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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  scared in snow! - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By scared in snow - June 27 - 3:06 pm

  We just bought a 2009 awd vibe for my wife. We live in Denver and had a good size snow. She called from work her 1st day driving this vehicle. It slid all over the place!! could hardly stop at stop signs & would just slid when turning! So i drove it when i got home, she was right! I do realize it is light but even with the "snow feature" awd kicked in, it was scary. The tires are very good--low profile, perhaps if we changed to regular tires? any Thoughts?? Very disappointed in Denver.

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  review and corrections - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Marcel - June 27 - 4:16 am

  Nice car. Rather heavy, but that doesnt seem to bother the 3.9 engine. O correction to the reviewer who listed horror when the vehicle continued to crank after the key was let go because the system incorporates an electronic monitoring of the cranking system. It is designed to continue cranking after the key is let go until either 10 seconds elapses or the engine starts. Overall, the car has had a few major issues. Front Brakes continue to warp despite 4 rotor replacements and new pads. Radiator Leakage Steering column (popping) (known issue) Smaller issues are: radio keeping flipping between radio and CD on its own (usually when the radio signal call sign has a * next to it

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  Pleasantly surprised - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By eddie gomez - June 23 - 10:00 am

  Bang for my buck, endorphin inducer, im am very happy with my purchase

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  Excellent performace, cheap construction - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Raatracer - June 17 - 10:00 am

  After 90000 miles, reliability is excellent; performance is off a bit, but still good. Economical to run as it provides good mpg on regular gas. Door panels and control knobs are loose due to cheap materials and construction fit.

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  Fun in the Sun - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By Ragtopman - June 17 - 2:00 am

  I got a 99 Firebird convertable for college and this car is every young guys dream come true! This car, although not a V-8, still is a blast to drive. The top comes down fast and smoothly for cruising in the sun. Very recommended for people who want a fun car to drive.

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  Second Time Around - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By jkidd - June 17 - 2:00 am

  I owned a 99 GA SE sedan and now an 02 SE1, I even got the same color. This one is loaded, except the V6. Differences? You can turn the DRLs off, but the parking lights remain. Chimes for the various reminders are not as loud as they were in the 99. A nifty cup holder was added on the console. The new 2.2 liter 4 cylinder engine vs the 2.4. I keep reading about how smooth & quiet the new 2.2 is. I find the new engine to be loud, it makes a clicking sound even @ idle. The car is less torquey, fuel mileage is exceptional. 2 nagging concerns on build quality. A rattle in the roof liner near the moonroof button. Plastic pieces in my car are not flush.

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  The Edsel Of The New Millenium - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By mayormcmisery - June 11 - 10:00 am

  Upon receiving my Aztek as a company vehicle, I was somewhat skeptical of its practicality and driveability, not to mention its looks. But after a couple hundred miles behind the wheel, my trusty Aztek does shine over other SUVs. Having carrying a huge cargo load everyday, the Aztek still handles nimbly, rides well, and swallows its cargo with vigor. The seats are extremely comfortable. This vehicle is punished daily (250 hard miles), and like an old dog, keeps coming back faithfully and reliably. Ive actually come to really enjoy the Aztek and will heavily consider buying it once the lease is over. I foresee great realiability.

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  Love and Hate Relationship - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By whitetree - June 10 - 4:46 pm

  I absolutely loved this car. The interior is comfortable, the sound system is fantastic, and easily upgraded, and the T tops are awesome! Performance is a little lacking in the v6 model, but still fun. However it requires a lot of upkeep on a variety of parts and accessories. The worst part of this car, and ultimate reason I got rid of it is that every little thing you work on is a monumental task, especially when you need to get to the half the engine tucked under the dash.

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  180,000 miles on my GT - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By mike6t8 - June 8 - 10:00 am

  We bought our black 4-door GT in October of 1996 and put 180k on it! Yes, weve had a few problems but I think every car in this price range will have problems after a while. I think the car has been great to us and I may put another 20k on it before I get something else. Weve had the typical problems that other Grand Am owners claim plus the trans went out at 150k. It was costly to replace, but overall I feel we got our moneys worth on the car in the last 8 years. It DOESNT smoke or use any oil like most other cars driven this much.

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  Should have know better!! - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By J.L. - June 8 - 3:00 am

  Bought new since it was first minivan with VHS entertainment system. Overall was fun to drive but had several major mechanical problems. Had to replace intake gasket twice so far - 1st time at 24k and 2nd at 60k, needed major transmission rebuilt at 56k at $2500 cost. Just right now the AC went out. Cupholders next to seat were useless - didnt hold anything and spilled coffe often. We will probably get rid of it now since we are getting afraid we will get stuck. If reliability would be better, would have been great experience - this is the reason GM is going out of business.