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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  Beware of what Pontiac doesnt tell you! - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Chris - August 5 - 2:46 pm

  If you like Toyota/Nissan or Honda DO NOT buy this vehicle. I had 3 problems with my GTO at only 1300 mies. One and two were with the LSD/Differential making a whining noise, plus when you shift it occasionally, it will make a knocking sound. Three, had to do with the clutch sticking a lot. The LSD/Diff problem apparentally has been around since the Camaro/Firebird days and now affects the GTO too. To have those problems with it at only 1300 miles and for the LSD/Diff problem to have been around in GM for over 10 yrs. It just shows to me that GM has a very poor quality control program. The end result is, I will never buy an American car again.

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  Great Car - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By JohnR - August 5 - 10:00 am

  Bought my Vibe with 33,000 miles and now has 108,000 after my 5 years of ownership. Oil changes every 5000 miles. First brake job when it was in the 90k range. Changed the belt and did a few other preventative items at the same time but thats it. Car has been great and is zippy enough to be fun to drive. Ugly GM radio but the sound is good. My drivers window rattles a bit but its the only one so there may have been some damage to it before I got it. All in all, this is a great car if you are looking for a reliable, sporty, and convenient vehicle to own.

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  Amazing car for being almost 12 - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By richie_east - August 3 - 3:41 am

  I purchased my car two years ago with 99,000 miles and it now has 142,000. I have had very minimal repairs. Great car, paint still looks great with the exception of minor paint chips in the hood and bumper. I love the fact this car gives me all the power and response i need. Ive driven friends new Mercedes c230 thats feels gutless and slow to respond compared to my Grand am. I plan on driving the wheels off this car. After being 11 years old, i still catch myself looking at it and admiring the beauty of it. I see lots of grand am gts on the road and not to sound superficial, but mine is one of the best looking ones on the road. Overall i love this car and get compliments on it all the time!

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  New Car - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Sam - August 1 - 3:26 am

  We bought this car brand new with 12 miles on it, then we had to take it to the dealership twice with a problem of power steering going out, when we told them the doors leaked, they told us they could not help that, it was a problem that would take time due to not having parts. Within the next couple of weeks she got a letter in the mail that said an ignition starter had to be replaced. The car is still a pain in the butt, when its raining the top lights leak the doors leak into the floor board, and currently Im in the market for a new car because, i went to the dealership for the same power steering problem, and now the ABS box is fried. Do not purchase one. Worst decision we made!

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  Good Till High Miles - 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
  By lost_in_new_mexico - July 31 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car in november of 2002. I am now selling it in December of 2003. I bought it with 93K miles on it reading that these cars lasted a while. This is not true. I have put 25K miles on it and in that time I have warped the front brake rotors twice, the spark plug coils went bad, and there is no way to diagnose them without replacing them, and now the torque converter is going out and it is running roughly again. $1300 minimum for the tranny work! Do Not Get This Car!

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  Best Thing to Come From Detroit in Years - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By jonesm - July 31 - 2:00 am

  Well, this is my second Grand Am of the same body style. The first was lost in an unfortunate accident. 50MPH into a stationary object and all parties walked away. I dont know what standards the IIHS uses, but clearly this is a safe vehicle. With 170 horsepower, the V6 puts on a good show. Plenty of power, but not too much. Off the line, its quick and the automatic is smooth. Interior leaves a little to be desired, but its an American car, lets face it. The controls are VERY easy to read. The road manners on this car rival even the best Europe has to offer. As a BMW 325I owner, I can tell you its very close.

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  safe reliable commuter car - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By papi - July 30 - 11:23 am

  Son drives to school 25 miles. Mileage is great on highway. Not a lot of bells and whistles but is a safe and reliable car. XM is nice, and on star is great for college kids and parents peace of mind. Car can store a lot. I wish that they did not get rid of the separate opening glass on the rear door this year, but all in all it is a great first car, well above the typical entry level vehicle.

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  Squeeks and rattles - 2001 Pontiac Bonneville
  By scothosw - July 30 - 10:00 am

  Purchased the brand new Bonnie over a Infiniti I30. Mistake #1. The car rides perfect, has lots of bells and whistles, and runs strong. The problem I have is various squeeks from the door, a slight rattle in the dash, all of which you would not expect from a car that stickers over 34K. I have had it in the shop 3 times the first 3 months I owned it. Water leaked into the trunk area when it rained. Found out the drain holes were not drilled into the trunk lid from the factory. Alternator was bad after 2 months. Squeeks and rattles still not fixed in the door and dash after 2 trips in. Very typical GM car, plauged with squeeks and rattles.

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  Love my car, HATE the windows - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By jjsmom - July 30 - 2:53 am

  I love my used car, its fun to drive, and reliable. Im never afraid to jump in and take a weekend road trip, but I do window repairs on it once every few months. Its expensive and unbelievably inconvenient. Ive replaced the headlights, and I have replaced the water pump and the seal that drips antifreeze that likes to leak on these cars. The awesome huge trunk always has moisture in it and smells like a basement, and no one can figure out why. The engine and transmission still run tight and I do not regret buying this car. Ill be passing it on to my son when he gets his license.

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  Not a happy camper with the G3 mileage - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By John - July 28 - 10:46 am

  I am not satisfied with the gas mileage that I am getting on my new g3. I am only getting 24 in the city and 29 on the highway. The rating on the car when I bought it stated 29 city and 34 highway and in small print at the bottom it stated up to 40 mile per gal. Well I am not coming close and I gave up an hhr which was getting 33 per gal. Not a happy camper. I fell like trading it in but would take too much of a hit.