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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  Love my Solstice - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Its Showtime - March 15 - 8:43 am

  Turns heads, Sporty, Fun! A car for all ages, my wife, our daughter love to drive this car

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  A Great Overall Vehicle - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By The_Hiz - March 14 - 6:20 pm

  I was immediately attracted to this vehicle by the aggresive appearance and promise of excellent performance from the supercharged engine. I have not been dissapointed after almost 10000 miles. Overall, this would be an excellent vehicle for someone more concerned about performance than rock-solid craftsmanship.

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  Great Value for the $ - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Howard - March 13 - 7:53 am

  After the first 5K + miles, not a single hint of a problem. Good gas mileage and totally fun to drive. If you need more pick-up, youre either with the police department, or you have issues. Great value for the money

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  American Performance At Its Best - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Stephen NY - March 12 - 11:16 am

  When I purchased it the car had over 147 thousand miles. The engine ran like new with no prior work. The car always attracted the attention of pedestrians especially with its premium sound system. After a car wash the victory red paint job was a gleaming flame. The car did not require work , just tires from opening up the powerful v-6 high output engine too many times. One day I had got into an accident about 25 miles from home and I smashed the car into a highway divider wrecking the front end. The tire blew out but the car drove as if the wheel was still inflated. I took an exit and installed the donut. Then I drove 27 miles home without one problem. The car is very reliable and safe!

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  Id buy it all over again! - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By ddoiron - March 11 - 10:00 am

  98,000 miles and still loving this van. Drives great, good visibility, captains chairs in middle row are wonderful for kids on road trips. Seats are light enough for easy removal and fits 4x8 sheet of plywood.

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  AWESOME! - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Kari Apel - March 11 - 10:00 am

  This car is an extremely fun and sporty vehicle to drive, especially for families. This is a terrific vehicle for all purposes-taking the kids on trips, hauling things with the fold down back seat, cool looking "mom" car yet luxurious at the same time. Couldnt get a better car for the price category and I doubt you could get much better if you increased! Pontiac has a good product in its inventory.

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  Why buy a BMW? - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Hilbilly - March 11 - 4:53 am

  I am really impressed with my Pontiac G8-GT. Its a real rocket but it doesnt guzzle gas. It holds five easily, although I rarely ever have more than two of us in it. Most important, is the fact that it does everything my friends BMW 550 does at half the price. I was really impressed with how well its built and how solid it feels on the road. It handles very well and imparts a sense of confidence when I drive it. I guess if you need the snob appeal of a BMW then spend the extra $30K otherwise this G8-GT is a great buy. I had one of the first GTOs and this reminds me of it.

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  Fun Car - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Amanda Laffoon - March 10 - 7:40 pm

  This is the thrid Grand Prix I have owned and I love it as with the rest of them. They are very dependable, comfortable, and sporty. The handling is wonderful and it drives better than any other car in its class.

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  Another satisfied TeKKer - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By smiwee - March 10 - 1:00 am

  Bought in 10/01, taking advantage of low interest rates,rebates,etc. Had been looking for a year, running the gamut from Subarus, to GMC Envoy. Aztek presented the best compromise of space,low entry, power, comfort,towing ability, and lots of bells and whistles! ;-) Have had no problems whatsoever and continue to feel I made the best decision.

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  I love my van but... - 2005 Pontiac Montana
  By GM emp - March 9 - 8:06 pm

  I have had the van for little over a year. Bought new. Been in to dealership 3 times for brake work. Still squeaking. Power sliding door alarm goes off for no reason when driving, have to pull over and reclose. Gas gauge not working properly. Also, no room for legs in 2nd row. Took seats out and its wonderful. Dealership nor I could find a plug in adapter. Not as comfortable as old Venture van. Guess it doesnt matter, GM is not making minivans any longer.