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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  Expected ecitement and quality, oops - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By UKFan - November 24 - 2:00 am

  As a previous owner of a 1995 SEL, I really like the improvements in the 2000 model. Ive had a few issues: replaced heater fan, water gathered under the spoiler and would spill into the trunk when I opened it, an A/C hose failed last year. But what really pissed me off, was both of the rear power window motors had to be replaced within two weeks of each other. This happend at just under 40,000 miles and the dealer nor GM would cover it under warranty. I had to go through a lenghty process to get 50% back from GM.

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  Stylish and Practical - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Frank - November 23 - 1:23 am

  The 3.5 V6 engine provides plenty of power and the coupe is very quick at all speeds. Although the G6 uses a 4- speed transmission, gas mileage is pretty good. The G6 ride is firm and responsive, but there is a moderate amount of road noise. The interior is much improved over previous models, but still not perfect. The chrome outlined dash layout and controls are very nice, but there is way too much hard plastic that gives a cheap feel. Especially the steering wheel. It is hard, uncomfortable and will slip in your hands. The cup holders are put where drinks will restrict your driving. Overall, a well equipped and stylish vehicle for the money. Would recommend.

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  not like 2006 - 2008 Pontiac Torrent
  By butch - November 20 - 7:43 pm

  Well, had the remote start problem back four times still not right. Steering tight. Gas is not good. Miss the change holder. Heated outside mirrors. Seat are not the best for ride, they changed them from 2006. Wish I had my 2006 back. Pag gr.

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  I just love my vibe - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Greg Halford - November 20 - 7:16 am

  I am a private "eye" and I travel over a large portion of the Midwest. Since buying this car I have been continually surprised at the pep it has and the fuel economy. It just glides down the road like the other " Big Guys ". I have been impressed with its comfort, roadability, and its handling. Im a big guy and I fit in it like a glove. My only "gripe" would be the fact that there is a lot of plastic in the interior and it makes it more noisy than I would like. Other than that Im a really happy camper when it comes to the VIBE. !!!!

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  Not For The Northern States - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By BeRuud - November 19 - 11:46 pm

  I really did enjoy driving this car, it had great acceleration, hugged the road well and had amazing MPG. My Fiance did get motion sickness very easily with this car. In the spring, summer and fall this car was tops... in the winter this car was a liability. Traction in the snow was TERRIBLE, I was stuck in normal driveways multiple times because the traction and tire control was poor. In the southern states this would be a keeper, but since I live in NY I cant get rid of it quick enough. My lease is just about up and I am leasing a new Subaru Legacy which will be quite an upgrade over the G6 in almost every way.

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  So far so good - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By larryrbenson - November 19 - 3:50 pm

  I picked this minivan up at an auction a week ago and so far I need to get some front end work done (shocks or struts, it drives well but with the FWD and weight in the front it rides hard and you can feel most the bumps). There are a few issues, Gas Gauge is not working properly, Passenger side sliding door motor does not work, you can hear it click but never engages. Other than that.. Its roomy, engine and transmission still feel very strong and smooth at 187K miles and overall I am very happy with the purchase. Ill update this once I get my front end looked at and find out what the cost of getting the ride a bit smoother is and if any new bugs pop up but so far, good buy!

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  Hope it gets better with age - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Bruce - November 19 - 2:40 pm

  We bought a new car so that we would have a trouble-free auto to drive. In retrospect, we might have been wrong. The car has been back to the dealer at least 4 times (you lose count after a while) to repair the check engine light situation. Fortunately it has been under warranty thus far. Needless to say, it takes time and effort every time we take it in, and this is exactly what we wanted to avoid when purchasing a new vehicle. We wanted to buy an American-made car (at least, buy from an American company), but probably not next time.

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  GM makes a good one - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Valuefinder - November 18 - 8:20 pm

  Bought this car to replace a bland Pontiac Vibe. 201 hp vs. vibes 130, plus highway mileage of 32 vs. vibes 34ish...no brainer. G6 looks good, rides good, best GM interior Ive seen. Probably will lack in resale vs. honda/toyota, but try getting in a V6 version of Accord/Camry for under $20k OUT THE DOOR. I have since test driven the G6 GT, and even though horsepower is the same, the GT is geared for fun, and you can tell. The space between the gears in regular G6s v6 is WIDE, not as exciting. Overall G6 is a great looking and performing car, like no other for equal "out the door" cost. Never compare imports to domestics on sticker price.

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  Not worth MSRP - 2009 Pontiac G5
  By In Colorado - November 17 - 7:16 am

  I bought this car with a combination of rebates (regular & owner loyalty) plus GM doubled my GM Card fun bucks. Bottom line: I got a car with an 19K MSRP for 12K before taxes. I find the interior to be functional an it looks ok. The exterior is plagued with poor fitting body panels, poor even by American standards. Acceleration is adequate with the 5 speed manual. Handling is ok, much better than the 2002 Toyota Corolla it replaced. Rear visbility is abysmal and I almost didnt buy it because of that, but the bottom line was that it was very well equipped for what I paid. Its a commuter car that will eventually be handed down to the kid.

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  There are reasons they stopped making it - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Tom - November 11 - 5:46 pm

  Water still leaks into car during heavy rain storms despite 10 trips to different dealers and numerous contacts with the Pontiac folks. Back of front seats had to be replaced-they fell apart on their own, as did the rear window regulator assemblies (both within two days, $530 each). Wires fell down from behind the dash and had to be replaced along with defective lights. Firestone tires stink-two blow outs at lower speeds and Firestone dealers will not honor warranty (similar problems with Saturn I had previously). Then theres the normal irritants such as an ash tray that rattles constantly, and the lug nut caps that keep flying off (the dealers want $6 each, junk yards sometimes are free).