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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  The Problems Ive Had with any Pontiac - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By George Kruk - June 14 - 6:26 am

  Ive had my car in the shop now 6 times to fix the front suspension. There is a huge clunking noise whenever I go over bumps. The entire front suspension has been replaced (1 control arm, both struts and all the linkage) and the problem is still there. Did I mention that I only have 30K miles on the car. I miss my 2004 Grand Prix GTP, hands down a better car. As soon as the suspension is fixed I am getting rid of this car.

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  Aztecs are worth it! - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By borglette - June 14 - 3:56 am

  We have been driving a 2001 Aztec for over a year. The look of the vehicle is what attracted us into test driving one. Its definitely not the boring mainstream SUV style, inside or out. We were searching for a larger vehicle than we currently had but didnt want to get stuck driving an SUV bus. The Aztec is extremely roomy inside and the shape lends to its versatility. Its very smooth riding, very comfortable to drive and gets excellent gas mileage.

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  one tough car - 2000 Pontiac Sunfire
  By denice - June 13 - 2:33 am

  in this sunfire we hit a deer and no damage was done. After owning the car for four years i hit a three quarter ton chevy and no damage was done (but caved in the door of the chevy. backed into a half ton chevy and no damage. and the last thing is i jumped out of the car and forgot to put it in park and the car ran into the house and it did not receive any damage. we have 112,000 mile and still get 27 miles per gallon. no major problems and scheduled maintance is the only thing we have had to do to it.

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  Did not meet expectations - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Ken - June 12 - 1:20 pm

  Maybe I was just blinded by the thought of a new vehicle but this car does not perform as expected. My Dodge SRT-4 is much faster than my six-speed GTO and cost over 10k less. The interior is the best I can say about this car. They should have put more into the engine.

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  I love this car!!!! - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Victoria - June 12 - 6:33 am

  The G6 is the best car I have ever owned and I look forward everyday to getting in and driving to run my errands. As I am a busy mom this car has all the convienience features you could want and more. I will continue to love this car for years to come. This is a great, fun, and very reliable car to own and it is a safe car which makes me even happier.

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  Good Car! - 1999 Pontiac Bonneville
  By JR7699 - June 11 - 10:00 am

  I just got my bonneville last year, and I already have about 95,000 trouble-free miles on it. At times the transmission acts a little strange, but I dont think its a major problem. Im a college student and love this car because it combines all the room I need with an engine and design that I can have fun with.

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  Underrated, unappreciated - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By researchingu - June 11 - 10:00 am

  I love my car. Some people dont like the exterior, but when they check out the interior, the sound system, heads up display, tent, ice chest, etc...they are sold.

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  old ones did ok to! - 2004 Pontiac Montana
  By PRS - June 11 - 10:00 am

  i had the 97 trans sport that went 175k. Did ok repair wise, most started after 150. I rated as "not bad at all"

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  2004 gto - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By stevenk - June 11 - 10:00 am

  Pontiac has every one beat on this one.

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  GM finally hit the mark! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By D&S - June 11 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I love our Vibe. We purchased the fusion orange model with the automatic transmission, power package and moons and tunes for $18.7k out the door (including tax title&plates). We opted for the 17" wheels well. So far we have taken several road trips in the Vibe, and are fighting over daily driving rights. Mind you we also own a corvette and an audi TT yet we prefer the utility, gas mileage and frugality of this little cross-over. Driving the Vibe feels natural...the seats are comfy! The interior storage room in the Vibe is outstanding! The torque of the 4 is adequate for passing and accelaration.