Introduction

This is the third iteration of the Grand Prix since it turned into a front wheel drive car based on GM's "W-body" platform. This car is part of GM's all-out assult on the sport sedans available from Japan and Germany, and GM has been boasting about the vast improvements in this model over the previous one. The car is available only in sedan trim, as the coupe trim met its demise for the 2003 model year. Is this car the improvement GM claims it to be? I'll let you know what I found in the day I spent with a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP with the Competition Group.

Features

The new Grand Prix is similar to the previous generation in terms of available features; however, it does improve on several of the existing features from the previous iteration.

For example, the head-up windshield display now features many more display options. It can display any of the information available in the Driver Information Center, whereas the previous generation's head-up display could only display speed, turn signals, radio frequency, engine boost (for the supercharged editions), and a few select warning icons. The 2004 Grand Prix's head-up display also has these features. The new head-up display unit also features better resolution, and a feature called "Stealth Mode." This mode kills all dash lighting and allows the driver to only use the head-up display, which provides for better visibility at night. I wish my 1998 Grand Prix could turn everything but the head-up display off, as well.

Other vast improvements lie in the Driver Information Center, a display located in the upper middle of the dash. It displays much more information now, and can now display readings in three different languages (English, French, and Spanish). This would undoubtedly be useful for those learning a second language. Two of the most useful additions to the DIC, however, are a transmission fluid temperature gauge and a digital compass. Both of these can be displayed on the windshield via the HUD. The compass was on the rearview mirror in the previous Grand Prix, but the new location is far more convenient. The transmission temperature gauge comes in handy by allowing the driver to keep his or her eye on the transmission temperature, which can warn of a problem that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Other improvements lie in various places throughout the car. The fuel system pressure has been increased by approximately 36%, according to GM Media, which results in easier starting. The weak, but durable, 3.1-liter engine has been dropped, and the 3.8-liter now serves duty as the sole engine.

The car, in this trim, also features new options such as a stability control system, TAPshift (an automanual system), factory 17" wheels, the new MagnaSteer II variable-effort steering system, and a more aggressive 3.29 axle ratio. The above features will be discussed in more detail in the "Ride and Drive" section.

Interior and Features Quality

A redesign of the interior is something that was desperately needed with the previous-generation Grand Prix. I think the 2004 interior looks and feels better all the way around. Instead of having a huge, arcing hood spanning from the left A-pillar all the way to the right side of the center stack as in the previous Grand Prix, the instrument hood covers the gauges only. The center stack features a much sharper angle toward the driver, and the interior flows much better than the previous one did. The seats are redesigned, and provide far better lateral support than the previous ones did, but Pontiac didn't seem to get the head restraints right on this one. On the front seat, they're adjustable, and feel solid enough. They lock in place when you adjust them, but they were much too far back from my head with the seat reclined at a comfortable angle to provide ample whiplash protection in a rear collision. Other than that, the front seats are quite comfortable. The back seat, however, sits far too low to the ground, and legroom is limited. It has room enough for two people, but I wouldn't recommend asking two of your adult friends to sit back there for a long trip. You might have to find two new friends. Sitting three people in the back seat is advisable for very short trips only.

Pontiac claims that it worked closely with the interior designers and interior component suppliers to provide the tightest interior of any Pontiac yet. The previous rendition of this car always took some flak for its cheaply executed interior, and Pontiac is seeking to shed this reputation. Did they succeed? Well, in my opinion, yes and no. The materials are most certainly of higher quality than in the previous generation, as the switchgear and most internal components felt substantial. The audio controls, driver information center screen, and climate control head are all flush-mounted instead of being recessed, which indicates more precise fits that don't need to be hidden by bezels. The HVAC vents and their cutouts were evenly matched, controls operated smoothly, and squeaks and rattles were practically nonexistent.

All of the above said, Pontiac could learn a few things from the likes of Honda who, in my opinion, builds the best vehicle interiors out of them all. The materials in the Pontiac are fine, but the assembly quality is subpar. Door seals weren't installed properly, plastic trim around the A and C pillars wasn't fully attached, and the passenger's side lower dash panel was crooked in its moorings. These are things that are easily corrected, but they don't give an overall impression of superior quality like the interior of a Honda or, to a lesser extend, a Toyota or Nissan product. Overall, it's still a quantum leap compared with the old interior, and hopefully the build quality issues will be resolved by next model year.

Powertrains

As I mentioned earlier, the 3.1-liter V6 has been dropped as the base engine. The newly revised 3.8 liter engine, dubbed the 3800 Series III (previously Series II), serves duty as the sole engine in this car. It's available normally-aspirated in the GT1 and GT2 trims, and supercharged in the GTP and GTP Comp G trims. In base form, this engine provides 200 horsepower and 230 lb-ft of torque. In supercharged form, the engine kicks out a healthy 260 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. What's more, is that in the up-level engine, 90% of this torque is available throughout the majority of the rev range. This results in power throughout the rev range. The normally-aspirated base engine has similar power traits, but without the assistance of the supercharger, its pushrod design causes it to run out of breath at high speeds. The benefit of this pushrod design, however, is that there is no timing belt that must be changed periodically, whereas most of the overhead cam engines in competing cars feature timing belts.

The 3800 Series II was a reasonably smooth engine, but the Series III is even smoother. The Series III features several revisions that are designed to improve reliability. Probably the best of these revisions is that the Series III features an aluminum, rather than a composite, intake manifold. The Series II's composite (plastic) intake manifold had the tendancy to crack, causing coolant to leak into the engine's oil supply. As any car enthusiast will tell you, this is fatal to any engine after a significant amount of time.

Both engines are coupled to GM's excellent 4T65-E four-speed automatic transmission. A five-speed automatic unit would be more competitive, but as in typical GM fashion, the 4T65 provided fast, smooth shifting. The TAPshift is GM's version of an automanual transmission, and it works quite well. Unlike Chrysler's AutoStick, the Grand Prix's transmission shifts as soon as you press the paddle to upshift or downshift. This one won't baby you, either, by upshifting for you if you get distracted. Unless you tap the paddle to upshift the transmission, you'll bump the engine against its rev limiter. Transmission performance was overall very good, but I do have one complaint. During relaxed in-town driving, the transmission tended to upshift to fourth gear far too soon, sending the tachometer below the 1,000RPM mark. The result was that it lugged the engine, and it disrupted the otherwise finely-tuned automatic.

After some spirited driving on a favorite twisty road, I can confirm that GM's excellent StabiliTrak Sport system found on this car does exactly what it's supposed to. I deliberately pushed the car past its limits on some curvy roads, and the StabiliTrak system modulated the appropriate brake and easily reined the car back in. This system can be defeated, but it doesn't intrude during normal driving, so why would you really want to? The traction control system also works well, and the optional OnStar system provided instant access to an advisor, should I have ran into any trouble.

Ride & Drive

The Comp G package fits the Grand Prix with StabiliTrak Sport, a sport-tuned suspension system, and a much more aggressive axle ratio. The result? Blistering acceleration performance that is safely in sports car territory. The supercharger's boost is linear and sure, and torque steer is notably absent. Handling is surefooted on the highway, but the Grand Prix tends to trip on its own feet in quick emergency maneuvers, and MagnaSteer II switches to full assist when it detects an emergency situation, making it very easy to overcorrect the steering. The W-body platform isn't stiff enough to allow for optimal suspension tuning, and the above is the result. Overall, the handling experience isn't as satisfying as the Nissan Altima 3.5 SE or even the Saturn L300, both of which cost thousands less when fully loaded.

The good news is that Pontiac has a lot of other things figured out that it didn't quite get right in the last generation of this car. Body movement on the highway is far better controlled. Large bumps don't upset the chassis nearly as much as on the old model, and road and wind noise are practically nonexistent. The engine was louder than in the previous generation, however, at lower speeds. At highway speeds, engine noise was not noticable.

The brakes on this car are far improved over the one it replaces. The previous car's brakes were somewhat mushy, though easy to modulate. This car's brake pedal is very firm and provides easy-to-modulate, linear braking. These brakes would be perfectly easy to modulate if you happen to have a GT1 model without ABS. This is probably the most vast improvement over the previous model in the driving experience arena.

During my drive, most features worked well. The controls and switches worked smoothly, and the heater delivered a pleasant, even heat on the floorboard. The heated seats also delivered reasonably uniform heat, and feature two settings for utmost comfort. This is an improvement over last year's model, which only offered a driver's heated seat. In this edition, both driver and front passenger seats are heated. I didn't have an opportunity to rate the performance of the air conditioning system, given the time of year I drove the car.

Overall, the ride and noise level are far more refined than in the previous generation, but it's still got a long way to go before it's on the same level as the new Honda Accord. That said, the Accord is much less fun to drive.

Styling

Fans of Pontiac styling will recognize the signature dual-port grille with an aggressive Pontiac arrowhead logo right in the middle of it. The family resemblance to the Bonneville is quite striking. One will notice, however, the conspicuous lack of bodyside cladding, which has been a Pontiac staple for years. The only piece of cladding is along the doors, and it's largely recessed, and not very noticable. Overall, I think it works well. The overall effect isn't revolutionary; it looks exactly like what it is--the next generation of the Grand Prix.

Safety

The new Grand Prix features dual-stage frontal airbags and available curtain-style side airbags. The W-body platform was thoroughly revised to provide better crash results. The jury is still out on the frontal offset crash test, but according to the U.S. government, these efforts weren't particularly effective. It receives only three out of five stars for both side-impact measures, three out of five stars for the driver in the frontal full-width crash test, and four out of five for the front passenger in this same test. For a supposedly newly-engineered car, these safety ratings are nothing to write home about. I suspect the poor driver measurement has something to do with poor airbag timing, but the fact remains that such a low score in the frontal test isn't exactly excusable in a car that GM expects to retake the market with.

Wrap-up

Although there's plenty to like about the 2004 Grand Prix, there's more to like about the competition. This Grand Prix does most everything better than the previous one, but it's still a mediocre car in comparison to most other sport sedans out there. It does have some unique features for this segment, however, such as the StabiliTrak Sport, OnStar, the head-up display, and the fold-flat front passenger seat. Given the fact that it would most likely be used as a family car, the abysmal crash scores are somewhat disturbing. As a sport sedan, this car's got it in terms of acceleration, but it's the most fun when driven in a straight line. The handling may disappoint some enthusiast drivers, yours truly included. Until GM addresses these issues, I'd recommend a GT1 or GT2 model for mainstream buyers, and I'd recommend that enthusiast drivers shop around carefully before choosing the GTP or GTP Comp G model.

Recommended:
No

Amount Paid (US$): Test drive
Model Year: 2004
Model and Options: Grand Prix GTP with Competition Group