2003 Pontiac Grand Prix SE review from North America

Nothing so far, has an excellent service record, only regular maintenance was needed. The rotors and brakes were done before I bought it.

I love this car. As much as I loved my Alero coupe, I needed a 4-door. I've always loved Pontiacs and the Grand Prix is one of my favorite cars, however at the time, they were a little too expensive for what I was looking for and I got a great deal on a fully loaded Alero.

However the Alero falls short in many ways where the Grand Prix excels. #1 is performance. The Grand Prix outhandles many cars, even for its size. The firm, yet compliant suspension is great on the highway and the 16 inch tires and suspension help the Grand Prix handle like a sports car.

The 3.1L V6 has 5 more HP than my 3.4 Alero, and has about the same torque, so it has great power at any speed, and pulls along great on the highway. In fact with its aerodynamic shape and gearing, I can easily exceed the speed limit while barely touching the gas, where I would have to give the Alero a bit more gas.

There's also lots of room inside in case you bring people along.

If the 3.1 isn't enough for you, the GT and GTP are even better. The latter being downright muscular at any speed.

Steering feel is firm, responsive and light years better than my Alero's. Brake pedal feel and throttle response are great and the 4-wheel disc brakes stop well.

Pontiacs are known for style, and the 97-03 Grand Prix is one of the best looking midsize sedans in its class. It isn't dull or boring, and yet it doesn't rub you the wrong way.

The interior is comfortable, but I wish some of the controls were pointed to the driver like my Alero. However I do like the red backlighting, which looks sporty and performance oriented, which Pontiac basically is.

Overall I really love the car and will definitely consider another Grand Prix in the future. It drives beautifully and looks better than the competition in my opinion. It may not be as refined as a Camry or Accord, but it's a lot cheaper and a lot more fun to drive and look at as well.

I also noticed that the 06 Grand Prix won an award by J.D. Power for quality. That's a selling point, and so far I've owned 2 American cars, plus family and friends and we've had reliable cars. It doesn't matter what you buy, there's always a chance of getting a lemon, whether it be Domestic or Import, and strangely enough to some, our domestic cars have been generally more reliable than many of our import cars that we've had. Regardless, most cars today are well built and I have no problem recommending any car from any country. I'd definitely recommend this car and as I put it, my Grand Prix is my Firebird with a decent backseat.