I own a 1997 Grand Am SE. I love the car in every aspect. It gets great gas mileage, corners great, has awesome acceleration, and the interior has excellent quality. I am looking to trade in my 1997 and had my heart set on the 2001 Grand Am. With the exterior improvements they made in 1998, I thought I couldn't go wrong. I test drove the 2001 yesterday. The V-6 has great power. It stopped on a dime, and the ride was extremely smooth. The first thing I noticed when I got into the car is that the interior features are way cheaper looking than in my 1997. The seats in my '97 feel like they suck you in, you feel extremely secure in their wrap around style. In the 2001, the seats feel hard and lumpy. The dash board gauges look cheaper and the knobs and buttons look like they might fall off. The second thing I noticed is that as soon as you touch the gas you can hear the engine roar. In my '97, you are almost unsure if the engine is running, it is so quiet. It sounded as if there was no metal between the engine and the cock pit and made me wonder what might happen in the event of a crash. Along that line, the seat belts felt loose. Over all it made me feel like they improved the exterior of the car, but compromised by decreasing the quality of the interior. The interior seems cheaply made, especially when compared with the 1997. I would gladly pay an extra $1,000 for a more quality interior and to feel more secure while driving it.

On the pro side, the CD stereo system was excellent. It sounded like a live concert. The exterior is beautiful and very sporty. There is ample room in for my husband and 2 teenage step sons. It is a great family car with that sporty touch.

I would recommend this car to anyone who is more concerned with looks than comfort/quality. I still think it is a great car over all, but I am a bit depressed that the interior quality was decreased when they increased the exterior quality. I feel Pontiac made a compromise when they did that, when they should have spent the extra money and kept the great interior of their previous models. I told the dealer I would think about it and let him know in a week if I want to buy it. In the mean time I am going to test dive a couple other cars before I decide.
Amount Paid (US$): 13,999
Condition: Used
Model Year: 2001
Model and Options: SE, V-6, 3400 SI Engine, CD player, rear spoiler, AC, keyless entry,