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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  Love This Car! - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By amiejungej - October 25 - 2:00 am

  After owning two previous Grand Prixs, a 97 then a 2001, (we loved them both) we decided a newer one was in order. I have only had my GXP for a couple of months, and I wouldnt trade it for anything. We took her on a road trip from Nebraska to California, and we were very impressed with the mileage that we got, even over mountains! I really like how everything is within easy reach of the driver, even if she is short. I love this car! Pontiac should have never quit making driving excitement.

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  Great Car!!!!! - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By jpd12 - October 23 - 7:06 pm

  I use this website alot when purchasing used cars, so I thought I should contriburte. We purchased our 05 Vibe in July of 09 with 100,000 miles and have absolutely loved it! Unfortunately we got in an accident and the car was totaled. Definitely looking for another. The transmission was auto.

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  97 Pontiac Grand Am GT Sedan - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By 97 GT - October 22 - 10:16 pm

  Bought this car in 2005 for my wife. The first 2 years it was in the shop 3 times for the water pump, brake fluid leak, and complete tune-up. Since 2008 i have been driving the car and my wife got the upgrade. Since i have been driving it the a/c compressor went out, the driver side mirror fell off (thank heaven for super glue 2 years and still holding), mirror control switch fell into the door, and the exhaust is leaking. My wife biggest complaint is the lack of braking power, meaning you have to push really hard not a big deal for me though. My only complaint is the lack luster V-6, very sluggish under acceleration unless hard on throttle. Overall we are pleased with the car 19 city 28 hwy

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  slower but excellent value - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Bob - October 22 - 3:30 pm

  Our Vibe is a great value... storage, comfort, independent suspension creates competent ride and handling. All Wheel drive has proven itself in snow and wet weather. Unfortunate lack of torque and power, one time snow/ice packed into wheels and created a terrible wheel balancing problem. Any other compaints might include squeaky brakes when wet. Otherwise, a very dependable and long term quality car.

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  One Fantastic Ride - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By Greg Halford - October 22 - 1:00 pm

  I owned a 2005 Vibe since 2006. It had 21000 miles on it when I bought it. I drove that car for 3+ years and had the mileage up to 112000 when Bambi took me out of the race. I was sooo mad.. There was no thinking about it and I went right out and bought another one. I loved the first one and Im still loving the second one. Other than normal maintenance Ive never had either car in for any problems.!! Just oil and filters and replacing the tires. You can not go wrong with a Vibe !! Too bad that Pontiac is going out of busines as this particular type of Pontiac is a sure-fire winner. I will be sure to purchase another one before you cant find them anymore.

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  Stand back overpriced/overrated Euros - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Ken Hansen - October 22 - 5:50 am

  A dream and a hoot to drive!!! Beautiful erogonomic interior...all dials and switches easy to use and read...fabulous acceleration and gas mileage....zippo maintenance...and I dont have to carry a mechanic with me or pay for his trips to Germany or Japan every few months....the GM sleeping giant has awakened...big time. Here is a fairly priced car that does it all! And yeah, its American!

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  Incredible package!! - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By KaiserM715 - October 21 - 7:30 pm

  My wife and I have put about 1000 miles on our G8. It is FANTASTIC!! The acceleration is brisk, the handling is crisp and the interior is excellent. The look of the car is somewhat European (or Aussie!!). The fit and finish and ergonomics are all excellent. The leather with the premium package has an excellent feel. The seats are very comfy on road trips and the back seat leg room is generous. The steering wheel with the sport package feels very nice in your hands. The car is a great value, a lot of features and a lot of car for the money.

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  I Love my Ram Air Trans Am! - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By BigJim - October 21 - 3:06 pm

  My Trans Am has been a very low maintenance car. The power is terrific and the mileage is very good considering the power. I have had only very minor problems with this car and it is almost 8 years old and I DRIVE it!

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  Steering Problem - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Darla - October 21 - 3:30 am

  I would like to thank everyone that wrote about their G6. I purchased mine in February of this year, used. After a few days, I started to complain about the steering. My car was very had to steer like it did not have power steering and there was a clunking noise. Two dealerships told me nothing was wrong. Finally I went back. I had to have the steering pump and intermediate drive replaced. The dealer wanted to charge me, but I brought up the information that I had learned reading the reviews here and that I had taken my car in when it was under warranty with the same problem. In the end they did warranty the repairs.

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  Highly recommended! - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By mavisbean - October 21 - 2:00 am

  I absolutely LOVE this vehicle! It feels & drives like a much more expensive SUV. Its very roomy and comfortable and the passengers in the back have plenty of leg room.