Long body, easy to drive, roomy inside
Pros:
smooth ride, roomy interior, low maintenance, good gas mileage
Cons:
controls awkwardly located, leather seats hot in summer, not good for winter
The Bottom Line:
Great family car, roomy interior, minor inconveniences with location of compartments and controls
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
BACKGROUND:
I bought this 1996 Pontiac Bonneville car used from my mother-in-law in May 2005 with 50,000 miles on it. It was the car I learnt how to drive in, and also took my driving test in, so I'm very comfortable with it and may bias my opinion.
EXTERIOR:
Car seems longer than others (it's like driving a boat!!) such that I've found, on more than one ocassion, that the front of my car hits the curb yet still doesn't fit into a parking spot. Lines on the car are very sleek like a sportscar. My car is black, so you can't tell how dirty it is unless green pollen starts to cover it.
INTERIOR:
I don't like the compartments for storing things. I drove a 1996 Mercury Sable before this car, and I liked how things were arranged in it a lot better. Cup holders are located on the driver and passenger doors, but only take 16oz cups and is inconvenient to reach down to my knee to get a drink. Only one cup holder in center console, but cup tends to tip out and spill over all the center console!!!
Dashboard is filled with blinking lights, alerts and warnings. My mother-in-law said this car will "bling" you to death. (It blings if you leave your keys in the ignition if you open the door, it blings if you dont turn off the lights, it blings when something is loose, it blings when it turns sometimes, it blings when you're low on gas, it blings when you're low on wiper fluid--- just stop blinging at me!!!)
Leather interior = burning flesh in the summer heat.
Controls for radio are inconveniently located too low on the dash, such that you have to actually lean in (nose touches steering wheel) to change the knobs. Some say they have controls on the steering wheel-- I don't. So I have to reach, which is a nuisance.
Interior is roomy. Tallest person in household is 5'11". I'm 5'9" and it doesn't bother me at all. Haven't tried stuffing many things in the trunk before, but it looks fairly roomy. Have traveled with three people and two dogs in car before, and we were fine.
GAS MILEAGE:
Good gas mileage. I take it on the highway most of the time, and a full tank of gas gets about 400 miles.
PERFORMANCE:
Rides really well, accelerates quickly and smoothly. Doesn't handle snow or sleet that well (skids like crazy). Traction control does not always work. No parts replacements needed on this car in past 5 years that it's been in the family.
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