We brought you the rumor here first, then we were told it wasn't going to happen, and then back on, but now it's official — Pontiac G3 will be headed to the United States as a 2009 model year five-door hatchback. Yes, folks, GM's decided the Chevy Aveo was just so nice, they couldn't let Chevy have all the fun, now foisting the rebadged Korean econobox onto the brand that was once all about "driving excitement." But that time seems so long ago. Don't get us wrong, we're of the opinion the Chevy Aveo's a very nice little fuel-sipper that's great for the driver who never wants to, you know, enjoy driving. But it saddens us Pontiac's ending up with one of these appliances in the stable. We guess those rumors were true. Still, all those Hummer-GMC-Pontiac dealers are probably going to be pretty happy they'll finally have something other than the G5 ringing in at over 30 MPG to put on the lots. Full details on the new Chevy Aveo the car you CAN ignore 2009 Pontiac G3 after the jump and more deets here as well.
PONTIAC ANNOUNCES NEW SMALL CAR FOR U.S. MARKET 2009 G3 Offers Sporty Functionality, Fuel Efficiency, Value Detroit - Expanding its portfolio in the rapidly growing small car segment, Pontiac announced plans to bring the sporty, five-door hatchback G3 to U.S. showrooms early next year. When it arrives, the G3 will provide Pontiac with a total of four vehicles capable of more than 30 miles per gallon on the highway. Already successful in Canada (as the Pontiac G3 Wave) and Mexico (as a sedan model), the G3 offers an EPA estimated 27 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway while providing the best shoulder and hip room in the segment for seating five adults. “The small car segment has literally exploded in recent months, with sales up nearly 33 percent in the first six months of 2008 alone,” said Susan Docherty, vice president of Buick-Pontiac-GMC. “With its proven success in other markets, we felt the time was right to bring the G3 into the BPG portfolio for our U.S. customers.” The 2009 G3 will join the all-new 2009 Vibe (32 mpg) and recently enhanced 2009 versions of the G6 sedan (33 mpg) and G5 coupe (37 mpg) in Pontiac’s “Over 30” club. “More than ever, fuel economy is an important factor in Pontiac’s formula of style and performance,” said Docherty. “The Vibe, G3, G5, and G6 prove that you don’t have to sacrifice sporty design and responsive driving to achieve impressive fuel economy.” Generating 106 horsepower (79 kW), the G3’s 1.6L Ecotec four-cylinder engine is mated to a five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic transmission. It will also feature an unusually rich mix of standard features for an entry-level car, including air conditioning, a CD/MP3 audio system with auxiliary input jack, fog lamps, rear spoiler, OnStar, and a host of standard safety features, including four airbags, that gain the G3 a five-star frontal crash rating. Interior space is optimized to comfortably seat five adults, including “theater”-style seating for rear seat passengers. The rear seats also feature a 60/40 split to offer up to 42 cubic feet of cargo space. The Pontiac G3 will arrive in U.S. showrooms in spring 2009 as a 2009 model and will be backed by GM’s five-year 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. Pricing will be announced closer to introduction. # # #