1995 Pontiac Sunfire SE Test Drive

The amount of attention a new car draws is a good barometer for how well the designers did their job. It appears Pontiac designers were right on target with the Sunfire, a car clearly inspired by its stablemate, the Firebird.

The Sunfire replaced the 13-year-old Sunbird. Pontiac officials felt the car was so different from its predecessor that it deserved a new name. The Sunfire’s cousin from Chevrolet, the Cavalier, was dramatically redesigned for 1995, but Chevrolet opted to retain the name.

Initially the Sunfire was available only as the SE sedan and the SE coupe. In mid-1995, Pontiac added the SE convertible and GT coupe to the lineup. The GT coupe was outfitted in Pontiac’s characteristic racer look with dual exhausts, spoiler, black roof treatment and a revised 2.3-liter DOHC 16-valve Quad 4 engine.