 |
| 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix GXP (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123) |
A V8 engine sounds so sweet, and this small-block is no exception. It doesn't have the raging roar of a Hemi, but has its own deep-throat growl that is pleasing to the aural senses. The engine features Displacement on Demand, which deactivates a row of cylinders under light driving conditions, like cruising at 80 km/h on the highway. I think the idea is great, but the fact that you have no indication when DoD is active or not is disappointing. You'll never know if your efforts in keeping a snail's pace in the right lane are actually triggering the system. I'm wondering if Displacement on Demand ever got activated at all during the GXP's stay with me, since I averaged about 14.2 L/100 km under light driving and 16.5 L/100 km when driving more aggressively. I just don't understand the point of putting such a device on a performance car; if you have to drive slowly to benefit from it, you might as well just choose the 200-hp 3800 V6 and save fuel all the same. DaimlerChrysler's MDS system is no better.
In the looks department, you'll notice huge 18-inch chrome wheels which look great. Peek through the spokes and you'll spot red-painted brake callipers pinching cross-drilled discs all around. Needless to say,
 |
| 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix GXP (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123) |
stopping distances were nothing short of excellent, although it did take me a day to get used to the mushy brake pedal. The body of the GXP looks distinctive and racy; it may have been stripped of the plastic body cladding that plagued Pontiac vehicles for the last 25 years, it still looks typically GM. I think the Grand Prix looks good despite its rather long front and rear overhangs, but I would choose another color than the reflective Blue-Green Crystal paint job on my test vehicle. Dark Cherry Metallic would be a good suggestion. Some touches such as the front fender air vents, the rear spoiler and the dual exhaust with four chrome tips give the car an aggressive, down-to-business appearance.
As big as this car is on the outside, you'd expect more interior space than there really is. Front-seat occupants probably won't find much to complain about, but rear legroom and headroom suffer; blame the sloping roofline, as the top of my head nearly touches the rear glass while sitting back there. You'll feel comfortable anywhere you sit in the Grand Prix, but it's a little snug in the rear seat. The front seats are bolstered to keep you into place during hard cornering.
 |
| 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix GXP (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123) |
GM will have to be careful with some plastic bits that they use to build the dashboard; the black plastic that houses the central instrument panel is hard and has a hollow sound when you tap on it. The rest of the dash is acceptable, if not very exciting overall. Maybe it's the number of air vents that pollute the visual appearance, maybe it's the grey and black hues that look depressive, or maybe both. There's a dual-zone climate control system, but for some reason, whatever setting I would choose, the air conditioning always turns on when you start the car. It's annoying when you forget to turn it off and realize that it's on after driving for an hour and might have uselessly wasted fuel.
