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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  Give American a Break! - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Bryant - March 11 - 11:30 pm

  Granted this is a front wheel drive with 303 HP and paddle shifters on an automatic. But this is one fun car to drive, and on road trips, it is delightful. Even the fuel economy is good. First, it burns regular gas, second it has the fuel saving engine and at road speeds, 4 cylinders shut down and seamlessley start up again when you hit the accelerator. With Stability Control, Magni Steer, and Full Time traction control, Plus the fantastic Heads Up Display, this is a safe car to drive. Just listen to the sound of the Small Block V-8, and you want to ride all day. Gas mileage, I am heavey footed but still getting 25 in Hiway, and 17 to 20 in mixed. That is 400 miles on a tank of gas. Try it!

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  Best Muscle Car - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Fast GTO - March 11 - 6:23 pm

  Quite frankly the most comfortable and best built muscle car you can get. Drives like a Bimmer and pulls like a freight train.

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  MY THIRD VIBE - 2007 Pontiac Vibe
  By Greg W - March 8 - 8:36 am

  This is my third Vibe. I like its looks and versatility. It is quite roomy for its size.

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  "Never buy a first year car" - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By Bartwod - March 8 - 2:00 am

  I love my Aztek. It is easy to get in and to get out. I like the feeling of sitting taller than a car. The controls for the radio are in the steering wheel and it is easy to use. I do not like leaning over the back gate to load groceries and unload. I have had many problems that were quite expensive and was told by one service department person, "Well, mam, you did buy a first year automobile." Well, I love the car, but GM has not responded to any of my letters or emails about the problems. This is a wonderful car for those over 50 but GM brought out the Buick and stopped advertizing this car.

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  Pontiac Vibe 2003 - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By aponas - March 8 - 2:00 am

  Its perfomance is good. Takes to the road well. The design is a new mod- look. Handling is good. The only dis- like is the hub-caps make a terrible noise when driving over turtles, which is embarssing. Espically when we have guests in the car.

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  Great value drivers car - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Ron - March 4 - 7:23 pm

  I have the 2009 SRM G8 GT with premium and sports. This is a drivers car, and is amazingly nimble for its size. The interior can be nicer, but that is not the reason why people buy this car. The AFM when engaged adds vibration. As a previous reviewer commented, the idle is a bit rough, but that is true of most cars with the LS series push rod engine. The handling is excellent for such a big car. It beats my previous front-heavy Accord V6 hands down. And the V8 engine propels the car to highway speeds in a blink of the eye. Unfortunately, the price one pays for such performance is high fuel consumption. All-in-all, driving this car is a blast and surprisingly comfortable. Great car.

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  Not a bad little car - 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Nao-Chan - March 1 - 2:00 am

  We have had very few problems with this car, and it now has 83,000 miles. The olny thing out of the ordinary that we had to replace was the Air conditioning compressor for about $600 @ 76,000 miles. The engine is still strong, and transmission shifts smoothly. My main complaint is the seats, which are unbearable on any trip that requires more than 2 hours driving.

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  Great Fun - 1998 Pontiac Firebird
  By Robert Linzer - February 28 - 1:26 pm

  Driving this vehicle is really fun, definitely the funnest Ive ever driven. Being able to take corners at 30 mph without feeling like your going to roll the thing is a great ride. Only things I dont like are the traction problems in wet weather and its ride height. I love the fact that its low to the ground, but its a pain to drive worrying about scraping when going through the smallest dips or transition from level surfaces to a steep slope.

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  Great car for your money - 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Craziman - February 28 - 10:00 am

  This car is great. Just recently purchased and Ive already gone 350 miles on one tank before filling up with 1 gallon left to spare(combined highway and city while driving hard). Very comfy on the highway and the shocks absorb road default pretty well. I just wish that thump sound would go away!

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  Review - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By poor choice - February 28 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for little over a year and have had it in the shop three times for serious problems (brakes, steering, and the engine kept overheating). I am so dissatisfied that I will never purchase another Pontiac again!