PONTIAC TORRENT

[regfootball]

here

[pow]

Oh, well, at least it now looks right.

[CARBIZ]

Wow, that was pretty viscious. Who is this guy? We don't get USA Today up here (obviously). I laugh at all the Chevy ads surrounding this guy's diatribe. I will agree that some of the Equinox/Torrents underpinnings may seem dated but, frankly, they all work together pretty well. Eveyone who has bought one has been very happy.

And our dealer principles' father's Lexus AWD couldn't make it up the road to the cottage so he had to borrow his daughter-in-law's Equinox.

[regfootball]

Healy is the best auto writer, so this harsh a review seems weird from him, although i cannot say that a lot of it isn't deserved.

[Croc]

Fair review. I didn't think it was harsh, plus he said it was atypical of recent GMs.

[Robert Hall]

My mom even mentioned this review to me on the phone today.. I read it in the paper this morning... fair at some levels, nitpicky at others, downright hilarious in places (the description of the turn signal stalk and the HVAC controls). It's not a bad looking wagon, but..

I had to laugh about the driveway snow/etc... an SUV w/ FWD...

Edited February 19, 2006 by moltar

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

crude Chevrolet Equinox crossover SUV,

So now the Equinox that the press RAVED about last year is "crude"?!?!?!

like the Equinox (Test Drive, June 18, 2004). The front-wheel-drive test vehicle's plastic parts were yester-tech; brittle and flimsy.

Gotta SLAM the Equinox too (One of GM's few bright spots) make sure the WHOLE platform doesn't survive!!!

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration files show no recalls, no investigations and almost no complaints. But they do show a significant number of technical service bulletins, or TSBs. Manufacturers send a TSB to alert dealers to a widespread problem and to have them all fix it uniformly.

Oh... So we're playing the TSB game with GM now?!?!?! So Toyota can have ump-teen TSBs and no one gives a $h!... But, Healy JUST HAPPENED TO LOOK FOR THEM ON A GM VEHICLE. What a surprise?

Others deal with safety belts that are difficult to use. Car companies have been installing belts only about 50 years, so you can see why they might not have it figured out yet.

An un-needed smart assed remark.

The Torrent has been selling well, so I guess media mud slinging was a given (especially for embattled Pontiac)

[Croc]

So now the Equinox that the press RAVED about last year is "crude"?!?!?!

Every review I have read has mentioned the crude, "basic" and "utilitarian" nature of the Equinox. Having driven the Equinox, I can attest that it is indeed crude and lacking refinement in many areas; that said, it is very good at what it is: a cheap, practical, stylish (exterior only) SUV.

Gotta SLAM the Equinox too (One of GM's few bright spots) make sure the WHOLE platform doesn't survive!!!

Well, the Torrent is an Equinox with very little differentiation, so its mention is quite appropriate. Since the two are priced in the same bracket, the flaws of one will be flaws in the other. Also, the Equinox has been selling well for a few years, so I don't think the survival of the platform is in jeopardy.

Oh... So we're playing the TSB game with GM now?!?!?! So Toyota can have ump-teen TSBs and no one gives a $h!... But, Healy JUST HAPPENED TO LOOK FOR THEM ON A GM VEHICLE. What a surprise?

Whenever I have driven a vehicle that produced an unusually large number of rattles and creaks, I know I've gone online and viewed the TSBs to satisfy my curiosity.

An un-needed smart assed remark.

Don't tell me that you never thought the same thing when GM recalled all those cars in 2000 for seat belt locking mechanisms that were too hard to unlatch.

The Torrent has been selling well, so I guess media mud slinging was a given (especially for embattled Pontiac)

I'd like everyone reading this thread to raise his or her hand if he or she truly believes the Pontiac Torrent is a high-quality, well-made vehicle. Oh, and FOG, don't bother raising yours because you were one of the first to bash the Torrent when you found out it was an Equinox rebadge. Edited February 19, 2006 by Croc

[The O.C.]

I'd like everyone reading this thread to raise his or her hand if he or she truly believes the Pontiac Torrent is a high-quality, well-made vehicle.  Oh, and FOG, don't bother raising yours because you were one of the first to bash the Torrent when you found out it was an Equinox rebadge.

Croc, I'm NOT raising my hand......because I think the Equinox and Torrent are incredibly tacky and non-too-competitive to drive. The styling and packaging aren't bad at all, plus it's got an up-to-date 5-speed auto....it's just the nasty overall execution.

The interior quality is horrific....even with the slightly updated interior. You can "jiggle" the center stack/console part where the shifter is.....too loosely attached....and the trim around the column is flimsy, loose, and what's worse, DESIGNED to be that way. Also, the feel when moving the shifter is like what C&D said recently about the Lucerne's (same problem).........it feels and sounds like you are dragging the shift lever back through a box of rocks.

Should I even mention the (electric) power steering feel?

Or the oudated, underpowered pushrod V6? Especially when GM has two nice, HF V6 engines in it's pantry....(GM even has newer pushrod V6s w/VVT available too)

The SUVs just feel cheap.....overall....that's my summary.

[Flybrian]

As moltar said, Some of the comments were nitpicky and a little absurd. A high number of TSBs is not indicative of quality or reliability, yet Healy protrays them as such. The turn signal comments are funny, too.

[Robert Hall]

The Torrent, like many, many GM products, would make a decent rental from Avis for a few days. It's not something I would buy, though.

[Flybrian]

Its needs a better engine than the Chevrolet, pure and simple, as well as suspension and handling enhancements. Trim details would be quickly forgotten with X5-esque performance in a sub-$30k crossover that can still carry a decent amount of cargo.

[turbo200]

The Torrent, Equinox, SRX, like many GM products are cars that have good fundamentals, but the quality and the attention to detail is sorely missing. The fixes that would need to be made are EASY, and yet the result of not having that quality in place is atrocious. Makes these cars appear and feel much cheaper than they COULD. To think that these glaring issues could so easily be fixed and improved on, if GM only sweated the details, is sad.

[Croc]

The Torrent, like many, many GM products, would make a decent rental from Avis for a few days.  It's not something I would buy, though.

Bingo.

[ocnblu]

Of course, the M-class has been blamed in large part for the precipitous decline in Mercedes-Benz quality ratings. Less than stellar, I think we all can agree.

[enzl]

Of course, the M-class has been blamed in large part for the precipitous decline in Mercedes-Benz quality ratings.  Less than stellar, I think we all can agree.

So now GM should be emulating MB?

C'mon brother...this has nothing to do with that topic....the Torrent is a GM move from the old days....the Cobalt clone G4,G5, whatever, is only rubbing salt in the wound.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Whenever I have driven a vehicle that produced an unusually large number of rattles and creaks, I know I've gone online and viewed the TSBs to satisfy my curiosity.

Croc, where would I go online to research TSB's for various GM vehicles? Do you have a web site address that you can share here? TIA!

[GMTruckGuy74]

Well, the Torrent is one of the vehicles on my list of vehicles I'm considering. I like it 10x better than the Equinox it's based on (exterior styling of the two) and I like the interior touches of the Pontiac a little better. Reading what has been posted here is making me think twice, but I still want to check it out for myself. The Torrent offers me interior volume (space) and capabilities that my Malibu can't, and that's the main reason for the Torrent's consideration as a replacement for my 'bu. Any additional helpful insights and advice on the Torrent will be greatly appreciated by this reader!

[Flybrian]

Croc, where would I go online to research TSB's for various GM vehicles?  Do you have a web site address that you can share here? TIA! 

Don't know if you're aware of AllData, but its a good site not only for TSBs but recall information as well as part diagrams, specs, etc. along with warranty/non warranty labor times. Its subscription-based, though, @ ~$15.00

[Croc]

So now GM should be emulating MB?

C'mon brother...this has nothing to do with that topic....the Torrent is a GM move from the old days....the Cobalt clone G4,G5, whatever, is only rubbing salt in the wound.

Of course it has nothing to do with the topic at hand; it's just ocnblu making a childish remark about the M-Class I drive that in his mind invalidates the comments I made about the Torrent. Yea, I dunno either...especially since I have been pretty forthright about the quality problems I've experienced with the M-Class.

[Croc]

Croc, where would I go online to research TSB's for various GM vehicles?  Do you have a web site address that you can share here? TIA! 

I do not know if it is still available, but I have used the NHTSA website in the past to access such information.

[Croc]

Well, the Torrent is one of the vehicles on my list of vehicles I'm considering.  I like it 10x better than the Equinox it's based on (exterior styling of the two) and I like the interior touches of the Pontiac a little better.  Reading what has been posted here is making me think twice, but I still want to check it out for myself.  The Torrent offers me interior volume (space) and capabilities that my Malibu can't, and that's the main reason for the Torrent's consideration as a replacement for my 'bu.  Any additional helpful insights and advice on the Torrent will be greatly appreciated by this reader! 

The Torrent is a fine vehicle if you want nothing more than practical, basic transportation with some exterior styling flair. The exterior is very stylish, much more so than the Equinox. The real let-down is the Rubbermaid interior and very cheap switchgear. If that isn't an issue for you, then go for it. If you place a high importance on interior quality, then you should shop around some more. Either way, good luck with your decision!

[ocnblu]

Yes enzl, I knew my post was off-topic and perhaps narrowly focused. However, my goal was met because Croc moderated his tone in his subsequent posts. Thanks, Croc. I test drove an Equinox and liked it somewhat, but it wasn't for me. The vehicle had a very "lightweight" or "light-on-its-feet" feeling that I didn't care for, after getting out of my pickup truck. Edited February 20, 2006 by ocnblu

[GMTruckGuy74]

The Torrent is a fine vehicle if you want nothing more than practical, basic transportation with some exterior styling flair.  The exterior is very stylish, much more so than the Equinox.  The real let-down is the Rubbermaid interior and very cheap switchgear.  If that isn't an issue for you, then go for it.  If you place a high importance on interior quality, then you should shop around some more.  Either way, good luck with your decision!

The exterior styling of the Torrent is what caught my interest, in addition to the roominess of the interior (which is what caught the wife's interest). We had gone with my parents last February when they were car shopping. My mom test-drove the Equinox and loved it; although the Saturn VUE came out to be a better deal in the end for them. We (the wife and I) liked the handling and ride in the Equinox, and both of us felt that the performance of the 3400 V6 engine was more than adequate (unlike our Rendezvous at the time, which felt sloggish). I don't like the Equinox's frontend design, and the interior was a partial turn-off. Now I know the Torrent's interior is like 98% the same as the Equinox, but the Ebony <black> interior color is more appealing than the 'Noxs gray or tan, and the three-spoke steering wheel is a much better design over the 'Noxs wheel.

I'm wishing that the Torrent had the factory remote start option and used the exact same radio as in the G6 (and Malibu), as it offers the Driver's Information Center (which the Equinox & Torrent radios don't). The other vehicle in my consideration is the G6 GT Sedan, although the interior space and rear seat room are the issues over the Torrent. The VUE Redline was on my list too, but the wife likes the more spacious back seat area in the Torrent more. I do agree with you that GM could have put a little more effort into the materials inside of the Torrent.

Edited February 20, 2006 by GMTruckGuy74

[enzl]

I think the Nox & Torrent are good vehicles....especially in light of their space vs. the immediate competition. -The China-sourced V6 bums me out a little...

That being said, I can't see choosing one of these over a comparably priced RAV4....the new RAV, while not as good looking, has resolved its space deficit and has a monster V6.

[CARBIZ]

One point to note is that the Equinox/Torrent are quite a bit cheaper than the Rav4. I hate being on the defensive, but in this neck of the woods the Equinox leases out for the same amount as a Xterra or Tuscon, which I guess is GM's intention.

The point to be made (and before I say it, I will add that, yes, I know GM is running out of money) but the Torrent should have competed with more upscale SUVs with a stronger engine, more refinement, etc. and leave the Equinox to battle the lower ground.

The steering/ride argument is extremely subjective, as I am sure we all know. The electric steering is a joy to use in every day driving. I have it on my Malibu. Quite the opposite happens when I get out and drive a Silverado or Impala - I find the steering very heavy because I am used to electric steering. I find the "road feel" argument hilarious: what is the purpose of power steering if not to power your steering? If you want road feel, ditch your power steering altogether. For my part, when I am driving in my underground parking, fussing with my seatbelt, looking for my sunglasses, etc., I want power steering.

We all know GM's Achilles heel continues to be its interiors. The dash layout and general look of the interior is okay, but the cloth seats are ugly beyond belief. And those headrests (at least they fixed the rear headrests for 2006) are horrid, too. I hope GM plans a major refresh for the Nox for 2007.

[The O.C.]

I find the "road feel" argument hilarious:  what is the purpose of power steering if not to power your steering?  If you want road feel, ditch your power steering altogether.  For my part, when I am driving in my underground parking, fussing with my seatbelt, looking for my sunglasses, etc., I want power steering.

You are missing the point about "road feel."

"Road feel" has nothing to do with the level of power assistance......well, not directly at least.

In other words.....a car doesn't have better "road feel" just because the steering is harder to turn....

My C6 has a pretty stiff steering feel as you are at speed....but doesn't have near the road feel that my BMW 330 had (that I replaced with the 'Vette.) The C6 is not bad, mind you, but it is a bit more numb.

If you want a true idea, go out and test drive the two extremes in "road feel." That would be an Equinox or Malibu........and let's say a BMW 3-series (without the Active Steering option.)

Sure the 3-series sedan has a less power steering assistance than an Equinox or Malibu, but unless you are an 80-year-old woman, I don't think you'd have any more of a problem steering a 325i sedan around town than you do the Malibu.

[pow]

You are missing the point about "road feel." 

"Road feel" has nothing to do with the level of power assistance......well, not directly at least. 

In other words.....a car doesn't have better "road feel" just because the steering is harder to turn....

My C6 has a pretty stiff steering feel as you are at speed....but doesn't have near the road feel that my BMW 330 had (that I replaced with the 'Vette.)  The C6 is not bad, mind you, but it is a bit more numb.

If you want a true idea, go out and test drive the two extremes in "road feel."  That would be an Equinox or Malibu........and let's say a BMW 3-series (without the Active Steering option.)

Sure the 3-series sedan has a less power steering assistance than an Equinox or Malibu, but unless you are an 80-year-old woman, I don't think you'd have any more of a problem steering a 325i sedan around town than you do the Malibu.

BMW's Active Steering has improved over the years... apparently, the newest calibrations have the same road feel as non-AS, but with more parking lot and parallel parking convenience. An 80-year-old lady would probably be very happy piloting an AS car.

[Croc]

Yes enzl, I knew my post was off-topic and perhaps narrowly focused.  However, my goal was met because Croc moderated his tone in his subsequent posts.  Thanks, Croc.  I test drove an Equinox and liked it somewhat, but it wasn't for me.  The vehicle had a very "lightweight" or "light-on-its-feet" feeling that I didn't care for, after getting out of my pickup truck.

You really need to get a life. And grow up.

[Croc]

The exterior styling of the Torrent is what caught my interest, in addition to the roominess of the interior (which is what caught the wife's interest).  We had gone with my parents last February when they were car shopping.  My mom test-drove the Equinox and loved it; although the Saturn VUE came out to be a better deal in the end for them.  We (the wife and I) liked the handling and ride in the Equinox, and both of us felt that the performance of the 3400 V6 engine was more than adequate (unlike our Rendezvous at the time, which felt sloggish).  I don't like the Equinox's frontend design, and the interior was a partial turn-off.  Now I know the Torrent's interior is like 98% the same as the Equinox, but the Ebony <black> interior color is more appealing than the 'Noxs gray or tan, and the three-spoke steering wheel is a much better design over the 'Noxs wheel.

I'm wishing that the Torrent had the factory remote start option and used the exact same radio as in the G6 (and Malibu), as it offers the Driver's Information Center (which the Equinox & Torrent radios don't).  The other vehicle in my consideration is the G6 GT Sedan, although the interior space and rear seat room are the issues over the Torrent.  The VUE Redline was on my list too, but the wife likes the more spacious back seat area in the Torrent more.  I do agree with you that GM could have put a little more effort into the materials inside of the Torrent.

How soon are you getting a vehicle? The new Saturn VUE (if it keeps that name) will be out in 18 months or so and it will be infinitely better than the existing Thetas.

[GMTruckGuy74]

How soon are you getting a vehicle? The new Saturn VUE (if it keeps that name) will be out in 18 months or so and it will be infinitely better than the existing Thetas.

See, the point is that I don't like my Malibu anymore (haven't for a good 6+ months now). I want something new (and to get back into leasing), but don't NEED to get somehting new. So it's more of a personal choice than a need to replace the Malibu. I'm tired of paying a monthly payment for a car I don't want. Does that make sense? The wife doesn't think so!!!

If I'm going to bite the bullet and wait a while longer, then I will go after the SATURN AURA when it comes out this fall. The Torrent was the wife's choice (I actually liked the LaCrosse CXS the best myself). But at the Philly Auto Show I found myself staring at the AURA a little bit more than I spent sitting in the LaCrosse. The AURA looks like it's on the G6 platform and not the Malibu's, so that means more rear leg room (which is what is needed). I like the overall size of the AURA & G6 too. The wife figured another SUV or Minivan would be beneficial with our 6 month old and the stuff we tend to carry around. I want something that I want to drive and not feel forced to do so.

Anyway, I found out I'm not eligible for the GM Card $2,000 program, so I may as well sit back, deal with my issues with the Malibu, and wait until the deals on the '06s get better or when the AURA hits the dealers lots.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Am I getting the feeling of Chevy Blazer/GMC Jimmy deja vu? I think I am...

[Croc]

Anyway, I found out I'm not eligible for the GM Card $2,000 program, so I may as well sit back, deal with my issues with the Malibu, and wait until the deals on the '06s get better or when the AURA hits the dealers lots.

The AURA is a fine piece of engineering. You are actually in luck, I was just asking someone the other day about the build date for AURA and production starts July 24th. The wait is short!

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

The Torrent, Equinox, SRX, like many GM products are cars that have good fundamentals, but the quality and the attention to detail is sorely missing. The fixes that would need to be made are EASY, and yet the result of not having that quality in place is atrocious. Makes these cars appear and feel much cheaper than they COULD. To think that these glaring issues could so easily be fixed and improved on, if GM only sweated the details, is sad.

GOSPEL.

[GMTruckGuy74]

The AURA is a fine piece of engineering.  You are actually in luck, I was just asking someone the other day about the build date for AURA and production starts July 24th.  The wait is short!

Thanks for this bit of info... now let's hope it's true!!! I think I'm going to wait a little while longer before trying to get rid of the Malibu. The AURA is definitely on the list of potential candidates.

[Charger4U]

gross...i bet theyll proably drop this car anwyay b/c they claim theyre going for a "new sporty image", same reason why they drop the van pontiac has its like SV5 or soemthin