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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  Wont get fooled again - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By mv - March 9 - 10:00 am

  Bought my 1999 Montana new in 99 and since then have had to repair/replace the entertainment system , power door , and transmission and the vehicle doesnt have 45000 miles on it. Was hoping to drive it into the ground (10 years or more) but I dont believe gm builds anything of that quality any more. My previous vehicle (a new 94 gmc jimmy) had an engine which seized at 60k under warranty but the dealer couldnt fix the engine properly and I had to dump that gm headache too. Until gm starts building with a little quality in mind I wouldnt consider their products . If you want a minivan spend a few $ more and buy a Honda like Im going to have to .

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  I will buy another one - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By gs496isperfect - March 9 - 10:00 am

  The 2.4 4 cyl engine gave us the balance between power and economy we wanted. The purchase price was $2000 less then what I had expected to pay. We still get an average of 31 mpg today four years later. It has 230,000 miles on it. Only problem we had was the water pump went out at about 75,000 miles. The 6 month warranty extension we purchased covered that repair. It still has great acceleration when we put the peddle to to floor to pass someone going 65 MPH. It picks up quickly, allowing us to get around the other driver without any delay. Everything is still tight and nothing has come/fallen off of the interior or exterior.

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  2002 WS6 6M - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By JohnWS6 - March 9 - 10:00 am

  I just got my black 2002 ws6 with the 6 speed manual transmission and its been nothing but pure fun. The car handles very well and for the power it makes its pretty light on gas. The stereo system is very nice, not only does it have 500 watts of power, but the sound is very clear and with no static. Turn off the traction control, slam on the gas, now your havin fun!

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  Wont get fooled again - 2003 Pontiac Montana
  By mv - March 9 - 10:00 am

  Dont buy a Montana.Big Mistake.In the 3 years since Ive purchased mine Ive had to replace the entertainment system, the side door didnt close properly, and now the transmission is failing at 45,000 miles (all on a car which was bought new that has met all maintenance schedules).GM cares nothing about quality or reliability of their vehicles and their dealer service departments are incompetent at best and criminal at worst. My last vehicle before this was a new "94 GMC Jimmy whos engine seized at 60k under warranty and the dealers service department never fixed properly. Spend a few dollars more on a Honda and leave gm (garbage motors) alone

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  My Second One - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Eldon McElhiney - March 9 - 10:00 am

  Last Grand Am was a 93 model. It gave me 5 years of "no payements" and while pushing 200,000 miles, was still running like a top when I traded it for the new style that I wanted! What a great car!

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  Nice Ride - 2005 Pontiac Montana
  By Vicki - March 8 - 7:10 am

  The SV6 is a very stylish fun to drive vehicle. The kids love the dvd system, and all the captain chairs and soundsystem. The low step in height is great. Front visiblity is perfect while not so in the rear(head rests get in the way) The power rear doors are great. The seats are super comfortable much more so than others we test drove.( My husband & I test drove them all I bet). We didnt mind them not being stow and gow as they were so much more comfortable. The only complaint is maybe power when on the highway fully loaded with people & luggage felt a little sluggish but other than that perfect.

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  What a Pontiac - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By jeff - March 6 - 1:03 pm

  All i can say is this is the best car i ever owned. I cant understand why Pontiac didnt bring this car over sooner. I love the power of the v8 and the mpg are great for the engine size. This car to me handles better than the BMW 5 series. Pontiac needs to do a lot more advertising with this car. Its a 4 door vette. You cant go wrong with this one. It was sold before i even test drove it

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  Not worth your money - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By fla2000 - March 6 - 10:00 am

  Save your money, do not bother with a Grand Am. I have had numerous problems with mine, some within the first year. Original battery cracked open and acid leaked out (within first year), blinker went out after a few minutes of driving each time (1st year), oil leak, coolant leak, replaced factory radio, etc. Need I say more? Also, beware that youll need the "ultra high performance" type of tires, so when you go to replace them it costs a fortune.

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  G6 is best in class - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Lafayette - March 6 - 10:00 am

  200HP, a 0-60 time of less than 8 seconds, with a ride usually reserved for much larger vehicles, the Pontiac G6 is a great car. Gone are the days of plastic body- moldings. The G6 is another sign that Pontiac is redefining itself as GMs performance division. Drive the Mazda 6, Jetta, and Altima. Then and only then drive the G6. The G6 will be the clear winner.

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  My Grand Prix Corners Great - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By KenZ - March 6 - 10:00 am

  I have been very impressed with the cornering ability of my Grand Prix. Other great options include the rear passenger doors that open 90 degrees and the two-tiered glove box. I also really enjoy the speed control stereo volume - when you go faster, the radio volume increases to accomodate road noise and when you go slower, the radio volume decreases. Acceleration is also tremendous.