23rd Place:
Pontiac Grand Prix
Overview:
With the Grand Prix, Pontiac attempted to blend
the virtues of a sporty coupe with those of a
family sedan, and failed spectacularly. Instead
of mixing the two vehicles’ strong points, it
incorporated their weakest ones into the
vehicle, leaving it with the poor visibility and
rear seat space that results from the car’s
coupe-like styling, and the stiff ride that
results from the firm suspension tuning. But the
Grand Prix is still a rather large car, and
still handles like one. This Grand Prix has been
hovering around last place in IFCAR comparisons
since its introduction in 2004, and 2008 is its
last year before it will be replaced by the far
superior but more expensive G8.
Driving the Grand
Prix:
As noted, the Grand Prix rides very stiffly.
Bumps and other road imperfections are poorly
filtered, and the ride feels unsettled even at
highway speeds on smooth pavement. Road and
engine noise are pronounced, but wind noise is
reasonably well-muted. The car's firm suspension
tuning prevents excessive body roll in
cornering, but the slow and unresponsive
steering keeps the car from feeling sporty, and
it feels its size in fast turns. The 3.8-liter
V6 is provides adequate pep, but the Grand
Prix's acceleration is underwhelming compared to
the obscene power that many competitors now
offer. A V8 is also available. Though the engine
isn't as smooth or quiet as most of the others
in this group, it helps the Grand Prix get
relatively good gas mileage.
Inside the Grand
Prix:
The Grand Prix's poorly-contoured front seat
cushions feels lumpy and a bit too firm, and
lateral support is lacking. And the rear seat is
easily the worst in this group, less comfortable
than most compact sedans'. The sporty roofline
eats into the headroom, and the seat had to be
mounted quite low to compensate, which, along
with the short cushion and minimal leg and foot
space, destroy any levels of seat comfort. The
high window line further diminishes rear
passenger visibility, especially for smaller
occupants. The dash is coated in cheap, hard
plastic trim pieces. The instruments are angled
towards the driver, and are generally simple to
use. The gauges are quite clear and notably
large. Getting in and out of the front seats is
fairly easy, but the low roof and small footwell
complicate entry/exit to the rear. The driver
sits comfortably enough, but the sloping
windowline inhibits rearward visibility. The
trunk is roomy at least, the only merit to
emerge from the vehicle’s size.
Grand Prix
pricing:
The Grand Prix is deeply discounted in its final
months on the market, with an estimated
transaction price of nearly $4,500 below sticker
making it one of the least expensive vehicles in
this group. Aside from the group's expected
features, it also includes GM's OnStar driver
assistance system, a flat-folding front
passenger's seat, and a remote-start system. The
Grand Prix does not offer torso-protecting side
airbags or stability control, however.
Conclusion:
Overall, the Grand Prix is a large sedan priced
among inexpensive midsize ones. Yet in favor of
sporty pretensions, it eliminates all possible
large sedan benefits, such as a comfortable ride
and a roomy interior. If you want either comfort
or sportiness, or any combination of the two,
there are far better choices.
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