The four-way adjustable driver's seat on our SE1 was reasonably comfortable, but lacked lumbar support. Also, we would have preferred more side bolstering on the seat back to better hold us in place. We wonder how the cloth fabric will hold up over the long haul. A six-way power driver's seat is standard on GT1 models and leather trim is available.

Grand Am coupes are, of course, not as practical as the sedans. It's hard to get out of the back seat of the coupe. However, the spry will a find a surprising amount of legroom in the rear seat of the coupe, along with reasonably good headroom. Shoulder room and hip room are more limited.

Grand Am drivers benefit from features designed to make their lives a little less hectic. The ignition switch is conveniently located on the dash, making it easy to get going in a hurry. Automatic headlights can be set to switch on at nightfall. The headlights will automatically turn off 20 seconds after shutting off the ignition, giving the driver some time to unlock a house or garage door. Battery rundown protection automatically turns off all accessory lights after 20 minutes, in case they were left on by mistake.

A delayed locking feature can be programmed to automatically lock the doors within seven seconds of closing the last door. That eliminates the need for trusting passengers to lock their doors and permits quick retrieval of forgotten items. When the driver removes the key from the ignition, three chimes indicate the system is activated. It locks the car seven seconds after the last door is closed. If a door is opened before that time, the timer stops and starts over when the door is closed again. Exterior lights flash twice and the horn beeps to confirm that the doors are locked. A related system automatically locks the doors when the shifter is moved out of the park position. The doors automatically unlock when the shifter is placed in park and the ignition is turned off. If you don't like the way this works, the dealer should be able to reprogram it. In any case, the inside door handles are easy to grab.

The interior features a sporty retro dashboard and a cockpit designed around the driver. Circular hoods shroud the instruments, while ventilation ducts remind us of sports cars past. It's an attractive look that adds to the Grand Am's appeal. Instruments are large and easy to read and are warmly illuminated in red light. Audio and climate controls are angled toward the driver for easy access. Big round knobs adjust heating, ventilation and air conditioning. An eight-speaker Monsoon stereo is standard on GT models, optional on SE models.