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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  Bought Another Bonneville - 1999 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Smile - August 10 - 2:00 am

  I have just purchased a used 2003 Bonneville. It is almost a duplicate of my 1999 Bonneville SE. I liked the 1999 so much I had to have another!! I have not had to do any repairs in 4 years! This car drives straight and true. Acceleration is great. Gas mileage is great for a huge car. Even my teenage daughters like to drive it on the highway. Purchase price was less than one-half the original new car price (one year old purchase). It is a real value for people buying it used!

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  i luv this car - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By raaaaaaat2000 - August 10 - 2:00 am

  fun to drive, built solid, great fuel economy, drives like it is on a rail, and it has an affordable price.

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  good one - 2004 Pontiac Montana
  By Daddy john - August 10 - 2:00 am

  Only car that I have ever bought that didnt have anything wrong with it.

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  Excellent Choice - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Petcop - August 10 - 2:00 am

  Ive averaged 600 miles a week on my Vibe, and after 6 months of ownership, STILL LOVE this car! I find it a perfect blend of economy, cargo room, and passenger room. Im over 6 ft.tall with physical problems similar to arthritis, and have always been uncomfortable in small cars, but the Vibes design with taller seats allow me to be comfortable, and have 3 other passengers with enough leg room! It handles well at high speeds and zipping around in traffic. I went from a full size truck to this car, and havent regretted it. The cargo space is ample, and easy to clean. I highly recommend this car! Even at the higher speeds I drive, Im averaging 33mpg.

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  Could not believe the room - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Bobbydrums67 - August 9 - 4:46 am

  Did not think I would own one till I drove one. I am a old 67 yrs old drummer. I have a 7 piece drum kit. They are fit on this Vibe. I am still amazed, I am 6ft 4in tall and i have plenty of head room, leg room, etc. Truly amazed. Wife is a rural mail carrier. With 4 bolts taken out the center console can be removed and if she needs a back up vehicle this little but big Vibe will do well. 37 MPG, great ride. We own 2 Hondas also, A CRV and an Odyssey. Would buy another Vibe in a heart beat. Same as the Toyota Matrix. Wifes sister owns a Matrix. Thats what got me started looking into this vehicle. She lives in New Orleans, she visited us this year. She got 35 MPG easy on her trip to Indiana.

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  Pontiac Aztek GMs Hidden Value - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By Terry Muns - August 8 - 10:00 am

  We decided to get the Pontiac Aztek. We werent wild over the styling,but one test drive completely changed our minds. We traded in our 2000 v-8 awd Ford Explorer. We feel the awd Aztek is GMs hidden value.As its price was much, much less than other suvs on the market. We dont do off road stuff and love the awd drive option on the Aztek. With the trailer towing package and 17 inch wheels its a awsume find. And a great value for the money. It out performs our Explorer by far and the ride is smooth and dont beat you to death. We get double the gas mileage on the Aztek and thats real easy to get use to. Its versatile, comfortable, and fun to drive.

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  Its good - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By pontiacg6 - August 6 - 3:50 am

  This car is fun to drive. Very responsive and sporty. It does turn heads. I was nervous about a "first edition" purchase, but have no regrets. Pontiac has been reliable in the past, so as a new G6 owner, I think I will just relax and enjoy it.

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  I love my car - 2009 Pontiac G5
  By mccannamn59 - August 5 - 8:21 pm

  The pontiac g5 is the perfect car for a teenager whos trying to save some money on gas, and still drive a nice car.

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  Great Roadster with power to spare - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Nate - August 4 - 6:53 pm

  I just want to drive this car all of the time. Sadly, I will store it for the long Michigan winter soon. I have owned quite a few sports cars and this one takes the cake. This is a roadster in the purist form of the word. I do not care if the top takes me 2 minutes to put up or down. I dont care that it has little storage or some of the swithes are a little hard to get to. I understand and appreciate the car for what it is. And quite frankly, I feel Pontiac and GM nailed it with the GXP. I have owned a BMW M-3 and I think the cars manual 5 speed transmissions feel the same. I wonder if the writers for car mags just dont like to admit GM did it better than anyone else. I love this car.

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  Will miss the Grand Prix, get one if you can - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By bobr15 - August 3 - 11:53 pm

  Bought my 2008 GXP used from a MA dealer who bought it at rental auction at 12k miles in June 08 (was a former Alamo rental). Excellent car, but burned through brakes like crazy. After replacing front brakes with rotors at about 18k, needed all brakes/rotors again at 25k. Some light arm twisting at the local dealer and GM rep agreed to a whole new set of rotors/pads front and back. Still holding at 37k though theres a lot of brake dust on the front wheels. Smoking, fast car. Even better than the 2000 Grand Prix GTP turbo I drove for 8 years prior. Too bad, its the end of an era.