2001 Pontiac Grand Am SE-1 4-door sedan review from North America

Since purchasing the car in March of 2003 I have not had one problem with this car.

This is the best car I have ever owned. In terms of power, performance, ride and handling it is superior to any car I have owned.

My previous car was a V-8 Mustang, and I was amazed at how little power and performance I gave up in trading it for the Grand Am. The acceleration of this 4-cylinder Grand Am is far superior to my V-6 truck and our 275 horsepower SUV.

The ride of the Grand Am is quiet and smooth, quite unlike the bone-jarring suspensions in previous cars I have owned. Handling may not be quite as sporty, but the ability to enjoy driving briskly without having the fillings jarred out of my teeth offsets any minute disadvantage in high-speed cornering.

Although much maligned by some car magazines and reviewers, I find the sporty and distinctive body cladding to be a tremendous plus in avoiding parking lot dings as well as keeping the Grand Am from looking like every other plain-Jane small car on the road.

Sadly, since Pontiac no longer makes the Grand Am, I will be forced to purchase my next car from another manufacturer. I have test driven two new G-6 models and found them to be major disappointments in both performance and styling.

Unfortunately, the G-6 has joined the ranks of the boring, look-alike crowd.

To those looking for a truly great value in a good used car, I can think of no car more deserving of a look than the Grand Am, especially the very sporty and powerful GT models. If I can find a very clean, low-mileage 2003 Grand Am GT when I am ready for another car, that will be my choice.