pigeonpepsi's Full Review: 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
I love 2003 Saturn L300. It looks good, has been very reliable, and the dealership experience has been amazing. Yet, since a family member works for GM, I'm able to get a pretty good discount on most GM products.
I got a little postcard from Pontiac telling me about the redesigned Grand Prix. I had a Grand Am before the Saturn, and it was a great little car. I have always thought that the Grand Prix was one of the better looking Pontiacs on the road. I have never really cared for all of the excess body cladding that Pontiacs were plagued with in the past. Also, the interior of the Grandprix was the worst. It looked like the dash was designed and made by some sort of cheap Rubbermaid knock off.
I arrived at a large Pontiac dealership and started looking around at the new Grand Prix. I really like the back of the car, it gives the car a nice solid looking stance, also the rest of the car was cladding free!!. I decided to drive the white one with Parchment leather interior. Closing the door gave a satisfying germanic "thunk" and that told me GM put some effort into this Pontiac redesign.
The Pontiac V6 seems smoother and is more powerful than the previous model. I also love the new throaty exhaust note. The tail pipes look like they were taken off the Cadillac STS, which is a good thing. The car itself seems to love fast driving, I think it's a sign that Pontiac is finally living up to their sports car image.
Steering the Grand Prix was smooth and linear. I didn't notice any understeer at all, which is unusual for a front wheel drive sedan. I just wish that the car was either rear wheel drive or had all wheel drive as an option. I do understand that most people in the snowbelt would prefer the added saftey of front wheel drive, but I think the weight balance of rear wheel drive is worth it.
The leather seats are wonderful. GM put a better quality of leather in the new Grand Prix, and it shows. Past Grand Prixs looked as if the seats were covered in a cheap vinyl. I also suggest the Parchment interior color combination. I think the all black interior is a bit depressing to my eyes.I quickly found a comfortable driving position and had plenty of leg room (I'm 6'3). The chrome ringed gages are a nice touch, and the quality of the interior plastics has improved greatly (which is something I think Saturn should pay attention to). The only finish that I found to be sub-par was the part of the dash that held the radio and HVAC controls. It was covered in a pebble grained hard plastic. If I designed the car I would have picked a better material for such a large area of the dash. The headliner has a nice woven pattern which is a nice departure from the usual "mouse fur" headliners that most other companies seem to prefer. When I got a chance to sit in the back seat i was surprised how flat it felt. I think this back seat is best suited for children or short trips of adults only.
Overall I think this is a good solid effort from GM. The car seems very solid, and the V6 that GM uses in this car is known for it's reliability compared to other American engines. With the Grand Prix's good looks, and American muscle, this very well may be my next car.
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