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:
Showing 1571 through 1580 of 8,540.00-
Best in the industry - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
By JuliePitt - October 4 - 10:00 amI know for a fact that this car holds up well in collisions. Two weeks after We bought it, I hydroplaned in a downpoor and slammed into a retaining wall at 60 mph. This car held up well, with only minor damage, and all of us (5) in the car, were not injured at all. This car is fun to drive, responsive, and very stylish. You should see people stare as we cruise by. The 3 rear shoulder restraints are a godsend. I cant say enough good things about this car, so Ill say "Thank You Pontiac for making a car that I love!!!!"
-
Awesome Ride - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
By Awesome! - October 3 - 5:56 pmIve had my 04GP for a few months now, and I love it. The acceleration is superb, styling is great, the "That is awesome!" reply I get from the HUD.
-
Fun To Drive - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
By Ron - October 3 - 5:20 pmI have owned a lot of cars in my life but when i test drove the Grand Prix it showed that Pontiac had the driver in mind.Not only does the Grand Prix have style but it is fast,and comfortable and safe.The Grand Prix has a smooth ride and besides the front airbags the side curtain gives me comfort when i am driving my grandsons in the back.With all of the safety features I feel very comfortable behind the wheel of this car.
-
Best Car - 2000 Pontiac Sunfire
By kthiesen - October 3 - 4:43 pmI purchased this car brand new, it currently has 175,000 miles. I have had one minor problem that cost 200 to fix. My car runs better than when I purchased it and it is capable of getting 35 miles/gallon on the interstate. This has been an excellent car for me, if I didnt need more room I would buy another one in an instant. The LCD display on my monsoon radio also went out on one side but that wasnt that big of a deal considering how many miles it has and how great its been to have and drive!
-
july08 - 2008 Pontiac Torrent
By dnm - October 2 - 8:00 pmThe vehicle replaced a leased 2005 GMC EnvoyXL SLT. Though the Envoy was loaded the Torrent has plenty of features and is fun to drive. I pulled my boat 500 miles with no problem and the mileage is about 20% better than the Envoy. The Torrent is fun to drive, dont believe the reviews about it being "mushy" etc. The 3.4 V6 has plenty of spunk. The vehicle performs very well in town and on the highway. Highway mileage is about 25 and city is about 18. Plenty of room inside for 4 adults for long distance and 5 adults is not problem for shorter drives, rear seating has amazing leg room and front seat passenger seat has more room than the Envoy. We added the chrome package and leather.
-
Excellent Quality & Value - 2008 Pontiac G6
By Lou - October 1 - 9:56 pmHave had the car for 4 months now. The car has been great. Runs like a top and is fun to drive. Performance is pretty good, not to mention its getting me about 26 mpg on the average. Had a couple of minor issues and took it back to the dealership. Cant say enough about their service and personnel. Very good customer service A+. Took care of all the issues immediately and on my schedule. Overall, extremely pleased with the car and the dealership. Would highly recommend both!
-
quality at a good price - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
By vibe - October 1 - 5:06 amIve had my Vibe for 2 years now. I have live in California and it has been on the beach and over the Sierra Mountians. Have never had a single problem. Mileage is what was advertised, although it did take a break-in period to get there. The paint on the bumpers and bottom door trim could be a little better. Im a big 50 year old man. It takes me camping and on business trips. Still get comments on the looks of it. Friends have been so impressed a few have purchased Vibes. You wont be disappointed.
-
Trans Am fever - 2001 Pontiac Firebird
By JACKf - September 30 - 2:00 amI have loved the firebird since the inception in the 1960s. I have a 99 firebird and 01 trans am. I love them both and cannot find a car with the same high performance, race car ready, drive. I cannot think of anything bad to say of the firebird.
-
i love this car - 2010 Pontiac Vibe
By gregg n - September 29 - 10:56 pmi replaced a 2003 base vibe with the 2010 gt. wow! we love it. i do miss the rear opening window, the luggage rack, but it is so fun to drive. i anticipate that my biggest concern in the future will be the paint quality. i fear that pontiac knowing they were shutting down cut back on the amount of paint applied to the car thinking what will the consumer do about it. except for that, i really love the car.
-
My fav car - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
By Mil - September 29 - 8:20 pmI purchased the vibe a few months ago. I totally loved the toyota matrix and then I realized the vibe is very similar and much more affordable.
-
Pontiac Aztek 501 Reviews
-
Pontiac Bonneville 462 Reviews
-
Pontiac Firebird 385 Reviews
-
Pontiac G3 25 Reviews
-
Pontiac G5 150 Reviews
-
Pontiac G6 925 Reviews
-
Pontiac G8 287 Reviews
-
Pontiac Grand AM 1,106 Reviews
-
Pontiac Grand Prix 1,601 Reviews
-
Pontiac GTO 540 Reviews
-
Pontiac Montana 369 Reviews
-
Pontiac Montana SV6 62 Reviews
-
Pontiac Solstice 286 Reviews
-
Pontiac Sunfire 449 Reviews
-
Pontiac Torrent 258 Reviews
-
Pontiac Trans Sport 37 Reviews
-
Pontiac Vibe 1,097 Reviews