The Morning Call and Mcall.com's view

There are great mysteries that permeate the world of automobiles, such as, “Why did so many people buy Vegas? Was the Pacer a fat car or a harbinger of future automotive styling? Do people really eat in their cars more often than in their dining rooms?”

And finally: “How does Pontiac sell so many Grand Ams?”

At least I wondered until I drove one. This car is the equivalent of eating in a really good diner. Tasty, filling and a lot for the money.

For just above the price of a fully loaded econobox, you get a car with an aggressive, bold exterior that won’t get lost in a crowded parking lot (although yours may get lost among all the other Grand Ams).

There are two trim levels: SE and GT. The main difference is options availability and suspension tuning. Standard is GM’s thoroughly modern double overhead cam 16-valve 2.4-liter four. Producing 150 horses and 155 foot-pounds of torque, this engine is adequate for a 2,987-pound sedan. Better opt for the older but more powerful 3.1-liter V6. It’s only five more horses than the four, but has 30 more foot-pounds of torque, making it a better match for automatic transmissions. (A five-speed manual is standard).

Despite the presence of traction control, there was enough power to make this Grand Am squirrelly on hard starts. The engine growls with authority, but handling is a mixed bag. The GT suspension is incredibly capable, able to get thorough the twisties quickly, but there’s enough body lean to discourage it. The GT suspension extracts a price for this performance, too: it’s harsh enough over bumps to loosen your fillings. Part of the blame goes to the suspension setup itself: independent front, semi-independent with torsion beam rear.

The brakes, while not as good as those from some competitors, seemed better than most GM small-car offerings, though the hardware is hardly exotic: front disc, rear drum with anti-lock. Overall, the performance is quick, though not as sophisticated as some rivals.

The lack of polish in performance is made up in the interior, which was refashioned for the ’96 model year. You get a lot of bang for the buck here. The front bucket seats are mildly supportive, covered in a truly modern colorful fabric that was quite attractive. It livened up the interior and is a big improvement over the plain fabrics that usually see duty in these cars. The back seats were a little low, with a bit more room than up front. Either way, you seem to get more room than in their GM cousins, the Oldsmobile Achieva and Buick Skylark.

The dash, all-new last year, features attractive round air-conditioning vents familiar to people who know old AMC products. The driver faces large gauges that are easy to read, lacking only an oil pressure gauge and voltmeter to be complete. The radio, thoughtfully mounted above the climate controls, has decent sound and, when the graphic equalizer was tuned right, great sound. Duplicate stereo controls grace the bottom of the steering wheel. Usually a convenience, their placement in this model insures you’ll rarely use this option.

Trunk space was more ample than its 13.4 cubic feet suggests.

Safety is tops on most people’s lists, and Pontiac takes care of that, too. With traction control, anti-lock brakes, adjustable front seat belts, daytime running lamps, dual air bags and child security locks, the folks at Pontiac have all the bases covered.

There was one glitch on our sample. The driver’s door was sticky to open from the outside. Once closed, this door produced enough wind noise to sound like a window was left open.

On the plus side, GM has put the wiper stalk on the right side of the steering column. Sun visor extensions, remote fuel and trunk releases, cup holders and a roomy console also graced the interior. This, and the adoption of a single key for both the doors and trunk answers that one mysterious question: “When is GM going to wake up and join the rest of the automotive world?”

The answer: Right now.

1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT Standard: 2.4-liter double overhead cam 16-valve four-cylinder engine, five-speed manual transmission, front-wheel drive, power rack and pinion steering, stainless steel exhaust, P205/55R16 performance tires, dual air bags, four-wheel anti-lock power front disc-rear drum brakes, automatic light control, power door locks, aluminum wheels, rear spoiler, GT fascia and ground effects, fog lamps, intermittent wipers, air-conditioning, tilt wheel, AM/FM four-speaker stereo, remote fuel and trunk releases. Options: Option Group 1SC (cruise control, rear defroster, AM/FM stereo cassette, variable effort power steering, split folding rear seats, power windows, power mirrors, keyless entry), four-speed automatic transmission, 3.1-liter V6, power six-way drivers seat, AM/FM CD player with graphic equalizer and six speakers, sport interior group (up-level seat design, driver’s lumbar adjustment, reading lamps, sun visor extensions), steering wheel radio controls. Base price: $15,874 As tested: $19,936 EPA rating: 20 mpg city, 29 mpg highway Test mileage: 25 mpg