Slip behind the wheel and the Grand Am's racy personality immediately shows up in theinstrument panel -- a cacophony of orange and red dials that rival a carnival midway
when they're lit for nighttime driving.
You soon get used to that, however, and all of the controls are pretty easy to figure
out and use. The radio buttons are especially big and friendly, and the heating and
cooling system is operated by three large, simple knobs just below the sound system.
But getting comfortable in the Grand Am is more of a challenge than in most other
mid-size cars. The front seats seem to sit lower to the floor and there's a slight
sense of having to look up and over the dashboard to see out. Many drivers also find
that they have to sit too close to the steering wheel in order to comfortably reach
the pedals.
The Grand Am's cabin feels smaller than in many competitors, including the Accord or
Dodge Stratus. Pontiac says the Grand Am has comparable legroom and headroom. But