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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  warning-poor resale - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By car consumer 1 - November 7 - 10:00 am

  I have had no problems with the mechanical parts of the car. I would warn anybody that is interested in purchasing one that the road noise is louder than most car. Also, be concerned about poor resell value. These cars are a dime a dozen. In 3 years the tmv of this vehicle went down almost %10,000.

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  2003 Vibe - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By GE - November 7 - 8:00 am

  Great car until the transmission failed at less than 60,000 miles costing me $3,500 in repairs plus grief. No help was received from GM after filing a claim. Ill buy a Nissan next time.

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  Bad Manifold - 1998 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Rick Vines - November 5 - 2:00 am

  Somewhere between 63000 and 69000 miles, my intake manifold leaked enough collant into my engine to destroy my lifters. The repair cost over $2000. Even though this was due to a design flaw and is a common problem, Pontiac told me that its my problem and offered no assistance. The Pontiac dealer that did the repair said they have seen hundereds of these, and the replacement manifolds have been redesigned to address this problem. From what Ive read, complete engine failure is not an uncommon result.

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  Love my G6 - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Kathy - November 4 - 11:40 am

  Ive had my G6 Coupe for about 4 months now and Im very happy with it. Good mileage out on the highway without compromising performance. A nice ride although a bit low to the ground. Ive had lots of positive comments and Id lease another G6 anytime.

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  2008 Pontiac Torrent - 2008 Pontiac Torrent
  By Barb - October 31 - 1:43 pm

  I traded up from a Vibe with 90,000 miles. That little car cost me almost nothing. I miss the Change holder, fuel door lock, always on headlights, and most of all the cover for the storage area. This is especially important for me since I am on the road a lot and my car is in a Motel Parking lot overnight. The car is only 48 hours old and already has 600 miles on it. I hope it is as reliable as the Vibe. It is a solid car, drives well, and maybe someday I will figure out how to program the radio.

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  Beware San Francisco drivers - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By SanFranciscoBadVibe - October 31 - 6:30 am

  I will try to differentiate between my major criticism of the car and my other opinions. I drive almost exclusively in SF and was looking for much more economical city car. Although advertised as 29 MPG/city I am lucky to get 18. I would like to get feedback from other SF residents what they are getting. Otherwise this is a pretty great car. The hatchback versatility plus remote keyless entry, sunroof, comfortable seating position are great. This is a fun, attractive vehicle that suprisingly has been easy for me parking on the street. There is enough horsepower to handle the hills too. BTW, I have an automatic but you can only pick manual on this site. I also recommend using Costco to buy.

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  Alright - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Alright - October 31 - 12:06 am

  I like the Pontiac Sunfire, but my car has a stalling problem. Since Ive had this car, Ive had to already put in several hundred dollars into it, for Muffler, A-Arm on Front passenger side wheel, and still trying to figure out why it dies on me in the middle of driving. Other than that, I like the car. It gets really great gas mileage! 295 miles to a tank. I averaged about 28 miles a gallon. Its comfortable and has some get up and go. If you punch the gas, make sure your car shifts (I have an automatic) but it still tends to hit 6 RPM and not shift.

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  Grand Am GT1 SC/t - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By mekaleka - October 30 - 2:00 am

  This black beauty looks fast, and it doesnt disappoint. Excellent acceleration, handling and braking. Gas mileage is good. I traded a 99 Malibu LS for this one...making me sorry I didnt buy this car sooner. I also own an 02 Alero GLS, which would seem to be almost identical mechanically...but the Grand Am feels like a different car altogether. Much sportier!

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  Fun Ride - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By CCrain - October 26 - 7:53 pm

  The first year I owned this car it was used as a daily driver. Now I have a company take-home so my GTP sits in the garage. The few times that I do drive this car are a blast. Car has good pick-up and is able to merge with no problems at all. The trouble I have had from ths car is both head gaskets had to be replaced, seems to be a common thing with 3.8s and the passenger side window does not want to work sometimes. Other than that, car has been a real pleasure to own and drive.

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  A real shame - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Disappointed owner - October 25 - 8:26 pm

  I love this car. And thats why it hurts so much. Drives great, comfortable, good power, decent mileage. Fun to drive. Would keep it if it didnt cost so much and so often to repair. Babied, always maintained and still have multiple repairs. Steering gear ($1k to replace) goes every 30k. Leaks oil, regardless of regular 3k oil changes. "Ghost" problems in the electronics that dont log into the computer and the dealer cant fix. Originally planned to keep it for many more years, but trading it in while it still is worth something. A gm guy to the core from the first car I ever owned, this car changed my mind. Love the car, but have to give it up. Will not buy a gm this time. A real shame.