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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  my gtp - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By batmon - December 8 - 10:00 am

  this is an awesome car to drive in, it is quick with a dominating roar. the only down side is the power steering is under powered. this is an awesome ride!!!

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  1999 Firebird - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By rotc6girl9 - December 7 - 7:16 pm

  Great reliability and quality. It also has great performance, much better than most imports and the exterior design is amazing. These types of cars really are beautiful

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  Replace your SUV with a Pontiac Vib - 2007 Pontiac Vibe
  By Ron Douglas - December 6 - 6:06 pm

  Replace your SUV with this ca.r Im saving money on fuel. Its got the features of my suv but smaller. The main thing is that I can tow my 16 ft bass boat with this car with no problems and still get out to my favorite fishing spots at (27.5 MPG) far away, with out spending the extra bucks on gas if your looking for a kind of small suv this would make a great choice it gets the job done so far its been very Reliable

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  Still great after 8 years - 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Vivian - December 4 - 11:50 pm

  Bought it brand new in 2002, little white coupe. Manual 5 speed with a 4 cyl, gets 33 mpg on highway. Just worried about all the bigger cars on the road not seeing me. Great car, no major problems.

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  I love the car - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Barb - December 4 - 5:13 pm

  I bought this car used and have only had to replace the ignition switch. This has been the only reason it left me walking one time. This car had high mileage but was still in good shape and I have not had any major expenses. I bought a gold one that if the car is dirty you cannot tell!!! I like having enough power to get out of the way of crazy drivers or big trucks.

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  Great Experience - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Happy Owner - December 4 - 3:40 pm

  Bought my car new. It has 147K and I have maintained the oil and usual check up points. The major repair to gasket to oil and then coolant gasket - but only at approx 90K. The rest were all maintain, brakes. Once paid off annual repair bills are around $500. My husband drives a 2001 BMW with 80K - repairs and up keep to his car cost us $7400 last year. Plus he had to replace his AC at 50K for $1500. I have not put anything near that into my GMC. I will keep this car until it doesnt go or significant repair cost hits me.

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  Great Car - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By JP - December 4 - 7:56 am

  This was my third Bonnie after driving my `96 to 309,500 miles we decided to get another. I wont hit that on this one not because it wont go, but because I for what ever reason didnt drive as much. My wife drives them the first 4 years then I take them over. My `04 is coming to me to drive the heck out of it. It is well worth the money and quality is great. I am sad they dont make them anymore. I think I will have to buy a Buick now.

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  Unbeatable performance, style, and value - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By GB - December 3 - 5:36 pm

  Very nice interior and exterior styling with good fit and finish inside and out. Powerful engine with great V8 sound track and smooth power delivery. Wonderful driving dynamics. Very comfortable heated seats, nice interior materials, great sound system. Averaging 19 MPG in cold & snowy conditions with snow tires.

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  One Hot G5! - 2008 Pontiac G5
  By Rob - November 30 - 2:36 am

  This was my first car. I got it brand new in 2008 as a 2008 model. Its really fun to drive, sporty looking, and quick for its powertrain. The Pontiac G5 hasnt given me any trouble, and im getting 30.3 mpg average. I baby my car, keeping it clean and not dogging it, only go above 3500 RPMS every so often to hear her hum. People always want to race because it looks so sporty...Victory Red. Love the car, would recommend it to anyone!

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  Just awesome - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By mike - November 30 - 1:43 am

  This car can smoke 95% of the cars o the road. Comfort, mileage, performance. Very impressive, very happy with my purchase. For a stock car, this thing is VERY fast.