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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  On or Off-road, The AWD Vibes a Winner - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By pattdc - October 22 - 6:53 am

  Im a 55-year-old independent documentary film- maker and freelance journalist who travels extensively to get the story. Since purchasing my AWD Vibe in April of this year, Ive put 14,000 miles on her without any problems -- most of the miles on the interstates... but Ive also taken The Vibe off-road in the sand, rocks, washes and gullies of the Sonora Desert; crossed over the Rockies three times; and zipped down unimproved roads through several National Forests. Vibes peppy performance is adequate without being special. P.S. Im 6 tall and weigh 250 lbs, but The Vibe comfortably fits me, plus my luggage and equipment bags, and has room to spare.

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  This is amazing - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By DrHorse - October 20 - 4:46 am

  Love it, just an amazing car. Fun to drive and never have a problem running in mod (I make little off-road with it). The security is very high, I face a hit and run and I got nothing, and very tuff. Only body was affected, now is look like and run like a new one!

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  New Owner Review - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Terry - October 19 - 2:20 pm

  After three months just waiting to be able to order the car and three more for delivery it was all worth it just seeing it for the first time. This car is a clasic in only its second year. Although it looks great, driving is even better. The Solstice hugs the road and takes turns with zero roll or sway. Acceleration with the 2.4 ltr is good. Wind noise (top down) is minimal and conversation is easy. Top goes up and down easy and with the head-liner (tough to get) its very quiet and temperature stable. Visibility with the top up is limited (bad blind spots). We purchased the automatic and its smooth and handles Northern New Mexico mountains well. At this price, this car rocks.

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  Five years and going strong - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By L Rabbett - October 18 - 9:20 pm

  Purchased new in Dec, 2002, I have had vehicle for over five years. Decided to look at new vehicles to trade in. ended up looking at the new Vibe along with many others brands. Really like the new Vibe, but decided to keep what I have even though the new vibe has a more powerful engine.

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  Awesome car! - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Krystle Heartso - October 16 - 10:00 am

  I just got my 2003 Pontiac Sunfire, its awesome. It rides well and its fun. I dont like the older ones, but this of is defanitly nice. I had a problem the day I got it with the air conditioner, but I took it back to get it fixed.

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  LOVE IT!!!!!!! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By MY VIBE - October 16 - 10:00 am

  To sum it up, I LOVE MY 2004 Vibe. It is an awesome car! It is roomy enough for 2 adults and 2 car seats, with room for luggage or something for a trip. There are alot of extra features, such as a desk or a storage bin for the hatch (which with 2 small children I will be purchasing soon!) The chrome on the inside is what sold me though! Like the song says, "Her favorite color is chrome." Until now, chrome was not important to me, but I LOVE IT! I would never buy another car again!

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  Imports are junk - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By gtp man - October 16 - 10:00 am

  This car purely rocks. Who needs import junk, when this car blows them all away in all categories including reliability, fuel economy, and just plain hauling but !!!!

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  The Best First Car Ever! - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By RON - October 14 - 3:56 pm

  This Is My First New Car And Its Great. My Parents Bought It For Me For Graduation. It Is A Galaxy Silver Metalic - Fully Loaded 2dr. Coupe. It Has A Leather Interior,Spoiler,Dual Exhaust,Moonroof,Monsoon Sound System Which Is Very Very Loud Just To Mention A Few Things! The Price Is Very Great For This Vehicle!

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  Great car - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By ed - October 13 - 7:10 am

  I bought this car used about a month ago and smile every time I look at it. It is very fun to drive and the steering is so light you can turn it with one finger. There is enough acceleration for me and still gets in the high 20s for gas mileage. I also like how it is so quiet even at speeds above 70. I live in central Minnesota so the remote start and traction control is a great option to have. The sound system is great even for being the base system. The driver information center is a nice feature, it has avg speed, mpg, oil life, and others. The back seat is enormous even for taller people. This is a great car and if you need a sporty car that is very reliable this is it.

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  Great car! - 1998 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Daniel - October 13 - 3:46 am

  bought the car from my boss with 180 thousand mls car ran great for him w/no problems and all Ive done is put in a new waterpump and synthetic oil I get 30mpg hwy and I can fly by mustangs and bmws with no ease. The car handles well at any speed and the traction control is quite admirable for the vehicle. Heads up display is great but it takes getting used to driving other cars that dont have it. I couldnt be happier with this car. I hate debating over getting something new even with the "high" mileage. The engine certainly doesnt know it has that kind of mileage on it.