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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  Vibe experience - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Roger J - January 9 - 10:00 am

  I like the styling of the vibe. The seats are a little short but the height of the seats helps greatly for comfort. Fun to drive. Great fuel economy. No problems yet.

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  Too many little annoyances - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Nevstar - January 9 - 10:00 am

  I leased this car new in 2000. Within 1 month, I had to take it back for service 3 times: the battery failed, the AC stopped working & the console lights failed. Over 3 years, Ive had to get the AC fixed 2 more times, replace the battery twice (and this is through normal use, I never left the lights on or anything), and various other nitpicky things. There really must be some problem with the electrical system. Its a decent car, and nothing TOO terrible has gone wrong with it, but the accumulation of little things just made owning it a pain.

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  Not a top choice - 1998 Pontiac Grand AM
  By 95Light - January 9 - 10:00 am

  I am still looking for the excitement that Pontiac talks so much about. The seats are awful and with the SE you are surrounded by hard plastic which doesnt aid in comfort. The engine (4 cyl type) does well and so do the brakes but the chassis lets these down. The transmission broke at 75K miles and the altenator died 1K miles after. All in all I should have bought the Honda or Toyota for a little more money. Very plain car.

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  Good van, w/ problems - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By mdmom - January 9 - 10:00 am

  It has run really well - handles great. BUT, the lcd in radio and fuel gauge do not work. Plastic radio buttons wore off - looks really bad. Its been a pretty good van, wish these little problems hadnt arisen b/c it takes away the pleasant experience weve had w/ van.

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  GM - NEVER AGAIN! - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Patio - January 9 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is not designed for longevity. At 37,000 miles the transmission need to be replace. It consistently experienced electric problem with interior swutches and exterior lighting. The water pump failed and finally the head gasket went resulting w/ water in the oil.

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  Dont buy the 2.4 liter - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By TRLL - January 9 - 10:00 am

  Overall not a bad car. However the 2.4 liter engine is the worst that GM makes.It has not been imoroved on since 1989 when it came out. All the parts are very expensive and they all will fail. My local Pontiac dealership told me " I dont know why we still make that engine, its garbage"

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  Great so far - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By necia6 - January 9 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my 2003 Grand Am GT for about eight months. It handles great and is a really smooth ride. With my commute of 80miles four days a week, Ive really been giving my car a workout. The V6 engine results in fast pickup (good for highway lane merges), and has somewhat of a sporty roar when you accelerate. Overall, Im thrilled with my car.

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  Great for a Pontiac - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Ian - January 9 - 6:16 am

  Great engine. Cheap interior (and mines fully loaded), but you know that going in with Pontiac. Electric steerings a bit non-responsive and then over-corrects (this is only an issue on sharp turns; no issues on highways, etc). If youre a confident driver you wont notice the problem, and the GT corners really well (and is generally fun to drive) for a car its size. At night when the roads wet or icy and youre taking a sharp turn the steering makes you feel a bit out of control. Thats far from a deal breaker (and my commute is 17 miles on winding country roads in the northeast). Overall love the car and definitely recommend. Bought GM Certified in August - no problems.

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  Awesome Ride - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Chris D - January 7 - 6:36 pm

  I bought this car to replace my aging Trans Am. I am completely overjoyed with this sporty sedan...perfect blend of speed and comfort. Everything about this car is outstanding, from appearance, to acceleration, to creature comforts, to gas mileage, and so on. The size of the car is just right for handling, while the space provided for the driver and adult passengers in more than sufficient. The trunk is huge! The best part (of course) is when my friends review the car and then stand in total amazement when I tell them the cost -- very reasonable for everything you get. I cant believe I dont see more of this caron the road...people dont know what theyre missing!

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  Why Drive Anything Else? - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Mel Ifudu - January 7 - 4:26 am

  To put it simply, why drive anything else? Thats the thought that goes through my mind when I drive. My GTO is fantastic. It is clearly the best car I have ever driven. Its scary fast (top speed and acceleration) and the exhaust noise, to die for. Thanks to our Aussie friends. Good work, great car. Although there is one thing that upsets me about my car; its the braking performance at high speed. Its like the pads are terrified of the wheel hub. Perhaps I need Brembos. And finally, my girlfriend hates the car. This is the final confirmation I needed.