1999 Pontiac Grand Am Review (continued)
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Driving Impressions

A day spent driving around greater Miami revealed that the 1999 Grand Am offers a smoother, more controlled ride quality than the 1998 model. There's a noticeable absence of shimmy and shake and rattles over potholes. It's also much quieter inside.

Miami's busy roads provided little opportunity to fully explore chassis dynamics, but compared with the previous model, the new Grand Am feels taut. It provides sharper steering response and makes the driver feel better connected to the road.

We focused on driving a sedan equipped with the standard 2.4-liter engine and the SE1 trim package as that's what most people are expected to buy. With its relatively flat torque curve, this engine delivers plenty of power around town and offers good acceleration for tackling freeway on-ramps. The four-speed automatic offers smooth, positive shifts and seems a good match for the engine.