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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  Follow up comment - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By 09Vibe - January 13 - 6:33 pm

  Just a follow up to previous posting. One strange item missing from base models is variable intermittent wipers. After driving in the rain today and thinking that the option must be a separate add-on, I went back and checked the Pontiac website to find that they are not available on the base model. For those living in rainy climates, its an annoying omission by the manufacturer.

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  Love this car! - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By mike_65_ - January 13 - 5:50 pm

  Bought this car a month ago and really am pleased with it. It handles much better then the 1997 Chev Lumina I had. It is fun to drive and is very good on gas and has great pep for a 2.2L. I get lots of compliments on the styling of the car. The graystone metallic is just my color.

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  Maybe youll find this helpful - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Dziewczyna - January 12 - 11:33 am

  I reviewed cars for months before I got into the G6. Ive owned it now 16 months and I have to say its the first car Ive had this long that I still like. Generally I get bored fast and want something new. It recently snowed in Seattle and I found the TC to be a royal pain. It wouldnt let me speed up to get the momentum to get up the hill. The TC kept coming on and my tires kept spinning. When I turned the TC off.. still couldnt make it up. Recently my windshield freezes on the inside. When the sunroof is open IT IS SO LOUD, almost not worth having it Ive seen others complain about a bouncing speedometer and Ive also had this problem took it to the dealer and they didnt find anything

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  great ride - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By cpyguy69 - January 12 - 2:00 am

  Ive put 100,000 miles of hard city driving on this car and havent had one problem; the most reliable car i.ve ever owned.

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  Amazing - 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Praetorian - January 12 - 2:00 am

  This is an amazing car. I would totally recommend it!

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  Great - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Robert Schleimer - January 11 - 7:16 am

  Only disapapointment is fuel economy. 22 MPG on trip and 18 in city

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  Love this car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By PG - January 10 - 5:46 am

  I have been considering my a new car for several months. I was leaning towards another mazda, or Honda product however after GM began offering the additonal rebate incentives i decided on base G6 GT. I really am impressed with the styling of the G6. Very roomy interior and the exterior lines are smooth and simple. Ride is exactly what I expected in a car within this price range. I have been driving this car for 2 months and i really enjoy the experience.

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  Amys Torrent - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Amy Lee - January 7 - 5:20 am

  My husband and I purchased our first SUV this past summer, and I chose the Pontiac Torrent. I love this SUV. There is so much room. I have a 62" husband and a 61" 17 yr old son. This is the reason why I chose the Torrent, the room, great gas mileage, and a reasonable price.

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  sunfire - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By mrsjspicer - January 7 - 2:00 am

  I really like this car.When we bought it they had it specially customed. It has decals all along the sides, a body kit, ground effects, and custom rims. I love the lighting in it, especally the lights under the rear view mirror, I love how it looks sporty but is not considered a sports car under insurance.

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  GTO exceeds the mark - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By bfargin - January 6 - 4:33 pm

  Well, after owning this fine automobile for several months I thought I would share my feelings. Wow, what a car. The build quality is excellent, it feels more like a european luxury car than a typical GM econobox. I realize it costs close to 30K but I still think you are getting tons of quality for the money. I like the interior better than I like the new MB E350 or CLK350. Handling is great for the size and weight involved. After all it is a performance luxury coupe and not a bareboned racecar and yet still puts up great skidpad numbers. For the money you wont find better performance in a new car. For right at 30K dollars you get a 400 hp engine that will pin you to the seat back.