Another Look

2006 Pontiac Torrent: GM opens the crossover floodgates

Politically minded types may be forgiven for thinking a Torrent was what nearly swept through Stamford Government Center when news of Dan Malloy’s surprisingly close win emerged, but car types know this is GM’s latest bid for victory in the increasingly important crossover sports utility segment.

As gas prices rise and sports utility vehicle sales plunge, crossover vehicles – the ones that look like SUVs but are actually car-based – have grown in both importance and sales. Once disdainfully dismissed as station wagons in disguise, these autos, like the Lexus RX-330 and the Honda Pilot, are the new darlings of automakers and drivers alike, with the carlike handling and SUV seating seemingly what consumers now favor in the post-SUV world.

Detroit has noticed, and this is actually one of the few market segments in which domestic automakers are taking market share from their Asian competitors. The Pontiac Torrent is one of GM’s newest weapons in this fight, and early sales numbers show solid market acceptance of this vehicle.

If you’re familiar with the Chevrolet Equinox, a crossover I liked for its price, handling and amenities, then you already know the 2006 Pontiac Torrent, and many of the arguments for buying one. Like its near-identical sibling, the five-passenger Torrent comes well equipped for its $24,300 price, with air conditioning, power windows and doors, a 6-speaker CD system, dual stage front airbags, fog lamps and more among the standard equipment. My Pontiac Torrent was the all-wheel-drive version (it’s also available in front-wheel-drive), and for $27,240, added cruise control, side impact and head curtain airbags, OnStar and more to the basic package. Destination charge was an additional $590.

Like the Equinox, the Torrent is a clean design, not really edgy, but flattering nonetheless. The trademark Pontiac grille is one of the differences that leads to a more masculine look for the Torrent, but side by side, the family resemblance is unmistakable.

Inside, the Torrent’s design is even cleaner, and with its chrome accents, slightly more attractive than the Equinox’s. Seats in front are good, not great – they could be a little more supportive – but the seats in rear stand out. As Pontiac points out, “The multi-adjustable rear seat…can provide segment-leading legroom for rear-seat passengers when moved rearward or increase the length of the cargo area by nearly a foot when moved forward. The rear seat also reclines, providing more comfort. Also, the Torrent has the widest rear door openings in its segment, making entry and exit of both people and cargo easier.”

My rear-seat passengers were very favorably impressed. Both front- and rear-seat passengers liked the roominess of this cabin. This is a light, airy cabin, well-designed to suit the comforts of the passengers. There are lots of integrated storage areas, and cupholders galore. There are three 12-volt power outlets standard, so your Blackberry, your laptop and your iPod can all be charged at the same time.

The rear seats fold in a 60/40 split, and the front passenger seat also folds flat, allowing for an extended cargo area.

Pontiac says the competitors to its Torrent are the Ford Escape, Jeep Liberty, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe, Mazda Tribute, Kia Sorento, and Toyota RAV-4. This may be true in price, and they all may be classed as compact sports utility vehicles, but the available interior space in the Torrent means it’s actually almost as spacious as the mid-size SUVs, a definite selling point for those looking for great value.

Let’s turn to performance. Crossover vehicles tend to look like full-fledged SUVs with the comfortable ride and handling of a car. For the most part, they are not, looks notwithstanding, designed to go off-road. The Torrent is no exception.

Pontiac claims: “And while customers will likely spend more time on the road than off, the Torrent nevertheless is a full-function SUV with all-weather capabilities providing excellent traction. Both the front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive models provide almost eight inches (203 mm) of ground clearance and feature short front and rear overhangs for favorable off-road approach and departure angles. The on-demand automatic all-wheel drive system has no buttons to push. It engages automatically when wheel slip is detected.”

I claim I should be one of People’s 50 most beautiful people.

Neither claim should be taken without a few grains of salt.

Not that it matters. So long as my wife and my editor think I’m half as good looking as I think I am, who cares what the rest of the world says? And if the Torrent is going to get you safely through the snows of Fairfield County, who cares what it can or cannot do off-road. How many people in Stamford buy an SUV planning to take it through the wilderness?

No, the Torrent is not a full-fledged SUV, no matter what the Pontiac literature says. An easy way to tell is to look at the ground clearance. The Torrent has 7.9 inches of ground clearance. The 2006 Subaru Outbacks have 8.4 to 8.7 inches of ground clearance. Big deal! Most people buy SUVs for the space, of which the Torrent offers plenty, and the handling in bad weather, where Pontiac’s all-wheel-drive automatically switches on when needed. Towing capacity, if you’re interested, is 3,500 pounds.

The one potential downside for Pontiac is that the Torrent doesn’t offer what I’d consider driving excitement, at least not the full experience. John Larson, Buick-Pontiac-GMC general manager said, “With the Torrent, we’re applying the character of Pontiac performance to a different type of vehicle. It has the responsive driving traits that drivers would expect in a performance sedan combined with the capabilities of an SUV.”

It’s time to reach for those grains of salt again. The engine, a 3.4-liter V-6 mated to a 5-speed transmission, is actually quite peppy, feeling much more sporty than its 185-horsepower rating might indicate. The ride is comfortable, but the steering could use some tightening. Handling is, on the whole, adequate, but if Pontiac wants to distinguish this from the Equinox and make it really exciting to drive, it might consider stiffening the suspension and holding the steering closer to center.

Reality, however, would suggest that few people buy something like the Torrent for its sporty handling, and for most commuters, I think the Torrent is tuned just fine.

At the pump, the Torrent takes regular gas, which it uses at a rate of 18 city, 23 highway. The front-wheel-drive-version goes a mile per gallon farther in each category.

The 2006 Pontiac Torrent AWD is a well-priced, well-designed spacious new choice for the average American family looking for a crossover vehicle. If it succeeds in getting a few people out of the larger behemoths and saving a few gallons of gasoline, both GM and America will be well-served.

posted by Andy Mais @ 12:14 PM