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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  Teds Tak - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By Teds tek - October 1 - 2:00 am

  Great Looking, fun to drive, tons of cargo space, many options available.Drives like a car with the ground clearance of an SUV.

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  My vibe - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By lynn04 - October 1 - 2:00 am

  Bought a 2003 brand new......minor things going in it like radio, lighter, cell phone plugs..but overall its toyota engine will keep it a good running car........Paid 17,000 for it one and a half years ago and just got a 7,500 trade in price?????????????.....it is a good car for an economical car and for the price.....Not sure if I would ever go with Pontiac again though..........

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  It works for me! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Juicy - October 1 - 2:00 am

  The one thing I like about my vibe is gas. With the raising price of gas, it only take about $20 to completely fill my car up, about 13.5 gallons.

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  First time SUV Crossover owner - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By cacique40 - September 29 - 7:20 pm

  This is my first SUV crossover that I have owned and I am very pleased with the performase of this vehicle. It has plenty cargo pace (for my familys needs), and the rear passenger area is big and confortable too (according to my wife). I like the way it handles and the fast acceleration it provides (I am no F1 driver, mind you). My previous car was a 1999 Grand Am, and I loved it until the day I sold it. I am looking forward to own this one for at least 10 years!

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  The best car Ive ever owned,however, - 1999 Pontiac Bonneville
  By godawgs2013 - September 26 - 11:03 pm

  This car is great except it leaks in the back floor board.When we bought this car we were not aware of the leaks. We have tried to figure out where it is coming from.If you buy this car ask the owners if it has had problems with leaking.

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  Good looking car! - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By BXV0058 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I bought my 99 Grand Prix GT mainly because of its good looks. Still looks good! I got the four door model because I thought I might have a family one day. I have been pretty much happy with my GT. The trunk leaked, but they fixed that. The transmission started slipping on me after the 3 year warrenty was up. But recently I complained so much that they fixed it,(it had a bad throdel body in the tranny) even though it was out of warrenty.(5 years old, 36,000 miles). Now that the tranny is fix, (what a relief!) Im happy. My GP seems to be put together pretty good for the most part. Hope it stays that way. It has been really good for an American car

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  Reformed VW Owner - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By TTopper - September 26 - 10:00 am

  After years of owning and loving VW products, I decided to switch brands and try the Vibe. With 3000 dollars in rebates, it made alot of sense. I like the car well enough, but I am disappointed in a few things. The plastic used in the cargo area is cheap, and marks up easily when loading. The car has rattles in the dashboard already, and its only a few months old. The engine is buzzy, but powerful. I also have noticed that its hard to find the sweet spot on the clutch. When the new Golf/Jetta come out in 2005, I may be switching back to VWs. The Vibe hasnt everything Ive come to expect from a car/daily transportation.

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  Excellent choice for North America - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By Eather - September 26 - 8:46 am

  Best car for the money. Honda, Toyota, and Nissan should be real scared right now. This car is stellar. I had no idea Daewoo could make such a great set of wheels at such a low price tag too. I cant say what reliability is since we only had it for about a month now if that. We got this car under the cash for clunkers program as a "bridge" vehicle until the plug in hybrids come out. Looks like someone else reviewing this vehicle is doing the same thing as well.

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  Could be great if GM really tried - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By K W - September 23 - 4:00 pm

  Im at the end of a 3 year lease on my G6. The car has, at times, been quite fun to drive but at others it has been completely maddening. Ive already replaced the rack & pinion once, the 6 cd changer once, and the brakes have been problematic from the start, from squeals to shudders. Electrical issues are popping up now, and I just hit 27k on my car. This car drives and handles like a dump truck. Replacing the stock tires with helped, but not completely. Car has been to the dealer several times but nobody wants to find out what is causing the suspension/brake issues. Wont buy GM for a while, and Ive been a fan all my life.

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  It Is What It Is - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By suburbancollegekid - September 22 - 8:50 pm

  My 18th birthday present. Purchased for $12,500 with 13K on the odo. Only a two year old car at the time. Grand Ams are overlooked because they are last-gen and built on 90s tech, but all around they are great and sized just right. You cant beat the bang for your buck with a Grand Am. Good performance around town & on the highway. I picked my SE1 b/c it didnt have the nasty plastic side body panels. Mine is just like the one in the Edmunds picture.