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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  Cute, sporty, and a geat little snow car - 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
  By mc brown - July 16 - 9:13 pm

  An under rated little car that goes all winter up here in Alaska- never failing to start, even at 20 below zero.Seats 5 if the 3 in back are under 58. Pluses: nibble little snow car that can traverse unplowed roads with 6 inches of fresh snow falling. The front wheel drive and steering combo make control flat out awesome. I do have abs and a manual transmission. Negatory power- there is no vroooom but I get 33 mpg in town. I would buy this car again in a heart beat. It reminds me of a cross between my favorite car ever, the 1978 Saab 900 and the old diesel rabbit. Back seats fold flat practicality in a feature packed low low cost ride. Great comuter ski bunny car. Get the sunroof!

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  Great car for the money - 2009 Pontiac G6
  By pjz3 - July 16 - 4:12 pm

  I recently purchased a used 2009 pontiac G6 with 33,000 miles. I really wasnt looking for a G6 but when I saw this one and test drove it I couldnt pass it up. All the other cars I test drove in this price range,(between 10,000 and 15,000),didnt even compare. The ther cars lacked in accesories or were much smaller and under powered. The G6 with everything I was looking for in a car plus nice styling and handling. The horse power from the 2.4L ecotec engine wont win any drags but its no slouch oh the hiway. My family and i took the G6 on a short 200 mile trip just to see how it would do. We only used a Quarter tank of gas the whole trip. Over all a great little car.

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  2.2-L4 ENGINE and MANUAL TRANNY!! - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By bill 731 - July 15 - 7:26 pm

  Great car so far,only 600 miles on it so I can give no opinion on reliability.This Ecotec 2.2-L4 engine is so smooth you would think it was a six Cly.And the 5 speed manual Trans.is a perfect mate,we got 35 MPG on only the 2nd fill up.

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  Hot convertible - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Tex - July 15 - 9:13 am

  I love driving to and from work wiht the top down. It has been over 100 degrees this summer, and yet even with the top down, I can feel the AC....The look is great, and the fun doesnt stop...I hvae the GTP with the bigger engine, and it has plenty of get up and go - sacrificing some MPG in the process

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  Great Value - 2010 Pontiac Vibe
  By Karen K - July 14 - 9:03 am

  With carpools days now behind me, I was looking to replace my minivan with something that still offered significant cargo space but got better MPG than the non-hybrid SUVs on the market. Chose the 1.8L Vibe and am very happy with its versatility, handling and economy. At age 52, I got my first speeding ticket while "grooving" to the XM radio tunes when driving it on its first turnpike ride. I like to think of this ticket as a testament to my enjoyment of the smoothness of the ride and audio system on my new vehicle. With its excellent safety features, reliable Toyota engine, MPG and interior space, I think the Vibe is an exceptional value.

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  The Best Car Every made by "GM" - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By Steve Jackson - July 14 - 4:20 am

  I loved this car ever since it came out. For an 8 cylinder it gets very good gas mileage as long as you dont "floor" it. It has never broken down or left me stranded. For an American muscle car, it sounds and performs very well (0-60 in 5.2 sec). The only negative thing is that on long trips the leather seats can get hot and sweaty. Other than that, the car is the most fun ive ever had driving. Make sure when you buy this car you get a stick, thats half the fun right there....you have six gears to play with.

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  I love this car!!! - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By JHoffman - July 14 - 2:00 am

  Just purchased a 1997 GP 4Dr SE sedan. Next day we road tripped it from Fresno, CA to Las Vegas. This is the most comfortable car I have ever ridden in. It has a ton of room, handles beautifully on the open road even in heavy rain and gusty winds. There are some small cosmetic fixes that need to be done, but compared to the 1988 Toyota Corolla I drove before this is FANTASTIC!!!!! I love this car!!!

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  the good, the bad, the awesome - 1997 Pontiac Firebird
  By redfirebird15 - July 14 - 2:00 am

  the awesome: the 3.8L v6 pumps out more horses than any import you see on the road. my dad bought this car in march, and I will get it in june. So far, this is the car of my dreams. It is a red firebird, with a 3.8l v6, that generates 200hp and 225ft.lb. of torque. that is plenty of power for a 16 year old. It also makes the insurance affordable. I would recommend this car to any 16-25 singles, as it only has room for 2.

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  This is why Pontiac has died. - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By MDM in MD - July 13 - 2:16 pm

  Im the original owner of my Grand Am GT. Bought it, and am still paying for it since October 2003. Was a great ride and reliable for the better of 4 years. Now six years out, the car is falling apart. Pads and rotors seem to be replaced often.Surprising since I dont race the car, and it is used as a daily commuter with 114,000 miles on it. Replaced ignition switch, emergency brake (broke after replacement by dealer, they had never seen that before), head gasket, and now putting off drivetrain and suspension repair. Tell myself everyday, "Why did I ever buy this car?" GM vehicles seem to have become the money pit of car ownership in my experience. I say buy foreign for better quality!

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  2006 gto - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By mike - July 13 - 4:20 am

  very nice car and great performance. i was surprised that gas mileage i did get on a recent trip was almost 24 mpg with 6 speed manual. i have 2005 bmw 330i and only get 27 mpg on the highway. i was worried about insurance rates but my insurance dropped about $600 for the year. cant figure that out and did not ask any questions.