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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  good car poorly built - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By robertheil - August 10 - 7:51 pm

  Bought it last year it had over 225k in one month had to replace the engine due to blown gasket then water pump went out 4 months latter I had to replace both front hub assemblies tie rod the transmission has a defect the pressure control solenoid and torque converter clutch so when it gets hot every few days it shits hard the only time my engine light come on is due to the tranny shifting hard and early 4 gear 25 mph running at 800 rpms car acts like a manual had to replace the front sway bar snapped on both sides no biggie has a vacume leak in dash had to replace a hose for the evap the car wont start if its been hot just turns over with little firing idles at 2 to 400rpms then fix itself

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  the 95 gt - 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
  By justin37683 - August 10 - 12:46 am

  I have bought a 95 grand am gt and it has been great with the quad 4 dual overhead cams, I love the performance, altogether it is just a really great car.

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  Long-term review - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Jim - August 8 - 7:40 pm

  Ive had the GAGT over 6 yrs/70K miles. Seen many of the typical problems-replace front brakes every 15k, passlock issues, random clicking, leaking intake manifold gasket, etc. When I complained about the front brake servicing to Pontiac corporate, they were minimally helpful. Researching a bit, I found numerous consumer complaints, and several Tech Service Bulletins issues by Pontiac regarding the brakes. One additional item:(might vary by state) in MA, the GAGT is very expensive to insure-same as a BMW, due to repair cost. Many of the negative aspects of the car seem to be related to a corporate philosophy from GM, which with the recent bailout requests seem to run deeper than just the GAGT

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  Underrated - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By D - August 7 - 8:33 pm

  The car is essentially a Toyota. Due to it having a Pontiac logo on it the resale and general perception is not as good as it should be. Ive owned my car for three years and have had almost no issues. It has been extremly reliable. The only problem is that the stock tires wore out quickly and needed to be replaced with less than 30k miles on the car. I am impressed with the quality of the interior. The cloth seats are much better than that Ive seen in Jetta, Civic, and impreza.

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  Ask the dealer - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Leann Bell - August 4 - 8:50 pm

  Ive had my Torrent for some time now no big problems so far lots of little ones had it serviced the mechanic left radiator cap off over heated on a trip. I asked the dealership how to verify that AWD is operational, said to take it out put it in mud and try to see if it works, GM cant answer this question either. Worried about wheel bearings. Not good work from dealer shop.

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  Best American Performance Sedan - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By GTParty - July 31 - 10:00 am

  I enjoyed this car. A great balance of performance and fuel economy from the supercharged engine. Great handling and I liked the looks as well. Reliability might be questionable over the long run. I didnt have some of the problems other people had, but then again, I traded mine in in Dec 2002 to get a new Yukon. If you get one that was well maintained, you will probably enjoy it a great deal.

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  Going Bad - 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
  By grandamlover - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned my grand am for 6 years and never had any real trouble until now. I just hit 90K miles and the engine is going to blow anyday now! There are metal shavings in the oil and I get almost no power when the gas pedal is pushed. Ive loved this car and its been well taken care of. So far, its required nothing more than routine maintainence- oil, brakes, tires, etc. However, my automatic locks do not unlock anymore, the headlights and blinkers work sometimes and not others, and one fog light is missing because the plastic casing is melted from the light. The exterior and interior are still in great condition.

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  Convertible is great - 2000 Pontiac Sunfire
  By carlwag - July 29 - 7:36 pm

  This is my second Sunfire convertible. My first was a 1995, and I upgraded to a 2000 when I bought this used in 2005. The convertible top is the best ever put on a convertible. Real glass rear window and one handle operation make this a snap to put up and down. Also, this is the only convertible on the market in the last twenty years that can carry five people! There are three sets of belts in the back seat. I absolutely love my AM/FM radio, cassette, and CD player. It puts out good sound, and the AM is far superior to my wifes Acura. I plan to keep this car until someone else makes a convertible that I like - and I dont see that happening soon.

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  Satisfying to own - 2003 Pontiac Montana
  By bigmowaukee - July 29 - 12:00 am

  Weve had a good ownership experience with our Montana. Its been quite reliable, with few major breakdowns in our eight years of ownership. While the vehicle isnt luxuriously equipped, it is comfortably appointed and feels luxurious in a Pontiacian sort of way. Haling the seats in and out is a pain...even worse than the Pontiac TransPort we had before it...but it has been one of the more satisfying cars Ive owned.

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  Impressed! Value! - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By bvdj84 - July 26 - 2:43 am

  I am impressed with this car! My first American car. I came from an 06 Accord, though this car is not a Honda, it certainly upholds a good standard. I have all the options I could want, and could compare to the options of the VW Passat. Smooth ride, getting more smooth engine, not as refined as Accord. Interior is pretty nice. Great gas mileage, and finding this car to be a lot of fun!Its a happy car! Sporty looking! I got the fully loaded G6 with the 4cyl. I am really enjoying it, I miss my Accord, but this will be fun to drive! Killer for me is the resale value, but I think Pontiac is going in the right direction! Will I be back to Honda Acura, probably, but this is fun for now! Great car