Overview & Reviews

The Pontiac brand is part of the General Motors family, and is home to many of the automaker's more performance-oriented vehicles. Currently, the marque offers a broad range of sporty cars and SUVs. However, as part of GM's restructuring plan, the brand is slated to be discontinued by the end of the 2010 model year.

Pontiac originated as the Oakland Car Company of Pontiac, Michigan, in 1907; it was founded by Edward Murphy. Acquired by General Motors in 1909, Oakland introduced the first Pontiac vehicle in 1926. Dubbed the "Chief of the Sixes," the car was powered by a six-cylinder engine and made its debut at that year's New York auto show. It was so successful that the Oakland name was phased out in favor of Pontiac, the name of an 18th-century chief of the Ottawa Indians. Throughout the 1930s and '40s Pontiac made coupes, sedans and wagons in the low-to-mid price ranges. A unique styling cue of Pontiac cars from the mid-'30s to the mid-'50s was known as "Silver Streak," a set of art-deco-inspired chrome "speed lines" that ran up over the length of the hood to the base of the windshield.

The 1950s saw the introduction of the Pontiac Bonneville. The sprawling, stylish cruiser offered equal measures of performance and luxury, and was a breakout hit. But it wasn't until the 1960s that the Pontiac brand truly came into its own. American manufacturers had begun to offer downsized alternatives to the gigantic cruisers that had ruled the highways in previous decades. Pontiac came to market with the compact Tempest. In 1964, Pontiac made its biggest impact yet with the creation of the GTO option for the Tempest. By equipping the car with the powerful 389 cubic-inch V8 from the full-size car line, Pontiac created the first "muscle car." Phenomenally successful, the GTO helped define the burgeoning muscle car category. Pontiac also saw tremendous success during the latter part of this decade with its Firebird and Firebird Trans Am.

The oil crisis of the '70s made fuel efficiency a priority for many car buyers. Following the lead of its GM siblings, Pontiac made compact vehicles like the Ventura and Phoenix a major part of its lineup. The '80s saw the launch of the two-seat Pontiac Fiero. Despite its modest beginnings (it was initially marketed as a "commuter car"), the Fiero eventually blossomed into a credible sports car.

The '90s saw the launch of Pontiacs like the Sunfire and Montana minivan. Pontiac has slowly lost sales due to changing tastes and a lack of differentiation between its models and those of other GM divisions. In hopes of recapturing past glory, the division embarked on a plan to retire aged models and introduce all-new ones with distinctive styling and personality. For a while, the effort seemed to be bearing fruit. New models like the Vibe, Solstice and G8 made Pontiac a brand to consider in many segments. However, GM's financial troubles in 2008 and 2009 have resulted in the company's decision to phase out Pontiac as a brand. It's expected 2010 will be Pontiac's last year for new models.

User Reviews:

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  Very Shaky - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Robin - February 5 - 1:36 pm

  I bought my car used and had a 60 day warranty with it. When I first bought it the power steering was a little rough so they fixed that. Then I had to take it in 3 times after that because it would shake real bad on the highway. On the third time they told me my tires were wearing unevenly. I bought new ones. Ive had to replace them and later had to replace them again. Now Im on my second year and it still is shaking real bad. It is to the point I am scared of driving it. It makes a loud clunking noise in the front when Im going around 55. I cant wait until I can afford to get rid of it. I used to love Pontiac but Im kinda glad they dont make them anymore. Im disappointed.

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  why buy a lemon? - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By montanajoke - January 22 - 3:00 pm

  I would not give anyone a plug nickle for one of these albatros of a "truck" Funny, they clasify this as a truck, and nothing is farther from the truth.GM should be ashamed for offering such a poor excuse for a minivan, and I am not surprised there is a lawsuit regarding the lower intake gasket. If they had any sack they would pony up and refund everyone $1000, which would be about 8 out of 10 owners, and they knew of the problem for years. The resale value is laughable. I have had 3 intake gaskets done and is leaking again. I would not advise my worst enemy to buy this boat anchor. Not too mention the small but numerous problems that have plauged our van from day one.

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  miserable montana - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By carnatic - January 12 - 2:00 am

  To describe this vehicle in one word--NIGHTMARE!! Oil leaks, transmission fluid leaks, coolant leaks, brake problems, anti-lock problems, electrical problems,drivers seat came apart, squeaks and rattles galore,etc.,etc.,etc. And ONLY 23,000 miles on this hunk of American JUNK!!! AND the crash test results--HORRIBLE AND APPALLING!!!

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  Grrrrrrrr - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Kevster - January 2 - 9:43 am

  I bought my 04 grand prix gtp with about 12,000 miles so it was basically new...Ive had nothing but headaches! Ive been to the service center at least 15 times...im still unhappy.. The enterior is crap..the carpeting is so cheap...The seats are always breaking..ugh...between my car overheating, sunroof leaks, cheap tires and plastic exterior...i give this car a 3 or a scale from 1-10. Im def going back to foreign vehicles.

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  Dont Buy - 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Julie Dunagan - December 28 - 10:00 am

  I will never buy another pontiac. After 1 year everything started falling apart.

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  Not too sure. - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By SUE - December 14 - 12:56 am

  Bought this car from my in laws. What a bad choice. It was low on miles when I bought it from them. Fuel censor went, and they never replaced it. It was just 32 days after they purchased it. They had done some minor repairs on it. They barely drove it. So when I bought it 9 yrs old with 114k on it. I though I was laughing. I have now put it up to 154k in about 1 1/2 yrs. And the transmission just pooched on me a few days ago. The engine light comes on often, the breaks go, the gasket needs changing. No heat in the winter or air conditioner in the summer. And its been fixed repeatably. I am glad to hand over this hunk of junk.

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  Lousy GM Torrent/Equinox vehicles - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By David M. - November 26 - 2:43 pm

  Absolutely WORST front and rear seats ever! 14.5 mpg in Summer and 12.5 mpg in Winter as overall mileage definitely PROVE GM does not really care about keeping its customers...GM will be down the tubes in short order as they keep this up. Oh, and how about the skunk smell from poor QC of radiator hose-curing, so every one of these lousy SUVs need to have dealer flush ( but GM never notifies owner of this problem !)...and unsatisfactory shifting transmission is a joy, isnt it? How about the rear strut towers intruding big-time into rear cargo area...nice play GM! Dont be foolish enough to even test drive one of these slugs...instead buy a Toyota or Honda SUV if you really want SUV.

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  2008 Pontiac G5 - 2008 Pontiac G5
  By SUnny2735 - November 19 - 7:40 pm

  This car is good for someone buying their first new vehicle. Other than that stay away from this car. The inside is plastic, and feels like its going to fall apart. The handling is crappy and that is putting it nicely. It is supposed to have about 148 HP but it feels like 100. The suspension is terrible. The road noise is outrageous and the radio signal is bad. You get static all the time.

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  Problems from day one...literally! - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By From Atlanta - October 24 - 9:23 pm

  I loved the look of this car when I first bought it May 2004. Outside and inside had great looks, but found out how cheaply made it is over time. The dashboard is pealing up by the window, the bumpers are very flimsy...able to move when washing car! About a week after purchased i moved the seat higher and would not go back down. Car overheated 2 times within first 3 mths! Thank goodness for warranty! My blinker has been blinking for over 6 mths now non stop. The light isnt on, just the sound, the mileage display and clock/radio are messed up. The display shows distorted numbers. The gas mileage is horrible...about 220 miles per tank! My AC broke 3mths ago $1,000 to repair, not even worth it

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  Never Again - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By Never Again - September 21 - 6:26 am

  Waterstained seats. rust-stained exterior paint. crappy tires, shocks replaced, brakes replace, load sensor blown, transmission shot all under 55K miles. I have brought this back to the dealer so many times it is ridiculous! I bought a new car/van so I wouldnt have mechanic bills - and, the bills keep mounting. There is no excuse for the lousy fabric they use for interiors; they know its an issue and no one cares. ALL DONE BUYING GM PRODUCTS. NEVER AGAIN!!