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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  great car - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By thomas carapelho - September 22 - 1:36 am

  i love this car. it handles like a luxury car and the v6 engine has plenty of power to get up and go. i have 15,000 miles on it and havent had any complaints except for the dimmer switch wich could have been placed in a more conspicuous place on the dash.

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  Firebird review - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By tbonacci - September 20 - 10:26 pm

  The only problem i have encountered is a faulty head light motor, the motor that raises the concealed headlight. It rumbles whenever the alarm is armed or headlights are lowered, it only last 7 seconds. Changing out he light motor requires a dealership and cost 252.00. Other than that the car is virtually perfect. The positioning of the cataylitic converted is problematic for the passenger, but since i dont sit there it doesnt bother me that much.

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  Hard to find! - 1997 Pontiac Firebird
  By 97WS.6 - September 20 - 10:00 am

  I was a part of the import craze, and had big plans for my little 4 banger. Then I ran into a mechanic that laughed at me for building a 4 cylinder motor. He then took me for a ride in his 1996 Trans Am. I then realized that torque is my friend. If you like torque, this is the car for you! The feeling of having sticky tires break loose on a hot day at your own will is something that isnt accomplished by the sub-par Ford counterparts. I love the car in every way, and will take it for a cruise just for fun. These cars look great and perform to match it straight from the factory.

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  AWESOME - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By StealthXtreme - September 20 - 10:00 am

  This car has been one of the best sedans Ive ever driven. And working at GM Ive driven quite a few, since I get a new vehicle every three months. This has outperformed my sons friends in their 3000GTs ( SLs of course ) and their sporty little ricers. Awesome torque and power, especially when upgraded like ours is. Yes, only 12,500 mileage.

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  I Think We Have a Winner - 2007 Pontiac Torrent
  By Gail - September 19 - 11:10 pm

  Had my heart set on a Rav 4 for over a year. Spent about that much time researching all similar vehicles for everything from MPG to TCO My husband recommended I look at this and Im glad I did. It is beautiful, stylish, has longer power train warranty, rides well has better peripheral vision area. The Crystal Lake is an awesome teal color. Rich looking and a little different than your standard blue or green. The best part was the price. Leather, Onstar, XM radio, side curtain airbags and still about $2500 less out the door than the RAV4. Would recommend this to anyone. Mileage is a little less than expected but my husband insists its because the engine is new

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  Pontiac G 2007 - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Bradley Melton - September 17 - 11:30 pm

  I got my 2007 Black GT G 6 on 9/11. My wife who has hated my previous convertibles loves this one. It is real quiet with the top up. I can now hear my 88 year old mother talk while I drive her around. Looks ? With the top down this car gets all kinds of looks. Power? I only have the 3.5 and this thing moves along real nice. I went to get around some traffic going home form work on 95 S and I looked down and I was breathing on 90. Whoops! At 3K I will switch over to the Mobil 1 Extended Performance oil. The trunk with the top up has a fare amount of room and there is more room in the back seats than I expected.The last Pontiac I had lasted 190K & did not burn oil.Fun Car-Me? I am 58 yrs old.

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  starter sucks - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By tig - September 17 - 7:40 am

  They should have done better in this one!

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  Just Dont Know - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Corey - September 15 - 2:16 pm

  I had to have my steering lubed up the first day I got it. Then I had to get the rotors turned. Now I have an antifreeze leak. I got rid of my old Pontiac because it was just having too many problems. Granted it had 150,000 miles on it. But this one is giving me headaches. One problem after another. Im also having problems with the visors coming out. I would do more homework next time before buying any car.

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  GXP is Great - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Mr MRG - September 12 - 4:53 pm

  No better combination of performance, ride, comfort, handling, safety and practicality. I can have my fun and haul the family away in comfort on the weekends. Solid build and even with the 300HP never seems out of control.

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  I love my Torrent! - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Roger Rosswaag - September 10 - 6:23 am

  The 2006 Torrent is my first new vehicle in 3 years. I am very happy with it so far. Its a great looking car and fun to drive. I also got an excellent lease deal too!