Provided by:
Find at new and used cars at CarsDirect.com
By New Car Test Drive
Fun to drive and practical.
Introduction
True to its long heritage, the Pontiac Grand Prix is a big car promising performance-car excitement. The standard model offers better-than-average performance, while the GXP rolls with V8 thunder.
The Grand Prix is fun to drive in the twisties, yet it's practical. You can stuff a nine-foot kayak inside and still close the trunk, thanks to an optional front passenger seat that folds flat for long loads.
Since its debut in 1962, the Pontiac Grand Prix has been a family-size car with custom-car styling and a performance-car attitude. The first two generations of Grand Prix were big cars, even by 1960s standards. For 1969, the Grand Prix shrank to mid-size, but its theme of dramatic style continues today.
The Grand Prix is a five-passenger, four-door, front-wheel-drive sedan. The current-generation Grand Prix was launched as a 2004 model, and we think it's the best Grand Prix yet. Pontiac added more performance to the lineup with the addition of V8 power for 2006, and detail improvements followed for 2007.
The Grand Prix is powered by a 3.8-liter V6 and comes with a four-speed automatic transmission. The V6 develops 200 horsepower at 5200 rpm and 230 pound-feet of torque at 4000. The V6 gets an EPA-rated City/Highway 18/28 mpg, while meeting SULEV (Super Low Emissions Vehicle) standards in California and the Northeast.
The Grand Prix GXP boasts a 5.3-liter V8 that makes 303 horsepower at 5600 rpm and 323 pound-feet of torque at 4400 rpm. The V8 has GM's Active Fuel Management that deactivates four cylinders under light loads to improve fuel economy. The V8 gets an EPA-rated 16/25 mpg. The four-speed automatic transmission comes with a pair of steering-wheel-mounted paddles for manual shift capability. GXP models also get bigger brakes and an antiskid system.
Read Review at NewCarTestDrive.com