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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  Me likey a lot - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By AntMan - May 4 - 2:33 am

  Great car. Bought for my wife since we have 1 child and another on the way. Great family vehicle with that feel of a sporty car. Never have a problem with power. Live in Texas so the summer is very hot. AC is very good in the vehicle. Very affordable and the ease of a GM car. Recommend the sun/sound package and the sport package if getting the standard.

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  Greatest SUV sold! - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By 76corey - May 3 - 2:36 am

  If you like to get a more for your money than you cant beat the Pontiac Aztek. Just do a comparison between any other SUV in its class and youll see that it has more cargo room, more payload capacity, better gas mileage, more comfortable, quieter, more car-like, more room, and on top of all that its one of the most inexpensive. Now is a really good time to check the Aztek out, the rebates and incentives make this one awesome deal!

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  Supercharge It! - 2003 Pontiac Bonneville
  By leaseman - May 2 - 2:00 am

  This is a handsome vehicle now that the universally hated body cladding has been replaced with simple molding. The drivers seat is like a cockpit with soft, comfy leather seats and an assortment of lights and gadgets that will make any techie drool. Acceleration is snappy with the supercharged engine, the only noticeable lag being when the car was being driven aggressively up a steep hill. This is a fine American performance sedan.

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  Hoe lotta car - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By RoadRunner44 - May 2 - 2:00 am

  My Grand Prix is my first car and its absolutley great. Hugs the curves, Bose system is high quality, HUD is a nice feature, and boost gauge is fun to play with (by flooring it ofcourse).

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  Wonderful Car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By clomregcik - May 1 - 5:03 am

  If I didnt know much about used cars I wouldnt like this one. I have had some issues, but nothing that wasnt expected out of a vehicle with over 100,000 miles that wasnt maintained properly. Everything still works on it, and nothing major has gone bad. The most Ive had to do was replace back rotors and brake pads after I got it because they had been let go for way too long. Its a joy to drive, the perfect balance of feedback and comfort. It has a good pick up to it, and wouldnt have any issues at highway speeds if I didnt have a bent wheel (aftermarket wheels). Even for not being maintained this car is surprisingly sturdy and is still running strong.

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  I love my little Billy - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By aplvn - April 30 - 7:06 am

  I bought this car brand new from the dealer in 2007 even though it was a 2006. I love the power, and the looks. I added an aftermarket sunroof (it wasnt an available option). My first time at the drag races in anything worth racing and ran 13 flat in an automatic. Even though I love the car, I would never buy another one. I have had nothing but problems with this one. Current mileage is 14911. Last week a sprag in the transmission went out. A/C broke twice, plastic chromes on console and steering wheel bubble from heat, glove box snapped, makes clicky noises all over that dealership cant fix. Floor mat clips are bad design (replaces 6 times), needs a convertible seat, Blaupunkt stinks!

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  The best car ever - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Amanda - April 29 - 4:46 pm

  This is such a wonderful car. Its my baby I love it so much. Im so glad i picked this car. it was this or the chevy cobalt and i picked the pontiac G6. I thought there might be problems with it because its the first everbut there was nothing wrong with it.

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  Love it! - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Bob - April 29 - 2:03 pm

  I love this car. I get the best of both worlds.The quiet ride of a standard car and can still go topless. No rag top to be cut. It has great power and rides great!

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  Jeremys 1996 Pontiac GrandAm GT - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Jer Jer - April 27 - 10:00 am

  This car is the best ever!! I love it!! I bout this car in 1998 and it is the best! It runs great and it looks realy sporty!!

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  All Around Vehicle - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By joebenko - April 26 - 2:00 am

  Fun car to drive. Responsive to the wheel. Great small features such as automatic sound level change with highway speeed. Plenty of cargo room and easy to set-up. Unique design that everyone is now coping. When i first drove, we called it the butt-ugly car that was beautiful