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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  Nice Car - 2003 Pontiac Bonneville
  By shumpert - May 17 - 10:00 am

  First Pontiac owned, good power, handling is excellent for a full size car, quiet and interior styling good. back seat is a little rough for 6 footers, and not to thrilled about placement of the battery underneath the left rear passenger seat. Otherwise, a fine automobile for the price.

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  bonneville ssei - 2003 Pontiac Bonneville
  By pontiac - May 17 - 10:00 am

  The front seats do not go back enough. Getting in and out is not very comfortable. The light control is not in a comfortable position. The windshield wiper control is in a bad position also. I am 52" and when larger or taller people enter the car the front seat is very uncomfortable. I also do not like the 4 dr idea. I owned a Pontiac grand prix gtp and enjoyed it very much. In fact this Sept 2003 I will be buying a new grand prix. They handle better and are a lot more fun to drive and have a lot of room in the front.

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  Its a Vibe - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By cmacrae - May 17 - 10:00 am

  Car is dependable, totally hugs the road in bad weather, steering is tight and accurate, is a great car to drive and it has a personality. Extra packages are good choices and it is priced right. I believe a very good buy.

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  Solid car/wagon - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Deborah - May 17 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive! Best feature is gas milage: 34 miles on the highway. Roomy for boxes, and comfortable seats.

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  4th GP - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Tom Misialek - May 17 - 10:00 am

  This is the 4th GP Ive owned, traded in my 40th anniversary edition for this great looking GTP

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  2007 Torrent - 2007 Pontiac Torrent
  By LC - May 16 - 8:00 pm

  I purchased this vehicle in 2007 and unfortunately totaled this vehicle recently. This vehicle saved my life. I walked away from a major accident with bruises. Vehicle is great on gas and is fun to drive. Cup holder and emergency brake are placed in a poor position but everything else is exceptional. Never purchase AFTER market products with this vehicle.. Dealer installed sunroof and it caused battery failure many times. Also, I thought this truck did not ride well in rain and snow but now realize after reading this site realize this may be a MAJOR fault with this vehicle. Traction control is poor and ironically my accident occurred in the rain..

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  Looks R deceiving! - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By RnR Joe - May 16 - 6:00 am

  Bought based on VERY clean looks and quick test ride. Turns out passenger window motor is shot, brakes and struts needed immed replacement, drivers seat support fell through and radio display doesnt work! Not a great deal...

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  Daves comments - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By DBrian - May 15 - 9:36 pm

  My 05 gto is a great car, light years ahead of my vintage muscle cars. Also a good perfomance value with muscle and acceptable mileage.

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  Meh - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Mattbag - May 14 - 7:56 am

  Great looking car, however, my 4 Cyl manual engine seems to have no power at all. Acceleration is the worst Ive seen. I dont know if its because of some problem, but its discouraging. Engine can sputter shortly after starting leaving you trapped in an intersection without any power. Good looking car though. No rust, however, Fog lights appear to be burned out and seem next to impossible to get to. Some underbody flaps near the engine are hanging down. I like the car, but I hate having to rev over 3.5 rpm to get any decent horsepower.

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  Great car - 2010 Pontiac Vibe
  By Dan P. - May 13 - 10:33 pm

  Bought the last new Vibe GT in the northeast. Traveled almost 200 miles. Worth every mile. Great acceleration with the manual trans. Comfortable seats. Roomy enough to store all my junk and then some. Better looking than the Toyota Matrix. Even my 9 year old son likes the looks of this car. I stole this car for $15k after all the discounts. Finally I have a car that I enjoy driving.