Picking up my youngest child from school in the 2007 Pontiac G6 GT convertible, she can barely contain her excitement. When she spots me in this shiny beauty, top down to take advantage of the perfect spring weather, a grin as wide as – and spreading like – the fungal-like mess in her bedroom appears on her face. As I get closer, she begins to fidget, and then full-out jumps up and down. “Mom!” she exclaims. “You look sooo cool in that car!” Need I say more? Really, we could just wrap up this review right now, couldn’t we?
Who cares how functional this car is? According to my daughter (who, yes, is only 4, but she’s very observant for her age), I look cool driving it. That’s enough of an ego boost that I begin formulating a plan to shamelessly swipe this vehicle out of the hands of the mom-reviewer who was originally slated to drive it. Seriously. I make up some sordid tale about why she suddenly needs to drive something not nearly as fun, a deed for which I’m sure I’m going straight to hell. Emily, if you’re reading this, I’m so sorry. You’ll get the next fun car, I promise.
Needless to say, spending month after endless month test driving family-friendly car after regular ol’family-friendly car (insert an Eeyore-esque gloominess to your reading tone here) has me more than ready for this break in routine. Spring has officially sprung; I’m shedding my winter coat, stashing bulky sweaters under my bed, and whipping out those cute new walking shorts and wedges, so spending two easy breezy weeks in the Pontiac G6 seems just right.
Well, at least the breezy part is right, even if I never do quite get the easy part of the equation. Because it’s a two-door convertible, there’s the obvious inconvenience of having to fold the front seat forward so backseat passengers can duck under the seat belt and gracelessly kerplunk themselves into the rear seat. That aside, believe it or not, the rest of the G6 is fairly functional. Both rear seating positions have easy-to-access Latch connectors, and the seats are wide enough to allow booster seats to sit flat without tilting perilously to one side or the other. Both of my children are able to buckle themselves into their respective booster seats thanks to the assistance of stable seat belt buckle receptors, which are easy for little hands to operate without assistance.
The trunk space in the GT convertible works just fine at filling the usual sherpa-like roles of a mom and her mom-mobile: getting groceries, carrying a last-minute entry to the science fair, even holding the occasional zoo of stuffed animals that absolutely cannot be left behind when heading to a weekend at Grandma’s. The hardtop retracts easily with the press of a button while the car’s in Park, but once it’s down, the trunk space is eaten up pretty quickly and rendered essentially useless. I find this a curious phenomenon, because it’s when the top is down that I really need a place to store all the loose stuff floating around the car. Also, the finger hold inside the trunk that’s meant to be used to close the hood is located on the left-hand side, where any right-handed person wouldn’t logically reach to find it. I find myself bypassing the hold and consistently making lovely hand prints on the trunk’s hood when I close it.
Jumping into the driver’s seat of the G6 has me jumping for joy as much my daughter did. Inside, there’s not only a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, but also adjustable foot pedals, meaning that even li’l ol’vertically challenged me can customize the fit of the driver’s seat perfectly. I have a great view of the road, sitting up high enough to see over the hood but low enough to still experience the car’s sporty-like feel.
Driving the G6 GT convertible is an absolute blast. It has enough juice to inject some fun, but not so much that it’s scary. It may not be the easiest, most practical of mom-mobiles out there, but if you want an affordable hardtop convertible as the second car in your garage, the G6 is what all the cool moms are driving. Well, at least one of them, even if only for two weeks.
*For more information on the Pontiac G6 and its safety features, visit Cars.com. With questions or comments regarding this review, write to motherproof@msn.com.
LET’S TALK NUMBERS
Latch Connectors: 2
Seating Capacity (includes driver): 4
IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT
Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Puny
Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair
SENSE AND STYLE
Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Not Really
Fun Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove On): Groove On
Specs
Base price: $28,750
Price as tested: $31,629
Engine: 227-hp, 3.9 liter V-6
Fuel: 17/24 mpg
Length: 189.1″
Width: 70.6″
Turning Radius: 19.3′
Cargo space: 2.2-12.6 cu. ft.
NHTSA Crash-Test Ratings
Frontal Impact
Driver’s side: Not Rated
Passenger’s side: Not Rated
Side Impact
Front occupant: Not Rated
Rear occupant: Not Rated
Rollover resistance: Not Rated
