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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  Loved my Car - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Kerrilynn - October 14 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car brand new & drove it 60K miles until it was totalled after being hit at 60 MPH (I was doing 35) in a semi-T-bone on the drivers side by a DUI in a Tahoe. My injuries were less than expected considering it took jaws of life & 45 minutes to extract me. Both axles were broke off. But the car protected me and my passenger!! Car ran perfectly with zero problems. Big- O brakes never lasted long - was it them or the car?

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  Sporty and unique - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Dee - October 13 - 7:13 pm

  I bought this car in May of 05 & so far so good. The car is fully loaded with all the bells & whistles, I got it with the awesome panaramic view. The monsoon sound system is great & the information center is very informative. I like how the interior was layed out, with soft touch material everywhere & very roomy & I compared it to other vehicles in its group & they had hard plastics & small inside. The cars suspension is very good & corners without sceeching the tires. The leather interior is well thought out & great looking. I like the exterior styling with slick looking lines which makes it look sporty. The six way power seat, telescoping, & tilt steering makes it comfortable to drive.

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  Best Buy For The Buck - 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Tanja B - October 13 - 10:00 am

  This car is really fun to drive, and incredibly reliable. It is no joke when I say that this car has NEVER broken down on me. Thsi year I had to replace the shocks, and I am now having minor problems with the power windows.This is the very best and most reliable car I have ever owned. I bought it used in 1997 with 400km on it.

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  Excellent Value - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By pro driver - October 11 - 5:00 am

  All I can say is drive this thing and enjoy. I came out of a park avenue and into the grand prix. It rides a little rough compared to the park ave, but this thing is slick. The handling and the comfort form a mid sized Rocket ship is outstanding. The fule mileage is outstanding and the sight lines are also great from a car so low to the ground. Go and have some fun and be safe.

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  The most fun Ive had driving a car - 2007 Pontiac Vibe
  By elaine - October 10 - 5:56 pm

  I looked at every car with this body style, ie: Aveo, Matrix, Spectra5. This car is so fun. I feel like Im in an SUV because I sit up so high. The interior has more room than my 4 door sedan but the body is about 4ft smaller. Acceleration is steady, braking not too hard. Ive drive 160 miles and used a bit more than a qtr. tank. I do not have the engine noise that Ive read about in some reviews. Maybe Im just not that spoilt. I drove a lot of cars and read a lot of reviews...this is the car I bought. Even with its little quirks, in my opinion even with the expensive cars out there, the reliability and reviews prove this to be the car to pick.

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  great car - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By chasma17 - October 9 - 10:00 am

  great car i wouldnt change anything. it is ahead of its time. in features. the extra power of the supercharger is great but doesnt rob fuel millage like i thought it would

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  worth the wait - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By LYN - October 9 - 10:00 am

  great handling and performance, gets lots of looks and attention. couldt be more pleased so far. however, it does like to frequent gas stations.

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  thrilling - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By melissagt1 - October 9 - 10:00 am

  awesome ride! This is my 3rd Grand am. They keep getting better and better.

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  Love it - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Blitzed14 - October 9 - 10:00 am

  Awesome car, especially for someone in my age range. If youre still young enough to want a sports car, but you cant afford a Vette, I suggest you lean in this direction.

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  04 GRAND PRIX - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By shadow - October 9 - 10:00 am

  ONE OF THE BEST BUILT AUTOS IVE EVER PURCHASED. A LOT OF LITTLE EXTRAS THAT I DIDNT EXPECT IN THIS PRICE RANGE.