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2002 Pontiac Firebird
Date Published: 2/20/08

2002 Pontiac Firebird
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MSRP:
$20,050 - 32,095

Invoice:
$18,346 - 29,367

Class:
Sporty/performance Car
2002 Pontiac Firebird
Expert Rating Summary
Category Base conv, auto. Rating (See All
Ratings)
Sporty performance Car Average Rating
Acceleration 5 5.7
Fuel Economy 5 6.1
Ride Quality 3 3.5
Steering/Handling/Braking 7 7.4
Quietness 2 3.2
Controls 5 5.5
Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front) 4 4.5
Room/Comfort (rear) 2 1.5
Cargo Room 1 2.9
Value within Class 4 5.2
Total Score: 38 45.5
Ratings: Maximum 10 points per category
2002 PONTIAC FIREBIRD BUYING RESOURCES
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2002 Pontiac Firebird Review
Pontiac's sporty coupe will be retired after the 2002 model year, along with the Chevrolet Camaro, which shares this design. Firebird comes in base, Formula, and Trans Am hatchback coupes, and base and Trans Am convertibles. Removable roof panels are standard on Formula and Trans Am coupes, optional on the base version. Convertibles have a power top and glass rear window. Base models have a V6 engine with 5-speed manual transmission or, as an option on coupes and standard on convertibles, an automatic. Formula/Trans Am models have a 310-hp V8 with 6-speed manual or automatic. The Trans Am WS6 Ram Air option rates 325 hp, the SLP Firehawk Package 345. Antilock 4-wheel disc brakes are standard; traction control is optional. For '02, power windows, locks, mirrors, and antenna are standard. Offered earlier in the year was a commemorative Collector package based on the Trans Am; it included WS6 equipment, yellow paint with black accents, and special wheels and trim. Firebird's performance and accommodations mirror those of like-equipped Camaros.
Competition
Our only Best Buy in this class, the Volkswagen New Beetle, offers interesting styling and a nice mix of comfort, performance, and economy. The New Beetle is the most practical and affordable in this class.

If raw performance is what you are after, we Recommend the fun-to-drive Acura RSX and Toyota Celica. These cars offer a lot of bang for your buck.
News
Firebird enjoyed a modest 6-percent year-to-year sales spurt for calendar 1999, only to fall back 8.4 percent in 2000 and another 25.8 percent in the first nine months of 2001. Actually, Firebird (sister Chevy Camaro too) has been on the sales skids for at least five years, and that's why Pontiac's muscle car is going away.

If you must have one of the final Firebirds, beware possible price-gouging on the Collector Edition package. Some dealers may ask full sticker, saying this last-of-the-line limited edition is sure to be a future "classic". But paint-and-trim specials, no matter how rare, seldom show any value advantage over less gilded siblings on the collector market. This one shouldn't be any different, so there's no reason to pay a premium now.
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