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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  Tell me it can last as long as Toyota - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By johnny - September 6 - 7:03 pm

  Bought the car in Aug 05. 3.5l G6. Love the handling and the performance. Traded my 03 GrandAm. The G6 is a huge leap forward compared to the GrandAm. My only complaint is at 5k the car needed new brakes and rotars. Factory defect defect I was told by the dealership. A fair amount of body roll when cornering. With a new job my annual mileage will jump to the neighborhood of 50k. My only question is: Given GMs quality record will my G6 make to 200K.

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  great little car - 2009 Pontiac G5
  By jerry c - September 6 - 3:20 pm

  this car has been a great so far,love the trunk,our skis even fit inside with the seat folded down,milage has been very good always over 35mpg and as good as 42mpg with the 5 speed trans

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  Great Car - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Mary Todd - September 6 - 10:43 am

  I bought this car new and have had very good luck with it overall. Gas mileage averages 33 MPG. It always starts and runs very well.

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  Rust, Rust, Rust!!!! - 2002 Pontiac Montana
  By PC - September 6 - 1:40 am

  This vehicle has turned into a rust bucket. It started with the rocker panels on both sided from wheel to wheel where rust was eating away. I spent $1,000 to have them replaced at a nearby body shop. Next, the windshield cracked. The folks replacing my windshield said it cracked due to the frame rusting and bubbling, creating pressure on the windshield and cracking it. When I steam cleaned the carpet, rust comes up through the floor of the van. Im all for buying American made products, but after spending over $33,000 on this vehicle, I just can not afford to go out and buy another Pontiac. Ill look elsewhere.

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  Not bad...kinda odd looking though - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By slapp1 - September 4 - 10:00 am

  I bought this vehicle because I needed something bigger with a new child in the house. I couldnt bring myself to buy a minivan. I was unexpectedly surprised. I bought an AWD version with the 6 disc CD changer and ten speaker stereo and the stereo is LOUD! It has been a capable handler in deep snow and rain and I am pretty happy with it. The black color helps blend that odd bodyside cladding and I feel it looks good. I have driven it cross country many times so far and I have not had any mechanical problems except for an A/C problem that just cropped up. This is being fixed under warranty by the way.

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  Great sports Car - 1998 Pontiac Firebird
  By Thomas Schetter - September 4 - 10:00 am

  This is the best car that I have ever owned. Out of all of the usage that I have on this car I have only replaced the alternater after nearly 100000 miles. The car is now 6 years old and it feels the same as it did when I bought it brand new. Every where I go people are always turning their heads and looking at my car. I get compliments on my car all of the time.

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  Great Van - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By Montana Fan - September 4 - 10:00 am

  With over 100,000 miles, I have had remarkably few problems with the van, about the same as my Toyota van. Engine and transmission have been very reliable. I average 24 mpg! I dislike the cupholder arrangement (not practical), but love the variety of seating arrangements and the ease of reconfiguring. It ez to drive and park (the Honda Accord is longer) and very comfortable on long trips.

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  Good car - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By pmn - September 4 - 1:53 am

  Basically a good car. Have had small problems. Heater knob cracked, starter replaced, power window control replaced, leaked antifreeze, had seals replaced. New problem every 6 months - thankful for extended warranty. Have owned 2 pontiacs for 7 years each, both grand ams. Have to say Im disappointed with this grand prix. Exterior paint did not hold up and interior carpet matted

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  V6 G6 Rocket Re-reviewed - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By G6 V6 Rocket - September 3 - 3:40 pm

  I am entering a new review for the car I have already reviewed several months ago. To this date everything is absolutely great with the car. I finally got the "Panormaic" sun roof fixed from the continual creaking. But, I did the repairs myself in my driveway. Not a good score for GM Service Techs. It went in twice for the same creaking noise and came out as it went in. No, I was not a happy camper. I fixed the problem using cork stripping under the support brackets to the sunroof over the visors. 1 hr 30 minutes later it was fixed and Ive heard no creaking to date. Anyway, just a little FYI to those having this problem.

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  What a Great Car! - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By drwgaliv - September 2 - 5:43 am

  I have the 2006 GT fully loaded 4 dr. I started out with the basic V6 Sedan and I had already knew that I wanted the GT, but unfortunately at the time I couldnt afford it. So now I have the GT, and I absoulutely love it! It drives beautifully, I love the shifter option when I need to pass someone. The Crimson Red color, with the panoramic roof really gets people to turn there heads. I get so many looks when its just washed and detailed. If you decided to get this vehicle, get the remote start, what a great feature on this vehicle. I have had many a cold nights, and hot days that this has been a wonderful option that I have.