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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  No passenger leg room - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Brent - December 7 - 1:30 am

  I have the V6, it is extremely noisy, low gas mileage especially in town. I get maybe 24 on the open highway. They replaced the tires twice at the dealer and it still shakes at 65/70 MPH. The worst feature is the front passenger seat does not go back as far as the driver side. It is 5 inches shorter and anyone over 5 foot 10 inches is very uncomfortable. Pontiac attitude is poor regarding this

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  So far-so good - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By Shangshang - December 3 - 10:00 am

  This is the first review of our (new to us) 1999 Pontiac Montana. We have a huge extended family and a total of 5 so far in ours. We are a softball/ baseball family as well and travel to tournaments. I will report our findings both good and bad as this seems to be a very solid van. By the way I am 62" @ 235lbs and I FIT IN THIS VAN! Woo-hoo..

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  Great American Iron - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Buddy04 - December 3 - 10:00 am

  The car really looks and runs great. Plenty of passersby comment on how nice it looks. I would have hoped for better mileage, but other than that, I have been entirely satisfied.

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  Pontiac Aztek - 2005 Pontiac Aztek
  By WILLIAM MICHAUD - December 2 - 12:06 am

  Despite the negative reviews I have read, I find this vehicle to be a great handling SUV. It is quiet, has great features, gives decent mileage, and is fairly comfortable. The only problem I have encountered to date is the rear hatch release, sometimes requiring 2 or three clicks to open.

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  New to me - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By skitterbug - December 1 - 2:50 pm

  My 08 grand prix is 2 yrs old w/ 60k miles. Ive only had it 2 days but so far it seems like a good car. The interior could use some work, Im 57 and I feel like im going to hit my head on the roof w/ the seat completely lowered. On the other hand my 2 children cannt see out the windows in the back because the seats are too low. My son is 43, 5 yrs old and in a booster, the window placement is way too high. Plus Im use to driving SUVs and I dont like how low the car sits I feel like I have to pull myself up out of the car. Time will tell I love pontiac and this is my second one. My sunfire lasted 7 years w/ tons of driving and little maintence hope this one holds up as well.

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  Lousy car, Lousy dealer - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Heff - December 1 - 8:30 am

  This was my second GP...what a disappointment! The A/C was repaired 3 years in a row. Once under warranty and the last two on me. The A/C was not working again this year, so the car is gone. Given a different reason each time, supposedly, but the result was always the same - no A/C. Water leaks, bearings, undiagnosed vibrations, excessive road noise and tire wear, a stereo system with speakers that constantly cut out, and non-stop computer problems made this car the worst I have ever owned. The most the dealer would say - well, that happens some time. Ive purchased several cars from this dealer, but never again. Likewise for the Grand Prix.

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  What a van! - 2003 Pontiac Montana
  By DocBen - November 30 - 2:00 am

  Im not sure what the other reviews are talking about, but I love this van! It is beautiful and stylish, and the amenities are awesome. Great ride, very comfortable back seat, etc.

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  Pretty Damn good - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Alan Lowe - November 28 - 10:00 am

  This car is incredibly fun to drive. I could be much happier with the fuel mileage however this is a fun little sports car.

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  I LOVED my GTP but now shes gone - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Sandra - November 24 - 5:43 pm

  I bought this car used in Feb. 07 and lost it in an accident July 08. It was quick and accelerated smoothly, performed well both on the city streets and on long trips. Very nice stereo system-great bass. Minor drawback is some of the paint chipped off the radios on/off button and the knobs/buttons in general seemed a bit cheap. Mileage averaged approx. 19 in city and 23 highway. In these times of high gas prices, one might struggle between choosing this higher performing car versus a more efficient auto. I had my fun but have now concluded I must choose a more economical vehicle; however, I will never forget my Pontiac G6 GTP.

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  Good but not great - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By chad - November 24 - 7:40 am

  I bought my grand am gt 2 months ago and love it for the most part. It really runs well and has a thrill factor to it. I would like a little more power though. The ram air is a joke and im looking into cold air intake. Car guzzles gas like a v-8. It is important not to run cheap gas in these cars as your performance will suffer. Dont get me wrong i love th e car but pontiac cant seem to get enough power out of a 6- cylinder engine. Should be faster than it is. Any model but the gt is a waste of money.