The ambitious design goal for Pontiac Torrent: best-in-class all-weather capability, handling, and agility. So we equipped it with the all-weather A-Team: ABS, traction control, and front-wheel drive. And we included an all-wheel-drive model in the lineup, so you can really cut through the elements. We gave Torrent a long wheelbase and a wide track for a balanced, secure stance. We made sport-tuned fully independent suspension standard, so every Torrent has the planted road feel that driving enthusiasts demand.
Pontiac Torrent offers a commanding driving position and an SUV’s ground clearance of almost eight inches. Yet its low step-over height and a low rear-gate lift-over create ease of access for people and cargo. Inside is one of the roomiest of the small SUVs. (“Small” is a relative term: on key measures like rear-seat leg room and cargo volume behind the second-row seat, Torrent bests every competitor in its class.*) And a combination of flexibility in seating, innovative storage, and a functional roof rack allows on-the-fly accommodation of the varied tasks of an SUV. Yet even at highway speeds, Torrent is whisper quiet inside. And an array of interior refinements surround you and your passengers with European-inspired design touches fully in keeping with Torrent’s sophisticated road manners.
Quite simply, Pontiac Torrent’s dimensions give the driver leverage. The longest wheelbase (112.5 inches) in the class* helps provide a level, even sedan-like ride, particularly welcome if the road surface is at all uneven. And at 61.8 inches, Pontiac Torrent also has one of the widest tracks in the class, helping to provide balance and control in the corners. Which brings us to the vehicle’s core strength. An integral body/frame design, most of it high-strength steel, makes Pontiac Torrent resistant to twisting and bending, thereby creating the rigid platform required for agile handling as well as for a quiet ride.
For a quick read on Pontiac Torrent’s performance orientation, check out the wheels. Both the standard 16-inch and the available 17-inch flangeless wheels are cast from aluminum alloy, significantly lighter than ordinary steel wheels. That reduction in what engineers call “unsprung weight” allowed them to apply the Pontiac Sport-Tuned Suspension System to every Pontiac Torrent made. McPherson strut front units combine long wheel travel with good range and motion control for a supple ride. The four-link, coil-spring rear suspension provides exceptional ride and handling. Sport tuning applies a firm stabilizer bar up front and increased damping both front and rear, because the resulting reduction in body roll and bounce causes the vehicle to “settle” more quickly. The system’s increased spring rates enhance Pontiac Torrent’s connection to the road, whether it’s a smooth, straight highway or something that throws you a curve or a bump.
Variable-ratio rack-and-pinion steering with electric power assist gave engineers the ability to fine-tune the system so it can provide the precision, sensitivity, and responsiveness to match Pontiac Torrent’s agile handling. The standard Bosch ABS system incorporates electronic proportioning, constantly redistributing front-to-rear braking force to match driving conditions and varying vehicle loads due to passengers or cargo.* You and your passengers will appreciate how the system helps keep Pontiac Torrent steady and balanced during heavy braking.
With the longest wheelbase in its class, Pontiac Torrent generously accommodates five-passenger seating. But the surprise is the length to which designers have gone to help you make the most of the space. The ingenious 60/40 “Multi-Flex” sliding rear seat offers passengers the comfort of two recline positions and - with a remarkable eight inches total travel - the most rear leg room in the class.* Or you can slide the seat all the way forward in seconds, adding enormously to cargo room. Further, each seat section folds with a one-hand, single-step operation to create a variable-size cargo platform. The following pages show how Pontiac Torrent seating quickly and easily converts to cover a range of hauling chores.
For all its flexibility, the interior has been executed more like a premium sport sedan a than utility vehicle. Whether you choose standard cloth, available premium cloth (requires purchase of Preferred Package), or available Nuance leather seating surfaces (requires purchase of Premium Package), you can have the same bold yet sophisticated colors: All-Ebony or Ebony with Light Cashmere seats and trim. Accent details throughout the cabin are primarily satin nickel, with chrome used to add bright touches in selected locations, such as keeping the focus on driving by highlighting the performance-car style gauge cluster.
In a class where four cylinders dominate, Pontiac Torrent muscles in with a standard V6. Incorporating tuned intake runners, sequential multi-port fuel injection (with Bosch injectors), hydraulic roller valve lifters, and a direct ignition system, the Vortec 3400 V6 generates a very responsive 185 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque.
The engine is integrated physically and electronically to a computer-controlled 5-speed automatic transmission. With adaptive learning capability, the transmission adjusts shift timing to load demands, operating conditions and to the way you drive keeping the engine in the sweet spot of its torque and power curves. This remarkable bit of teamwork makes you feel as if you’re always in the right gear. The five forward gears provide closer steps between ratios than would a 4-speed, for smoother acceleration, particularly during passing. The broad range of overall ratios provides excellent low-speed performance plus surprising fuel efficiency and low engine noise at highway speeds. Need more convincing? Pontiac Torrent produces a spirited launch 0-60 takes less than 8.5 seconds. And with available factory-installed Class II trailer hitch and wiring, towing capacity is 3,500 pounds,* unsurpassed by anything in Pontiac Torrent’s class