Sometimes the best laid hopes and plans of product planners run smack into the realities of the accounting department and the result is a vehicle like the 2006 Pontiac Torrent.
The Torrent, an excellent station wagon masquerading as a so-so SUV, might one day be the exciting vehicle the product planning types would surely want to produce for General Motors' "excitement" division, but that's not the case right now.
Instead, the Torrent is a badge-engineered version of the equally useful and well-built Chevrolet Equinox and both are assembled in Canada. Because the "business case" demands it, the Torrent differs from the Equinox only in a few minor bits of styling -- grilles, taillights, badges and the like.
Minor though they are they make a difference. This is especially true inside where chrome-ringed gauges and a sporty steering wheel trump their very pedestrian-looking counterparts in the Equinox.
Also, the engineering folks at Pontiac claim the Torrent's all-independent suspension is a little tighter than the Equinox's, a bit sportier. Frankly, I can't tell the different between the two in terms of ride and handling.
That's my conclusion as I head west on Highway 56 after slurping down a mug of rich java at Roca Jack's Coffee Company in Fort Qu'Appelle, about an hour's drive east of Saskatchewan's capital. Certainly there's nothing particularly wrong with Pontiac dealers offering their own version of the Equinox, just as Saturn dealers offer the same basic mechanical package in the Saturn Vue.
In any case, of the three the Torrent is, in my view, the most attractive. This wagon has a clean and somewhat beefy look, with nothing silly or over the top. The twin-port grille gives the front end a kind of snarly look.
And the faux skid plates? Come on, now, Pontiac. You're not fooling us. We all know this wagon is a soft-roader, not an off-roader. The all-season tires and car-like ground clearance make that very clear.
Then, of course, there is this other little fact: The starter Torrent is a front-wheel drive, five-passenger wagon listing for $26,585. You're not likely to go trail-bashing in a front-driver, are you? But you can tow a trailer up to 1,588 kg.
That said, even the least expensive Torrent is nicely equipped: 16-inch aluminum wheels, air conditioning, power door locks with remote keyless entry, power windows, a six-speaker CD stereo and fog lamps. A flat-folding front passenger seat allows do-it-yourselfers to haul around ladders and is also standard, as are fog lamps. A similarly equipped all-wheel-drive model goes for $29,195. Torrent pricing tops out at $35,655 if you go for every bell and whistle. The Equinox starts at $25,375.
For those dollars you get a wagon with a well-built cabin boasting pockets in every door, storage bins all around, rubber-ringed climate control knobs and nice metallic accents designed to distract you from all the hard plastic in the dashboard.
The seating is a bit soft-ish but quite okay and the tall seating position, combined with generous glass all around, makes for excellent visibility in every direction. In back you'll find rear seats that not only recline but also slide fore and aft -- so-called Multi-Flex seats. Behind them is a big cargo hold with a movable shelf. All of this is well done.
For power, there is a pushrod 3.4-litre V-6 teamed with a five-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy is okay but not brilliant at 13.1 litres/100 km city and 9.0 highway.
Still, the engine feels stronger than the 185-horsepower rating would suggest. No doubt GM engineers have picked gearing to maximize the Torrent's available thrust. They also did a good job of keeping shifts smooth, both up and down. The one complaint I have is buzziness when the engine is pushed hard.
Long, very straight stretches of prairie road didn't offer many chances to test the independent suspension (MacPherson struts up front, a four-link, coil-spring setup in back) but highway ride comfort is first rate. The few corners we encountered brought out the Torrent's body roll. It's there, but it's not troubling.
The electric power-assisted steering feels a bit numb at higher speeds and is over-boosted in low-speed manoeuvres. Clearly, this wagon won't eat up slalom courses; it's not meant to.
What it does do particularly well is protect its passengers. In both frontal- and side-impact crash tests, the Torrent earned a best-possible five-star rating.
For braking, the front-disc, rear-drum combination with anti-lock feels strong and dependable. Four-wheel disc braking, though, is not available but should be in a vehicle that is sold through GM's racy division.
What the Torrent tells us is that GM has figured out how to make a safe and useful family wagon with a bit of style and an all-wheel-drive system designed to keep you going in bad weather.
It's enough to make us forget about the Aztek, right?
Specifications
2006 Pontiac Torrent
Price range: $26,585-$35,655
Engine: 3.4-litre V-6 (OHV)
Output: 185 hp/210 lb-ft of torque
Transmission: Five-speed automatic
Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 12.6 city/8.5 highway for front-wheel drive and 13.1 city/9.0 highway for all-wheel drive
Alternatives: Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute, Honda CRV, Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Chevrolet Equinox
Like: Responsive performance; big cabin with lots of useful features; excellent visibility; pleasant ride; very good crash test scores
Don't like: Electric steering lacks feel; so-so fuel economy; lack of superior four-wheel disc brake setup; soft-ish seating
