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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  I love my car!! - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Stephanie finnell - September 1 - 10:00 am

  Iv pretty much love my car. I have had a few problems but nothing major. I have been having problems withmy tail light always going out but I just go and get it fixed. I had some problems with my chairs. The spring pop through the chair and then i went and had that fixed. other then that i really like my car!! Its awsome on gas!

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  I like it - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Pop-A-G - September 1 - 10:00 am

  This car is perfect for me. More then enough passing power. I dont even have problems passing at speeds of 80 mph (in the 4 cylinder) roomy enough to sit 2 adults and one child in comfort in the back of the 2 door. I get roughly 380 to 395 miles per tank. The engine is quiet and strong. Great car in bad weather to. The snow strom of 2002 didt even stop me.

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  Its My New Baby - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By bobi1956 - September 1 - 3:50 am

  I bought a white one which I strongly desired and drove 150 miles to get it. It has the two tone interior which I love. It rides smooth and corners well. Great value !

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  Very happy buyer-needs quality materials - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By Florida dad - August 31 - 2:26 pm

  We bought our 2005 sv6 using the employee discount and paid $25k for a $31k model. Bronze ext., tan int. In the month or so that weve owned the car, weve loved the design- both interior and exterior, enjoy the DVD (I was originally lukewarm about this feature) and my wife loves the powered doors. Performance is adequate, but no more than that. Fuel economy is fine for this type of vehicle. The jury is still out on the usefulness of the storage box behind the rear seat. Sometimes we use it, sometimes not (usually not). At least its removeable. Overall, weve truly enjoyed our purchase and with 2 kids (and a 3rd due in April) we need this vehicles versatility more than ever!

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  GM Got It Right (Again) - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By mIchMlbrn - August 28 - 9:06 pm

  My wife and I were looking for an exotic car without breaking the bank. Corvette, BMW, and another Mercedes were considered. We rode by our local dealership the other evening and WOW, check that out. A Solstice. A friend of mine let me drive his the first day he got it and I wanted one. OK, now I got one and am quite happy with it. The only thing I can say to the GM R&D folks is "do you think you could shoe- horn in a Hi-Po V6? Overall the car is a blast to drive and handles like a dream. I would much rather own this than a Miata. (Im an American) The dealership is great to deal with and I am pleased.

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  Love it--had problems - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By shana - August 28 - 1:50 pm

  I love my car. Looks good-sporty-but I have named her Christine. A lot of little problems from sensors that would not allow me to put gas in my car (really!) to a freaked out blower motor that would not turn off. (twice) This summer vacationing at the beach, I was caught in a torrential rainstorm. Noticed a horrible wet smell the next couple of days. Yesterday took Christine to get her washed and water came through the dome lights. From the gearshift. And into the floorboard. Warranty gone! What do I do other than be thankful for the drought in my state.

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  car has been very good over all - 1999 Pontiac Bonneville
  By merrill - August 26 - 2:00 am

  this car has been very reliable. the minor problems have all been related to cheap plastic parts used on the interor. The windows let water floew in when driving in the rain. The trunk lets water drain in when opened wet. The car has given me good service and I believe it will into the future.

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  I drive a lot... - 2002 Pontiac Montana
  By Rolling Rock - August 26 - 2:00 am

  Seems to be buggy. The dealer cant figure out whats wrong. Horn honks periodicaly on its own, Car battery is dead, once jumped its fine. The interior is poor quality. Didnt offer leather in 8 seating option. Pontiac exterior is black, interior is gray and is too light in color to keep clean. They should offer charcoal interior.

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  BAD - 1998 Pontiac Grand AM
  By dudeman15926 - August 25 - 2:34 pm

  Owned this car for about 2 years. Since I had it i had nothing but problems. I bought it with 93000 Miles. Although, for a 4 cylinder, this is a fast car :P but i had all sorts of problems with it. Heater Core, Thermostat, Power steering, window regulator broke, and a few others. This was only in the course of 2 years. The car wouldnt start unless i held down the gas and started it. My brother also had a 2001? grand am and also had SO many issues with it. This is not a good car. 2/2 grand ams sucked. dont get one.

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  Driving Excitement for me as well....... - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By VooDooRay - August 24 - 10:00 am

  Absolutely the best overall car I have ever owned. Ive had quite a few, including older 75 & 89 Corvettes.