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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  GTP COMP G - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Jshwarms - October 27 - 10:00 am

  The new GTP Comp G is by far the flag ship of the Grand Prix line up. This car is really at home on the highway using the vast power of the engine to pass with ease. Turn the traction control off and this bad boy can tear up its front wheel drive tires like a rear drive sports car.

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  Youll be impressed! - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By Trowbridge - October 26 - 6:50 am

  The greatest thing is power. First test drive hooked in less than one on ramp to the interstate. Excellent gas mpg 18/23 and with the power youve got this thing is sick. I changed out the stock suspension with the Pedders Street II and the ride quality is about the same but the way it handles through the curves is crazy fun. I cannot tell you how many times Ive had looks from people - every stoplight it seems, and even from Lamborghini drivers. If you havent bought one, and youre still undecided, you better try to find one that has less then 10K on it because once these babies are gone, theyll be talked about years from now, as the car that got away. Ive had it for 19 months, 0 shop time.

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  Great sports car with room inside - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By anchorage - October 25 - 4:21 am

  2009 G8 GT owned 2 months 19K miles 6 tall 250 lbs male (me) This a great sports car. I bought it after buying and then having to sell an Audi S4 (I cant use a manual due to a bad knee). The G8 is very fast and has a great automatic transmission. The seats are great and the interior is large enough for adult people who are larger than a size medium, unlike most sporty cars. Factory autostart has a range of about 25 feet line of sight. This car would be perfect if it had 2 inches more ground clearance, AWD, and better visiblity.

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  Vivi - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Vivi - October 25 - 2:50 am

  I love my Vibe. It is sleek and cute and I feel very comfortable behind the wheel. It is spacious but does not drive like a big car. The gas mileage is excellent.

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  Feeling tentative - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Tentative - October 24 - 2:46 am

  Purchased 3 weeks ago and spent last week in the shop. Initially told the fuel pump was bad. Dealer ordered fuel pump. Now we find out there are 2 fuel pumps and another is on order. Looks like I will have spent 1/2 of my ownership in the shop. The car isnt even tagged yet! Hope I dont have a lemon...

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  Have to keep an eye on - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By meerkat_mayhem - October 23 - 5:26 pm

  I have had an amazing experience with this car in terms of its performance, but for you fellow owners, you have to be VERY AWARE of any issues with your power steering unit as well as any minute leakage that may be undetectable from your water pump. Watch your temperature gauge for any increase in heat and monitor your coolant levels. I just experienced the worse case scenario when driving on the freeway and suddenly getting the ping informing me to shut down AC due to engine overheating. 4200.00 later valves had to be replaced and head gaskets machined in addition to much more. Google make,model,year "engine overheating" for more info. Please be diligent about this.

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  fun car to drive - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Betsy O - October 20 - 9:23 pm

  Ive been very happy with my Vibe. Its cute, and fun and easy to drive. Despite its petite proportions, the interior has plenty of room for people and cargo, and the seating position is nice and high, so you dont feel like youre sitting on the road. Ive had several large and tall passengers who were impressed by the roominess even in the back seats. The Vibe gets great gas mileage - I typically average 30-34 (I have an automatic). The instrument panel is laid out well and the gauges are attractive

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  A zippy ride - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By Martina G - October 20 - 11:23 am

  I used edmunds.com to review wagons and chose the Vibe over its fraternal twin, the Matrix, and the Mazda3 because I liked its design and the price better. Love the ride! It is easy to get in and out of, sits high, and it really hugs the road. It has a zippy start and wants to go much faster than the speed limit permits, so when possible, I use the cruise control which runs very evenly (no fits and starts). So far I get 25-26 mpg in city driving. Stereo is great and the sunroof is nice for California. Storage capacity is excellent, and the rubberized surface makes cleanup easy. Price was $300 over invoice.

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  Great car - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By 07gt - October 17 - 3:33 am

  I have owned 2 other Pontiacs. My 07 is the best car that I have driven. Plenty of horses, sporty but luxury at the same time. I sell cars for a living at a dealer and when ever we get them used I try to get people to buy this car. I believe they are worth every penny!

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  Two weeks later - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Rod - October 15 - 8:23 am

  It has been two weeks since I wrote my first review on the G8 GT. The fuel mileage has gone up 2 mpg from tank one to tank 3. This car gets more comments about how great it looks and impresses more people than the first car I had that was super impressive, and that was a 1970 Hemi Cuda. It is also as much fun to drive as the Cuda, and handles way better. In one review someone commented about no release for the gas filler door. The gas door lock is part of the door lock system. If the doors are locked the gas door is locked. I like that dont have to pull a lever, just make sure the doors are unlocked, and who locks their doors when they are at the gas pump. you know you are being robbed.