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2008 Pontiac Grand Prix Review

August 19, 2008

STYLING | 6 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Grand Prix has not aged well
Car and Driver

Aging design
Cars.com

kind of gawky
Jalopnik

slavishly obeisant to Pontiac's past
Automobile

an overabundance of gray
Autoblog

The 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix, while breaking from Pontiac’s straked and cladded past, breaks little ground in the larger world of automotive styling. In 2004 it received a makeover with a sleeker outside appearance that did away with the much-maligned ribbed body cladding along the lower portion of the doors.

Calling it a “sports sedan wannabe,” Car and Driver claims “the Grand Prix’s image is one part swoopy styling and one part performance.” Kelley Blue Book celebrates the elimination of Pontiac’s ubiquitous tacked-on side body cladding “that once plastered every Pontiac with sporting intentions,” claiming that it “has finally been banished.” Automobile also remarks on the cleaner exterior styling when compared to prior generations, but feels that the Grand Prix “is a little underprepared for the competition.”

Though the Grand Prix’s sleek exterior still looks quite contemporary, its instrument panel in particular has a chunky silhouette with lots of unappealing plastic surfaces and appears quite dated, though it’s angled usefully toward the driver. On the inside, the attempt to generate excitement with gee-whiz features and oversize dials draws mixed reviews. Car and Driver finds the interior littered with “oddly textured plastics that don’t quite avoid looking cheap.” Yet Kelley Blue Book comments that “the Grand Prix’s dash is playful, with overlapping folds, large round air vents and prominent red lighting.” An Autoblog editor complains about an “overabundance of gray.”

Conclusion

The 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix avoids the miscues of the past, but doesn’t break any new ground.

STYLING | 6 out of 10Expert Quotes:Grand Prix has not aged wellCar and DriverAging designCars.comkind of gawkyJalopnikslavishly obeisant to Pontiac's pastAutomobilean overabundance of grayAutoblog The 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix, while breaking from Pontiac’s straked and cladded past, breaks little ground in the larger world of automotive styling. In 2004 it received a makeover with a sleeker outside appearance that did away with the much-maligned ribbed body cladding along the lower portion of the doors. Calling it a “sports sedan wannabe,” Car and Driver claims “the Grand Prix’s image is one part swoopy styling and one part performance.” Kelley Blue Book celebrates the elimination of Pontiac’s ubiquitous tacked-on side body cladding “that once plastered every Pontiac with sporting intentions,” claiming that it “has finally been banished.” Automobile also remarks on the cleaner exterior styling when compared to prior generations, but feels that the Grand Prix “is a little underprepared for the competition.” Though the Grand Prix’s sleek exterior still looks quite contemporary, its instrument panel in particular has a chunky silhouette with lots of unappealing plastic surfaces and appears quite dated, though it’s angled usefully toward the driver. On the inside, the attempt to generate excitement with gee-whiz features and oversize dials draws mixed reviews. Car and Driver finds the interior littered with “oddly textured plastics that don’t quite avoid looking cheap.” Yet Kelley Blue Book comments that “the Grand Prix’s dash is playful, with overlapping folds, large round air vents and prominent red lighting.” An Autoblog editor complains about an “overabundance of gray.” ConclusionThe 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix avoids the miscues of the past, but doesn’t break any new ground.  2008 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX STYLING | [6 out of 10] Car and Driver: “Grand Prix has not aged well” Cars.com: “Aging design” Jalopnik: “kind of gawky” Automobile: “slavishly obeisant to Pontiac's past” Autoblog: “an overabundance of gray” The 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix, while breaking ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix was very nearly made redundant several years ago with the introduction of the G6 sedan, which is almost as roomy inside. Its closest rival may be the Nissan Maxima, which offers gutsy V-6 performance and front-wheel drive; the current Maxima, however, doesn’t feel tremendously sporty due to its CVT and softer tuning than in previous iterations, though its interior is very attractive. The Ford Taurus isn’t at all fashionable, but it’s extremely spacious, rides well, and has ample power from the 3.5-liter V-6 and six-speed automatic; the Taurus is also one of the safest cars available. Other types of buyers might better appreciate the Dodge Charger, which comes in V-6 and V-8 variants with rear- or all-wheel drive. But the Charger doesn’t ride quite as well as these other rivals, and its backseat is smaller.

Next Steps:

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See the Pontiac Grand Prix in Other Years:

2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

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