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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  I hate this car!!!! - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By nicole4442 - April 12 - 11:27 am

  I will never buy a pontiac again, or refer anyone to buy one. Its no wonder they are out of buisness. I bought this car brand new in late 2006 and I have had nothing but problems with it. Ive had to replace all of the tires twice, the brakes twice, the blinker, the headlights, and fuel pump. Ive had to fix the A/C and the A/C is out again already. Ive had to get a new battery three times, and had to replace the starter. I could go on and on with things that have had to be replaced. People always think I get such great gas mileage but I only get about 19 miles per gallon. This car has cost me so much money. Do not buy this car!

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  Throw away car! - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By bkelly - April 7 - 6:10 am

  I have had nothing but problem after problem with my Vibe. I am so very sorry that I purchased this car. I hadnt had the car a week and had a problem with the brakes. I was told it was because I live on a dirt road. How funny. Dirt roads have been around forever. It was a metal shard they found after much insistence. Many other problems exist as well.

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  Junk heap only - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By Judy - April 4 - 9:16 am

  I purchased a 2006 Pontiac S6 as a repo from a bank in June 2008. It had 43,000 miles on it. Within a week of purchasing, it had "service stability soon". Front hub was bad - $525. I was also told there were 13,000 these parts on back-order. No recall tho. Back brake pads had to be replaced & rotors turned. Front needs it too. Seats stain from water. Tonight I drove to my sisters and I swear Im riding a broncing buck. Have no idea whats wrong. Im sure its big bucks whatever it is. This is why I drove Toyotas for 20 years and will probably never drive another American product and the big 3 wonder why theyre in trouble.

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  Do not buy this car - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Beth - April 1 - 5:13 pm

  I bought a used G6 GT last March and have had nothing but problems with car. First the paint started to chip off the car. Then the break lights started to work opposite (not consistently) which made it almost impossible to have fix. I ended up buying a new BCM (600.00 computer) at 34K. After this, my CD changer broke and I had that replaced. I also replaced the brake pads and both outer tierods and tires (which wore out because of the tierods). Now the power shifts when the car is driving. The lights on the dash will surge to the radio and the rest of the vehicle. The radio will also shift from one side to the other. All in 10 months.

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  NO FRONT LEG ROOM - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By HOT ROD - March 22 - 10:00 am

  If you are taller than 59, god luck driving this vehicle. The shifter gets in your way and makes it uncomfortable to drive. Also, forget about seeing out the back of the car, there is a middle spoiler that is in your way!

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  What a mistake - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By fsjd - February 18 - 2:00 am

  Within the first month the trim fell off the car doors, the sun visor will constantly change location without manual malipulation, there is rattling noise from within the a/c vents; the air conditioning is insufficient, never reaches the back of the car. A big mistake and wish I had never bought this car. If I could sell it today and my money I would !!!

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  Do not buy a Pontiac G6 - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By disappointed - February 1 - 4:53 pm

  I have not even had my G6 for a year and I have had at least 5 things go wrong. About a month after I got the car, the air conditioning went out. Then about 2 months later the power steering would lock up. About 3 months after that I had the breaks fixed and at the same time the starter needed to be replaced. Now, I have the car in getting fixed b/c of a loud noise and the engine light and reduced engine power light coming on. This car has been the biggest nightmare and I am going to trade it as soon as I can!!!

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  Disgusted! - 2007 Pontiac Torrent
  By C. Greer - February 1 - 2:13 pm

  This is the second brand new vehicle I have leased, I got out of an 05 Canyon thinking the Torrent would be better for the family, Boy was I WRONG!! I am absolutely disgusted with the Torrent, the fuel mileage isnt at all what I expected, the Stabilitrak has caused nothing but issues, there is a rumble up the centre of the vehicle everytime the roads are just wet. Not to mention the lack of control in the snow, I will never buy another vehicle with AWD again, nor will I deal with GM ever again! Their customer service and assistance have proved to be useless!

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  Not a very good design. - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By RRRR - January 18 - 6:33 am

  I have owned this car for about two weeks and have driven it about 1000 miles. The car sounds like it has a window open when driven over 45mph. You can hear the air rush over the radio it is so bad. The steering wheel has shaking problems when I step on the breaks. The trunk opening is very small which is a drawback to the big space inside it. I was promised a cruise control for it only to find the EVS dealer is putting on an aftermarket version with no warranty. This car is a terrible car in all of these respects.

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  Worst car I have ever owned - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By boingo13 - January 13 - 7:16 pm

  The problems started when I took delivery. All four wheels and the steering wheel were out of alignment. After that, it developed a vacuum leak in the fuel system, an engine mount came loose, the brake lights stopped working, and the front fascia came loose. Then, it needed a new steering rack, and all new control arms in the front. The car vibrates like a guitar string at all speeds. It squeaks, rattles, and buzzes in various places, and the steering has a lot of slack, despite all the new parts up front. The V8 engine runs OK, but the transmission is very slow to shift and never seems to find the right gear. A lot of wind and road noise, but little engine sound. 32046 current miles.