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2002 Pontiac Sunfire Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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A baby Grand Am, some call the Pontiac Sunfire, a compact economy car with enough sporty lines and flourishes (standard rear spoiler) that make it more attractive and appealing than the Chevy Cavalier, with which it shares a platform. New this year for the 2002 Pontiac Sunfire is a standard tilt steering wheel on the SE and an electronic trunk release for all models. Other than that, the Sunfire awaits a much needed update.
There are two trim levels -- SE and GT. The SE comes as a sedan or coupe, with a 2.2-liter, 115-hp I4 engine and choice of 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic. The GT starts out the year with a 2.4-liter, 150-hp DOHC I4, but later in the year gets a new Ecotec 2.2-liter DOHC I4 rated at 140-hp. The new lightweight engine is more refined, quieter, and livelier than the old one. It will be optional for the SE. Air conditioning, a security system, cassette player, ABS brakes, and daytime running lights are standard on all 2002 Sunfires. Moving up to the GT adds a CD player, foglights, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter. The Sunfire is Pontiac's entry-level car and is aimed at a younger consumer. To this end, options include a Monsoon sound system, alloy wheels, and a sunroof.
Drivers say the 2002 Sunfire is definitely a good starter car, as it's easy on the wallet both at the dealership and at the gas pump. However, there are numerous problems reported with the front struts and the check engine light. The Sunfire feels roomier than other compacts, and owners like the big trunk that can be expanded with fold-down rear seats. Gas mileage is decent and the GT is energetic and fun to drive. There is reported body roll and a sloppy feel behind the wheel for some drivers, who also complain about the seat comfort. Cupholders are located poorly.
Published Aug 8, 2022 by CarGurus Editorial Team
User reviews for 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
Write a reviewUser rating:
by Anonymous
Mar 11, 2014
got this car in March 2011 as my first car. Took it to my mechanic to look over he said it would be $500 to safety. turns out Pontiac is horrible with their wiring and $1300 later the car was good to go. I have replaced both wheel bearings, fuel filter, blower motor, coolant lines, and the front struts...twice. In the past 3 years I have owned the car I have spent more than $5,000 on it. Moving along to the gas consumption I was not surprised to find out recently that when the car was brand new it had a gas consumption of 10.3 l/100kn in the city and 7.1 l/100km on the highway. After the years and millage put on the car I'm sure were closer to 11.5+ in the city, so no its not the cheapest on gas. Safety rating is lousy so besides it being a 2 door insurance isn't the greatest but I've seen worse. The one positive is that they are dirt cheap to fix!! Interior is made of mostly cheap plastic and rattles and squeaks when its cold out, which in Canada is quite often. I have replaced the original stereo and speakers (previous owner blew them all) so I can say the stereo system is great but I don't know what the original was like. Seats are comfortable but I wouldn't suggest trips longer than 2 hours in it or your low back will start to hurt, added lumbar support would have been a plus. In regards to power she lacks. Has some get up and go if you floor is but with the fuel economy its not something you want to do regularly.
All in all its a cheap car. Its my first and I'm thankful because its taught me how expensive owning a car can be and I'm glad the repairs were on the cheaper end but still a lot to put into a car that is now at 270,000km, thankfully its still keeps going. No sign of dying anytime soon.Mar 11, 2014
by Anonymous
Jan 13, 2014
Problems hapenning out of no wheres like a possible fuel filter issue that can cause your car to not fire and you thinking its a dead battery when its not or when something else could be possibly be wrong and its not. something like that when you start your car the day before and its fine and the next day you try to start it and it won't and can't start what so ever and has been sitting in your yard for almost a week and still can't find a cause. lets just say that a problem that happened out of no where's. did have much of a warning or warning signs or anything.Jan 13, 2014
by Robert W
Mar 25, 2013
every one who gets in my car cant believe how much performance it has and
want to know what ive put under the hood of my car and i am always getting
asked if i would let them take it for a test driveMar 25, 2013
User rating:
by Anonymous
Mar 11, 2014
got this car in March 2011 as my first car. Took it to my mechanic to look over he said it would be $500 to safety. turns out Pontiac is horrible with their wiring and $1300 later the car was good to go. I have replaced both wheel bearings, fuel filter, blower motor, coolant lines, and the front struts...twice. In the past 3 years I have owned the car I have spent more than $5,000 on it. Moving along to the gas consumption I was not surprised to find out recently that when the car was brand new it had a gas consumption of 10.3 l/100kn in the city and 7.1 l/100km on the highway. After the years and millage put on the car I'm sure were closer to 11.5+ in the city, so no its not the cheapest on gas. Safety rating is lousy so besides it being a 2 door insurance isn't the greatest but I've seen worse. The one positive is that they are dirt cheap to fix!! Interior is made of mostly cheap plastic and rattles and squeaks when its cold out, which in Canada is quite often. I have replaced the original stereo and speakers (previous owner blew them all) so I can say the stereo system is great but I don't know what the original was like. Seats are comfortable but I wouldn't suggest trips longer than 2 hours in it or your low back will start to hurt, added lumbar support would have been a plus. In regards to power she lacks. Has some get up and go if you floor is but with the fuel economy its not something you want to do regularly.
All in all its a cheap car. Its my first and I'm thankful because its taught me how expensive owning a car can be and I'm glad the repairs were on the cheaper end but still a lot to put into a car that is now at 270,000km, thankfully its still keeps going. No sign of dying anytime soon.Mar 11, 2014
by Anonymous
Jan 13, 2014
Problems hapenning out of no wheres like a possible fuel filter issue that can cause your car to not fire and you thinking its a dead battery when its not or when something else could be possibly be wrong and its not. something like that when you start your car the day before and its fine and the next day you try to start it and it won't and can't start what so ever and has been sitting in your yard for almost a week and still can't find a cause. lets just say that a problem that happened out of no where's. did have much of a warning or warning signs or anything.Jan 13, 2014
by Robert W
Mar 25, 2013
every one who gets in my car cant believe how much performance it has and
want to know what ive put under the hood of my car and i am always getting
asked if i would let them take it for a test driveMar 25, 2013
by Anonymous
May 09, 2012
This car is Fast! The manual transmission allows you to catch that yellow light, throw it into a lower gear and get ahead, or just plain tear out of a stop light. The Stereo is amazing too, top of the line sound equipment and equalizers bring tranquil notes to the music guru, or if you just like to jam its loud! The visual appeal sneak's anybody's attention between the added LED lights and the cleanliness of the car.May 09, 2012
by Tiffany H
Nov 01, 2011
The car is a small car that doesn't have a lot of power and since it is two door it would not make a very good family car. I can see a 4 door sunfire being a decent family car for a small family. It has its issues but I do not think it is because Sunfire's are bad cars. This one has just been mistreated. Being a baseline model, it is very basic so if you want options get the gt model. I love the affordable gas mileage, and even though the engine is small it is designed to look and act like a sports car which is fun. Nov 01, 2011
by Anonymous
Feb 17, 2011
Appearance- I like the exterior styling. Its a very sporty looking base model.
Handling- I like the way this car takes corners.
Dislikes-
It is a pretty expensive 4cylinder on gas compared to japan 4 cylinders engines. Parts are pretty cheap except for the clutch kit which ran me about $700 my cost.Feb 17, 2011
by Derrick W
Jan 14, 2011
2002 Pontiac Sunfire. My first car i ever owned. Not as fast as i would like it to be. Dont cost a whole lot to own. It would be fun to drive if I had 8,000 dollars to put into the engine. Jan 14, 2011
by Anonymous
Oct 17, 2010
This car sucks. Replaced the whole suspension already passenger side ball joint replaced twice already within 150,000km. Drivers side bearing catastrophic failure at around 130,000km. Who engineers these cars anyways? They obviously didn't have long term owners in mind. Built in defects and failure points if you ask me.Oct 17, 2010
by Craig C
Oct 04, 2010
haha, performance was ridiculously slow. Not even sure how I drove a 4cyl. engine. It had an awesome paint job, i Loved it. The interior was really shot, like cheap as ever, but the exterior was great. It was fun to drive for the time I guess. Oct 04, 2010
by Jeff R
Aug 22, 2010
this car isnt to bad for what it is, gas mileage is awsome, speed not to bad. have the interior completely pulled out, body and suspension currently under construction, still lookin at ideas for a custom rear seat and center console.........Aug 22, 2010
by Chris R
Jul 12, 2010
the performance was good but not like a sunbird. but was still good, had good gas milage and had good drive ablilty. build qaulity, well for me we didnt have to many troubles with it. appreance was the better of all of it, it had a good sporty look. cost of ownership was not to bad as well, ws good on gas. fun factor was good considering we didnt have kids at the time. Jul 12, 2010
by Kyla M
Apr 02, 2010
I loved this car!!! This car was my baby! It had nice pick up and nice speed, but not a whole lot of power. Didn't cost much to drive. FUN AS HECK TO DRIVE! good running car. i recommend it!Apr 02, 2010
by Catey H
Feb 13, 2010
great gas milage. 27 in town, 31 highway...love my standard..goes when i want it too.. have alot of fun driving my baby.. it rattles a bit.. but that is probably because of the 2 12inch subs i have in my trunk :D. can hear it coming, have an aftermarket exhaust, no cherrying for meFeb 13, 2010
by Jordan A
Feb 03, 2010
It looks very appealing & sexy! Has chrome wipers & trim on the doors. Just has a 4 cyl engine in it but it's very impressive on gas mileage and needs a little TLC, nothing too serious though ... just basic maintenance.
This car is actually a lot of fun to drive ..... sometimes, I just go for a cruise cuz I want to! The Brakes needs replaced & roters hsould be replaced though. Handling is great, except for the front-wheel drive on ice.
Not too bad at all, I'm content with what I have!Feb 03, 2010
by William W
Dec 24, 2009
It is a fun car to drive it's easy on gas and and it looks so much better then most cars in the same price range and being a 5 speed it gives the car decent acceleration. Plus the car just rocks.Dec 24, 2009
by Anonymous
Oct 21, 2009
Yep I love my Pontiac Sunfire, Performance wise has been a great reliable car for traveling and gets great gas mileage. I like the somewhat sporty look and it has spunk when in need. All in all plan to add some new accessories and keep her in tip top condition. Oct 21, 2009
by Jair M
Oct 13, 2009
I liked this car a lot, the acceleration was great, I raced against focus, seat ibiza and the only car wich I lost agains was a dodge Neon.
It's aperfect car to go to school and you can use it for fun driving too hehe.Oct 13, 2009
by Joyce R
Sep 08, 2009
the car runs really good, it's a 02 in good shape I like it but I wouldn't drive it in the winter, it has hardly any heat in it when it drops down to -20 ..... I need heat in the winter....Sep 08, 2009
by Frankie B
Aug 11, 2009
Was my first car... It was alright. It got me from A to B. Not the fastest car, not the slowest either... I was able to pay for it in full. It was ok to drive i guess, nothing special.... Aug 11, 2009
by Nicole M
Aug 10, 2009
meh its a car...its get me around to where I need to go..doesnt stand up so good in collision the body is cheaply made and wont withstand any impact at all. cheap and fuel efficient maneuvers great in the cityAug 10, 2009
by Dan A
Jul 17, 2009
The Sunfire is cheap to own, nothing more. The 5 spd was nice, although still pretty sluggish. The ABS brakes suck, and it had lots of clunks and rattles in the suspension, but with 250,000km who really cares? I sure didn't. It was a great car I got for a cheap price that served me very well, was fun to drive as it was a 5 speed. Car was exceptionally great on fuel.Jul 17, 2009
by Jonathon H
Jul 01, 2009
not the best performance but strong drive train if treated well i beat the hell out of mine but only ever needed small repairs good looks from factory not recommended to the ppl looking for a fast car but is recomended to the a to b driversJul 01, 2009
by Germán A
Jan 05, 2009
It... He is the one of the best thing in my life, hope never sell it, I would be broken hearted. So, enjoy a little piece of my car... the best you could see my friends, truste me! Pontiac Sunfire 2002 4 cilinder.Jan 05, 2009
by Shawn M
Sep 20, 2008
Looks great handles well and can take off rather fast.If my driving habits didn't require high speed braking, (No choice in the matter) the brakes wouldn't need to wear down so far that on low speed braking it makes the car shake. I only had to have brakes machined twice so far.Sep 20, 2008
by Lou S
Sep 09, 2008
Hate that after 2 years the fan only works on the high speed (window defroster) also the L E D milage readout is on it's way out and the AM-FM CD player L E D lights are also starting to burn out? CHEAP! G.M Needs to get their act together with regards to QUALITY and DURABILITY!!! That's why our North American Car Industry is in DEEP TROUBLESep 09, 2008
by Kevin N
Sep 04, 2008
My car suits me perfectly! It's quick, very dependable cheap to own but and it's all the power i need. for someone who hasn't got alot of money to spend on a car but wants to have fun on the road this car is for you! boobs are great too!Sep 04, 2008
by Matt L
Aug 05, 2008
As far as the look of the car goes, its nice nothing amazing the interior could be a lot nicer without that much more cost. It really does not cost that much to keep up at all. It is a rather fun car to drive it has a good bit of pickup for a little 2.2 engine.Aug 05, 2008
by David D
Jun 21, 2008
fairly comfortable, pretty fast, good on gas, it has cruise and that's what's important. it's not the car of anyone's dreams but it'll do untill I redo my mustangJun 21, 2008
by Mark S
May 20, 2008
A very solid vehicle with the base 2.2L and standard shift. Not much power (115 hp), but certainly better than my previous 55hp Geo Metro.May 20, 2008
by Jaime F
Apr 13, 2008
Gets you to your destination. Reliable car for commutingApr 13, 2008
by Matthew D
Apr 11, 2008
I am overall happy with this car! Good cheap sports carApr 11, 2008
by Kelly D
Mar 27, 2008
Daily Driver, gets the job done for cheap. Grabs the corners well, sporty, good stock stereo, coolest 4-cylinder. can't pop the clutch, feel every bump in the road, no ballsMar 27, 2008
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Top Comparisons
Have you driven a 2002 Pontiac Sunfire?Compare this car
2002 Pontiac Sunfire Pricing
Original MSRP
$15,180 to $17,720Price range
N/AAverage price on CG
N/AYoY price change
N/ATrims & specs
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · Premium Brand: Monsoon · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: trunk release · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Rear Seats
Type: split-bench
Roof
Moonroof: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheels: steel
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: keyless entry · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Rear Seats
Type: split-bench
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheels: steel
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · Premium Brand: Monsoon · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Shift knob trim: leather · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: trunk release · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Rear Seats
Type: split-bench
Roof
Moonroof: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent