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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  not so great - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By jonnymaze - March 23 - 2:00 am

  Okay you may get good gas milage but you sure dont get performance. I know its a 1.8 liter engine, I think it should have a little more get up and go. I didnt realize how tight a space the front seating compartment is.

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  Excellent Car! - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By RGUTE - March 23 - 2:00 am

  This is an all around great car for someone looking for a sporty, comfortable, and affordable vehicle. The supercharger gives you a lot of punch when you need it, and it handles really well. Climbs steep hills with no problem. Im satisfied with the fuel economy.

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  Great Little SUV! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Gilbert Fuller - March 23 - 2:00 am

  This awd model replaced a awd subaru. We have had no problems whatsoever, in fact we liked it so much that we bought another one (not awd) this december. We have always had a large car (cadillac) but we felt the difference in the ride was far outweighed by the convenience of our Vibes!!!

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  A Disapointment ... - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By dnpstr - March 22 - 8:00 pm

  Bought with just under 90,000 miles on it. My Grand Am is no doubt a very sharp looking car and the performance is great. But before you purchase this car DO YOUR RESEARCH! I have owned this car for almost 2 years and it has been nothing of a problem. I have had to replace the AC unit and on my last road-trip I had the wonderful experience of a blown head-gasket. After fixing that for about $2,000 it turns out the bearings in my engine have been warped or contaminated by the anti-freeze,likely a result of the blown head-gasket so now its going to die. The cars interior is nothing to brag about.This car had a lot of potential but due to poor reliability I will be looking for a new ride.

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  Too many issues - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By H.Lapham - March 22 - 12:56 am

  I have had too many problems with this car. Shortage with the turn signals was the only recall on this that I got when there should have been plenty more recalls on it. The seat belts locking up(when they shouldnt),left high beem does not work now has a short in it, all my gauges on the dash board dont work, my drivers side window has a short in it and my locks have messed up on it before. I feel sorry for anyone who has bought this hunk of junk.

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  Fun in the Sun Solstice - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By darrell Lattanzio - March 21 - 3:53 pm

  Good bang for the buck, great styling, at lot of fun to drive.

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  One of Best cars I have owned - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Jim P - March 21 - 3:20 pm

  The Grand Prix GT I purchased off- lease in June, 2006, had 33000 miles at purchase. It now has 55000 trouble- free miles. I have replaced only the battery and a heater fan switch. The styling is still one of the best even after five years! Fuel economy is 17 mpg in stop-and-go city and 30 mpg at 70 mph on the highway. I still feel great about this car and, every time I think about something newer, I change my mind and stay with this car. Too bad GM is dropping this model after 2008.

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  Eye-Catcher - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Thunder - March 21 - 2:23 pm

  Blue-Green Crystal gets lots of compliments in parking lots, gas stations, etc. Great performance, but if the idea for bigger tires in the front really was to reduece torque steer, I dont notice much improvement over my former 98 GTP. Still, be aware of it and its not a problem. Very solid ride with little or no body lean into corners. City mileage hasnt worked out as advertised yet, though I only have 600 miles on it, so far. Hopefully itll get better than the current 14 mpg after a couple of thousand miles. Highway miles are decent (26mpg) and should also improve, soon. HUD is much better and more informative than older models. Exhaust? Aaaah, sounds like my old Z- 28.

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  wasnt perfect ...... - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By InfernoDan98 - March 21 - 10:00 am

  When I first bought the car it had a bad pull to the left at speeds over 50 mph. Pontiac said it was torque steer. Took to local chevy dealer where a buddy works and found the left strut was not installed correctly. And Pontiac just blew me off.

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  What was I thinking???!!! - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By R3800 - March 21 - 10:00 am

  My girlfriend bought a Red 2000 Grand Prix SE with the 3800 and loved it... I liked how it looked, but I didnt think much of it until I drove it. Man was I a goner. 15 minutes later, I was picked up for "Qualifying" (he aparently had a problem with me passing 5 semis at once on a divided highway, oops.) I loved her car so much that I bought myself one. Im not one to be out done, but Im willing to be in the dog house over this car. Im the proud owner of a Black 2000 Grand Prix GT with all the toys. Now, I have to keep her from taking mine.