The Pontiac G8 is a full-size car built from 2008 to 2009. Most were assembled in Australia — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: V6, V8. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the G8 is
The Pontiac G8 is a full-size car that Pontiac built from 2008 to 2009 — 2 model years. It has been offered with V6, V8 power. Its closest sibling in the Pontiac range: Bonneville.
Where the G8 is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 184 G8s on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 6G2 | 2008-2009 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Pontiac VIN decide which of these lines your G8 belongs to. What every character in a G8 VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Pontiac G8 adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Pontiac G8 tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment G8 owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Pontiac G8 have? Power & range
The Pontiac G8 is offered with 2 powertrains — 3.6L 6-cyl, 6L 8-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 2 for the Pontiac G8, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 3.6L · 6-cyl | Automatic (S5) | RWD | Regular |
| V8 | 6.0L · 8-cyl | Automatic (S6) | RWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The G8 by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Pontiac G8. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | G8 | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 8 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 215 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Insurance | $1,265/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 18 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Pontiac G8?
The G8 is a full-size car, built from 2008 to 2009. Engines offered: V6, V8.
Where is the Pontiac G8 made?
Across 184 cars in our records the split is: Australia (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
What is the Pontiac G8 warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the G8 reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific G8?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Pontiac
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontiac GTO | 2004–2006 | 3 | 19 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Pontiac Wave | 2005–2006 | — | 26 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Pontiac Vibe | 2003–2010 | 51 | 29 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Pontiac Trans Sport | 1990–1999 | 19 | 19 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Pontiac Torrent | 2006–2009 | 7 | 20 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Pontiac Sunfire | 1995–2005 | 51 | 27 mpg | 3.5/5 |
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