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:

• 

  05 gto - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By 05 gto - March 27 - 5:06 pm

  love the car , definitely a wolf in sheeps clothing , the power is strong from idle to 6500 rpm. gm should take note of the superior interior quality of this car. would recommend a better shifter, and a little stiffer suspension, power lock button on console, and homelink. otherwise a 10

• 

  Satisfied owner - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By philly j - March 27 - 10:00 am

  Purchased the GT sedan in 03and have no regrets! GT looks great and performed well on the road, which is a must for my lead foot. No major repairs until this year (2010) at 160k miles-so the car is unexpectedly reliable.

• 

  Great car all around - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Anthony - March 27 - 10:00 am

  I have been driving this car for couple years now and I would never trade it in.

• 

  2008 grand prix gxp - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By DUANE - March 27 - 10:00 am

  Best car I ever had, great styling and handling, nice design, 23 mpg combined city and hwy, nice leather seats

• 

  Very cheap interior and build quality - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By sbronemann - March 26 - 10:43 pm

  I bought this car in May of 2012 with 28,500 miles on it. Currently has 62k on it and things are starting to go bad. Headlights turn off occassionally on their own, valve cover gasket is leaking, sunroof leaks, and ignition switch is going bad. It is fun to drive and does get pretty good gas mileage, recent trip to South Carolina resulted in 31.3 MPG cruising right at 71 mpg GPS verified. The torque steer is absolutely horrible as you could expect with a front drive V8 with 303 HP. Looking to get rid of it very soon.

• 

  A sporty runner - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Gavin Lee - March 26 - 6:13 pm

  Its not only a sporty car on the road, but also a sporty driver on a run! This car makes me feel younger. The performance and style make this car way above its economy car class.

• 

  love my GTO - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By pligman - March 26 - 1:40 pm

  Took it on a 2 week trip out west in September, put 5400 miles on it in 14 days, and never got tired of being in the car. 15 hours the first day and 10 plus on other days, from 1000 feet up to 11,000 feet, car did not skip a beat and averaged 26.4 mpg for the trip, all at or above the speed limit, and in some moments very fast. I will never get rid of it!

• 

  Nice vehicle - 2007 Pontiac Torrent
  By Live Free or Die - March 26 - 1:13 pm

  We went from a 1999 Ford Windstar. I considered myself a Ford person (after owning 6). We looked at the Honda CR- V, Chevy Equinox and the Pontiac Torrent. We decided to stay in the GM family so that knocked out the Honda (it also seemed a little small for our use). The Pontiac had better option packages and the one we wanted was readily available at the dealer. After driving it for a few months my observations are as follows: The styling is great, it does look like higher end vehicles, the pick up is slow but once you hit it, it takes off. Wouldnt recommend the cargo upgrade as it actually cuts into the space.

• 

  Excellent Car! - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Danny - March 26 - 9:26 am

  As soon as I drove away, I was blown away! For the small of the two engines, the 3100S definitely provides impressive power and response. Quick off a stop and maintains speed effortlessly. 4 speed is definitely the way to go with this car, which shifts quite smoothly I might add. Phenomenal highway car as well, especially when it makes 30+ mpg! Not bad around the city either, I average between 22-25 mpg. The engine sounds great when the car is winding out too, without losing gas needlessly. All in all it is a supremely well balanced car in terms of performance, style, efficiency, and overall intrigue of the vehicle. I got mine used with low miles & never been happier behind the wheel.

• 

  GTP - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By MAPhil - March 23 - 6:23 pm

  Great lines with quick response. I have taken down a few of the competitors...sorry Monet Carlo, Im glad I didnt buy one! Too bad it is front wheel drive w/ no manual...oh well the rest is good to go.