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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  Montana is very solid! - 2003 Pontiac Montana
  By mitsos16 - September 9 - 10:00 am

  We purchased our Montana (Thunder Edition) with Montana vision and the sports package that came with the Thunder badging a month before the birth of our second son. I can say that it was a wise decision and although deep down I wanted the Odyssey I am very happy with our Montana. I have had no major problems with it at 18k miles and the little ones love the dvd system (as do mom and dad)! I think the controls are functional, but have the cheap feel that all GM vehicles have. The location of the dvd player is a bit inconvenient (by the floor on the front center console) and the controls for the DVD player are not laid out well.

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  kitti2719 - 2007 Pontiac Vibe
  By kitti2719 - September 9 - 5:06 am

  Traded my Ford Explorer in for the the Vibe and I love it - much better gas mileage and there I find I have just as much room in the Vibe as I did the Explorer. Although I had to get to used to the front wheel drive I think it handles quite well except when next to big Trucks on the hwy you can really feel the wind pulling. The only problems I seem to be having is with the windows wind seems to howl through drivers side and I think the seal is broken in the hatch back window

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  Noisy, Poor outward visibility - 2010 Pontiac Vibe
  By Mike Joseph - September 8 - 11:56 pm

  I have driven this car only for two weeks and my first impression was how small this car is and fits so much inside. It took me a while until I got used to windows and mirrors, its hard to see everything from these little windows so I was always worried about the blind spots. Also the way the hood was designed there is no way that you can see the end of the car or at least if you are close to hit something. The way the car handles is really good, it lacks power but what can you expect from a 1.8 liter engine. The main issue that I had with this car was the road noise, its so weird that you can never get comfortable when you drive on a highway from the noise level.

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  As fun as it looks.... - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By badgerfan68 - September 7 - 8:26 am

  Ive had my 09 Vibe for about a month and really enjoy it. I have a GT w/ the 4sp automatic. The vehicle is responsive with excellent acceleration and the steering is tight and active. Weve already taken a weekend road trip with the vehicle and comfortable carried my wife, child, dog and all the necessary gear associated with the aforementioned. On the highway, we achieved 30 MPG, in town around 25 MPG. The ride is very smooth and quiet, with minimal road noise. There are no squeaks and rattles so far (which drive me crazy) and the fit and finish is clean and tight. Storage room is ample for compact car.

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  WS6 Trans Am - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By Vulturez - September 4 - 10:06 pm

  Extremely powerful, fun to drive, last of the true muscle cars! Interior could be styled with less plastic, however has true cockpit feel. Turns heads at every stoplight due to aerodynamic exterior. Sorry to see this classic go out of production.

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  Hooray for GM engineering - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By AdamJoe - September 4 - 10:00 am

  I just bought a new Grand Prix GTP with the Comp. Group package, and I couldnt have been more surprised with the way the new car is built. Im glad to see that GM is making headway against the foreign brands. The quality seems to be much impoved regarding materials and rigidity. Nice touches such as the waffle pattern head liner, or theatrical lighting when entering the car. This car feels tight in every aspect. I could go on forever about the new Grand Prix, but I wont. Lets just hope this is a first of things to come from GM.

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  98 Review - 1998 Pontiac Firebird
  By justin lemhuis - September 3 - 12:33 am

  Good horsepower, outruns most stock. Good buy vs any 93 to 02 Camaro, Firebird, and Mustang. Great style over all the others mild performance mods will crush the competition. The last Pontiac will ever make.

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  Impressed but not thrilled. - 2008 Pontiac Vibe
  By TheCarGuy999 - August 31 - 11:36 pm

  Nice reliable transportation that offers acceptable gas mileage at the cost of acceleration, performance & in cabin comforts. I am experiencing a few rattles in the cabin during acceleration that gets louder the harder you push the small 1.8 L. Sunroof is disappointing, 2 visits to the dealer has made the leaking almost stop. Versatility of fold down seats and cargo capacity are spectacular.

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  My Mothers-Day Gift From Hubby & Kids - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Teri Munoz - August 31 - 5:13 pm

  I have been looking at this car since November. I told my husband I like this car. its perfect for me and the kids. I have owned almost every chevy car. This is my first Pontiac and I love it. Thanks to my Husband & kids.

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  A good buy - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By gmmas - August 31 - 3:30 am

  I tested this car in comparison to many others thinking that it would not be enough car for me. I tested it on the highway and found that it was plenty of car to pass and I could get a ticket if I tried..no problem. It has also been very functional with a lot of cargo room and very handy tie down spots for bungee cords. The roof rack is pretty much just for decoration though in my opinion. I get 35 mph on the highway with the AC on and after over 11,000 miles have not had a single initial quality issue. Lastly many other cars have stolen the overall Vibe styling. The vibe was the first with this general look.