Faults:

Only thing that has absolutely needed to be replaced was the muffler. There was a hole in it, which would cause excessive noise above 3000rpms, and it had this problem at the dealership, so it was replaced free of charge (29,000 miles)

The rotors do look to need replacement (30,000 miles) as there are visible grooves in them, but the brakes don't squeak and feel smooth.

Tires are pretty worn considering how low the mileage is.

The knob to switch the mode (vent, floor, defrost) has broken and the switch will need to be replaced. The part should cost between $80 and $100 dollars and is relatively simple to replace. (30,400 miles)

General Comments:

This car was the best I could get for the money. Loaded with the sound package, moonroof, keyless entry, 4 wheel anti-lock disk brakes, 6 speed manual, cruise, power everything (except seats).

This car is pretty comfortable for a compact car as well as spacious, I have driven the base model on a 1,000 mile road trip in comfort.

The fuel economy isn't as good as the base model, but I can't complain. I average about 30mpg on the highway and about 20mpg around town. This car requires premium gas, so it is a little more costly to drive than other compacts.

The car has fair power, but you need to get the revs really high to get it (seems to be around 6500 rpms is when the VVTi kicks in), when the VVTi kicks in the car is pretty quick. The car handles fairly in most road conditions. It handles snow alright, and deals with ice fairly and is very stable when cornering with almost no noticeable understeer/torque steer (there's not really any torque anyhow!).

The accelerator is very touchy and doesn't have a lot of travel, so it does take some getting used to in order to drive this car.

One annoyance is that the car beeps loudly when in reverse, this is great to insure you are in reverse, but there is somewhat of a lockout mechanism anyhow.

The clutch still seems to have quite a bit of life left on it and is not slipping at all, despite many owners reporting their clutches slipping very prematurely (as early as 25,000 miles), I hope the longevity of the clutch is good, seeing as I pamper it.

Overall it's a very good car and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to somebody seeking a sporty, versatile car. The only reason I would not buy another car from Pontiac is because they no longer sell anything that interests me.

Faults:

Some small vibrations in dash board during coldest month of the year, not noticeable at most rev ranges.

Light vehicle, front end slips on snow and ice when trying to get going from a stop due to the sensitive throttle.

General Comments:

I love this car, excellent handling, revvy, pulls nice, very comfortable, great fuel mileage (26mpg in the city during the winter, and 34mpg on the highway during the summer). Lots of room for cargo, good sound system, superior ergonomics... etc Nothing poorly designed about this Honey wagon!!

Faults:

Dash rattles sometimes when its cold outside.

One front wheel bearing had to be replaced, total cost of repair $220.

Interior plastic pieces painted with metallic-looking paint scratch very easily.

Storage bin which flips out below the gear shift has a flimsy latch causing the bin to fall open by itself if something slightly heavy is in it.

Gas tank door hinge snapped off, had to replace the whole gas tank door assembly. Ever since I bought the car the hinge didn't open smoothly, but I'm not sure why this was.

General Comments:

Front seats are very comfortable & supportive, even on long trips sitting hours at a time. The seat cushions are relatively high off the floor which means your legs are less likely to be cramped up like in most cars, as they are resting at a more comfortable angle. I have minor back problems so I am very conscious and picky about which seats truly offer support and which ones don't.

Engine achieves fuel economy numbers as advertised but part of the tradeoff is there's not as much low-end grunt/torque as you would enjoy in most larger cars. My previous car was a Chevy Beretta 5-spd 6-cyl so you can imagine the difference!

The car is very easy to get in and out of even for people who are taller or wider than average.

Visibility around the car is excellent.

Handling is pretty good with the right tires (I found the Falken's to be great for non-winter driving) but with the car's high ride height, stability is understandably reduced which is noticeable when going around curves.

Trunk space is great when the seats are folded down. I'm amazed at the various pieces of furniture, carpet and other stuff I was able to fit in.

A/C and heating worked like a charm - We had a really hot summer this year and we've already had few very cold weeks even before winter officially begins here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Overall though if you're considering buying one, stop thinking about it too much and just get one - you won't regret it!