents can
rest assured that the Sunfire also takes safety very seriously.
In addition to standard front driver and passenger airbags,
Sunfire also offers optional seat-mounted side airbags for
front-seat passengers.
Under the Hood
The Pontiac Sunfire isn’t
exactly the heaviest vehicle on the road today, and therefore
doesn’t require a monster engine to get it up to speed. The
Sunfire uses a 2.2-liter Ecotec inline 4-cylinder motor with
140 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque. Customers can choose
between 5-speed manual transmission and 4-speed automatic.
With gas prices seemingly
always on the rise, shoppers will take interest in the 2004
Sunfire’s fuel ratings. Automatics get an estimated 23/32
mpg (city/highway), while manuals do slightly better with
a consumption rate of 23/32 mpg (city/highway).
2004 models can be had with
sport-tuned suspension, which features firm shocks and large
sway bars. These combine to dampen those pesky potholes that
multiply at ridiculous rates.
Standard Features, Options
Packages and Style
While the base Sunfire is
fairly stripped-down, there are quite a few options groups
available to supplement the package. The 1SC group adds such
things as a tilt leather-wrapped steering wheel, a leather-wrapped
shifter and parking brake, sport bucket seats with driver-side
power lumber adjustment, an AM/FM/CD/MP3 player and satellite
radio.
A three-point seatbelt is
standard for the rear center position in all Sunfires. For
more safety equipment, buyers can opt for a Protection Package,
which features side airbags and the OnStar communications
and security service.
New for 2004 in Sunfire is
a CD/MP3 player with equalizer and Radio Data System. There
is also an optional Monsoon sound system—ideal for those who
place a premium on high quality sound output.
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