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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  A nice ute - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Russell Pinto - July 9 - 4:40 pm

  A pretty Ute (black). Ride is nice and I think it handles fine. Powertrain is too small, and considering the mileage is realistically 16-18 a bigger motor is in order. Overall I like it.

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  So far, I love this car.... - 2009 Pontiac G6
  By cam - July 9 - 3:43 pm

  Purchased my G6 Coupe brand new. Love it. It has a heavy ride (which I prefer!) The gas mileage is good considering I dont break 35 mph on my 4 mile drive to work. The interior leaves a lot to be desired....way too much plastic. And I wish the seats sat up straighter. They need one more notch to sit up all the way. One other thing....There are too many cup holders in the car too. Id rather have an armrest in the back. LOVE the exterior....especially the back!

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  Great vehicle - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Me - July 8 - 2:00 pm

  I love this car. I purchased it after trading in my Sunfire GT primarily because I wanted more head and leg room which the car definitely offers for a compact car. The fuel economy is comparable to my Sunfire. Ive had no problems with the car at all though Im pretty fussy about making sure that all major maintenance is done on time. I love the sound system and the general layout of the interior. Great car. Ill definitley purchase a Pontiac G6 GT down the road.

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  ROLLING UP DASH PAD - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By wsteadman - July 6 - 12:45 pm

  I have a 2002 grand am se sedan 4cyl AT, AC, CDAMFM RADIO, MANNUAL SEATS. I have a problem tha Pontiac has refused to take resposiblity for. The dash pad has started to roll up, has broken the plastic defrost deflectors now the window will not defog properly (safety hazzard). The passenger side air bag is in the dash under the loose dash pad. The airbag is designed to punch thru the pad but with pad being loose it will not function properly and the loose dash pad will impact the passenger instead of the airbag..(safety/deadly hazzard) would like to know how to fix this problem. 9 of 10 gran ams I have looked at have the same problem. The subquality glue is letting go.

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  Great car - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By bigwicker - July 6 - 10:00 am

  My second Aztek. Handles beautifully. Comfortably but a fairly firm ride considering its build. 26 mpg hwy @ 80mph w. AC. Great room. Cant understand why Edmunds lists it as mid- size. No matter how fully loaded, I always seem to be able to see out the reah hatch. Great handling. I always know exactly where the front bumper is. A joy to park and maneauver in tight spots. Quick enough. Dependable so far (80k miles) Criticism: Spoiler on rear hatch encumbers rear view vision. Rear hatch doesnt want to release in cold weather. Lousy trade- in value...completely unjustified. Great car.

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  NotSoUglyDuckling - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By Maru - July 6 - 10:00 am

  This car is fun to drive and cool to look at. The only drawback is the engine. It should definitely be a 3.6 vs. 3.4!! It handles well and looks like a cross between a hatchback and an SUV, which is why I like it. I have all of the options, including leather interior, and I enjoy the comfort.

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  BEST OF THE GM LOT !! 2001 GP GT - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By warren loewe - July 4 - 10:00 am

  HAD TO BUY GM BECAUSE OF CREDIT CARD REBATE. I FELT THE PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GT WAS THE BEST GM HAD TO OFFER. I HAD A MAXIMA BEFORE THIS CAR , IT WAS LIKE NIGHT & DAY. THE MAXIMA WAS SUPERIOR IN EVERY WAY. BUT COMPARED TO OLDS, CHEVY,BUICK (WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN DROPPED) & CADILAC (WAY OVERPRICED) THIS CAR KEPT ME HAPPY FOR 18 MONTHS. I JUST PURCHASED A 03 TOYOTA AVALON XLS. GOOD BUY TO GM FOREVER.

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  Not worth your money - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By Shannon1283 - July 3 - 1:36 pm

  I first bought my AWD Sports Aztek because of 2 friends owning one. I took a ride in it and fell in love. 2 days later, I went and bought one. As ugly as it is, my Aztek is super sporty with a lot of features most dont have. However, I have had nothing but problems with it (My 2 friends sold theirs a year later and later found out it was documented a "lemon"). I have 72,000 miles on it right now. I have replaced both front rotors twice, brakes twice, windshield always leaks,gas mileage is horrible.I fill up every 4 to 5 days (I only drive about 30 miles every day). Rear latch always sticks, tires wear out easily, now the car is shaking and a bad grinding noise which is affecting driving

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  Had some problems but in love with it! - 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Kavity253 - June 21 - 2:00 am

  My parents bought it at 95,000 miles and i was 15 and eager to drive it. It went from seattle to san diego and back overloaded and equipped with a Quad 4 engine, but it did a good job! Now its at 156,000 miles and it died and is waiting for a new engine. Im 18 now and the car was given to me, i will fix it up and remember those happy times we had with the family in that car.

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  Great Car - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Matt6956 - June 21 - 2:00 am

  This is not only my current choice of vechicle to own, but it one of my favorites in general. I have had this car for about a year, and it has been fantastic. I have had no major problems at all, just the regular maintence issues. All recals performed and the car runs great!