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:

• 

  Sunroof Leaks - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By CJ - September 11 - 10:00 pm

  The car has been back to the dealer several times for Sunroof Leaks. They claim the drain hose comes off and the water runs down the drivers side wall and soaks the seat belt retractor. Have had two dealers attempt to fix it several times each. Contacted Pontiac. Still fighting the battle.

• 

  Mixed Bag - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By SueW - September 7 - 2:00 am

  I was singing its praises for the first few months of ownership, but now- 2,000 miles into ownership, on its first road trip-major problem. A boot on the drive shaft broke and left me stranded for more than a week while the part had to be shipped from Detroit. GM has no trip interrupt policy so they paid some but I was out $500 in expenses-plus the inconvenience. The dealer said if the drive shaft would have dropped on the pavement at highway speed-wed be dead! A few other minor complaints- the rear hatch struts are too weak for the heavy trunk. The radio is possessed-stations will change, tracks will change, and the mode AM/FM/CD will change.

• 

  This car........ - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By dvp560d - September 7 - 2:00 am

  ....is a piece of GM junk! The door handles feel shoddy and the same for the unsensitive steering. The seats are thoroughly unsupportive and become uncomfortable after only an hour. Literally, everything about this car feels like it wasnt worth my wasted $12,000. The engine is harsh and sounds terrible. Ive driven Hondas, and their engines sound much sweeter. The sound system is good until you turn it up over the third bar. Then, the bass gets floppy and the treble is harsh on the ears. If considering this car, please, for your own good, change your mind! The only good thing about this car is the exterior design, which is fair at best.

• 

  Pretty Face, but no substance - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By ds - September 2 - 6:16 am

  Purchased a very sleek, stealthy black 2007 Grand Prix GXP in 2/07, new. At 500 miles, transmission began to fail. Dealer stated "no problem found". At 3,000 miles, dealer tried to repair tranny, then had to replace tranny entirely. Still does not run correctly. Also, the only tires which fit rear wheel are Bridgestone Potenza. No one else manufactures 225/50/18s. So far, 3 defective tires, 4 alignments, 12 force variance balances...steering wheel still shudders, and theres excessive tramlining. Car is pretty..but thats all. Nearly undrivable. Ive filed for Lemon Law repurchase, at 3,500 miles.

• 

  Dont Make Our Mistake - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By ddd017 - September 2 - 4:10 am

  Ugh. We wanted to buy American but the G6 2-door convertible is a mistake we will not make again. We have not even finished paying off the 3-year loan and cant wait to get rid of it! Just had the entire exhaust system replaced ($1200!), weve had 3 flat tires (driver side back tire) and numerous trips for the rattles. Horrible in snow, no tractionIt takes FOREVER to retract the hardtop & you lose the trunk if the top is down. The lower dash/glove compartment areas shows every little mark if you brush up against it. Horrible trying to get into the back seats. "Terrable, terrable, terrable" as Charles Barkley would say. DONT make our mistake - RUN, RUN as fast as you can AWAY from this car.

• 

  2000 Montana - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By Stiofan - August 30 - 1:46 pm

  Took this vehicle over from my sister who bought it new. Just suffered major engine repair when known defective intake manifold gasket deteriorated causing coolant to enter cylinders.

• 

  Dont - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By EAS - August 29 - 9:10 am

  The interior is sloppy, and there are very limited choices for seats. I should have known, but I thought this car was going to bankrupt me when gasoline went to $4 last summer. The best thing about it is how much power you get for the money.

• 

  Grand Am is TO EXPENSIVE TO OWN!!! - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Angnwy - August 28 - 10:00 am

  When I bought my car it had 16,000 miles on it by 30,000 I had to replace the ignition switch then few months later I had to replace the driver side window motor. Everything was fine for awhile then I had to replace the water pump due to leaking coolant. By 50,000 I had to replace the window motor once again. I replaced my rotors 2 times and the break pads on the front 3 times the drums in the back were replaced 1 time. My final straw was when the air compressor for the ait conditioner went out it was 360$ just for the part so I got rid of the peice of junk and I WILL NEVER BUY PONTIAC AGAIN!!!!!!!

• 

  Great Car - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Brian99 - August 25 - 6:20 am

  I love my 99 Grand Prix. It has great power for having over 115,000 miles on it. I have noticed a hole forming on the passenger side under the door and I have seen others with it too. Its an older car so I know its bound to happen, but it makes me sad because I love this car so much!! I recommend the Grand Prix if you want a sporty car with some power.

• 

  Okay for the price its worth - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Ohio - August 19 - 11:56 am

  My expectation for the Grand Am was "fuel for the soul", sporty and something that can satisfy your needs. However, It didnt quite do that for me after awhile, it was short-term. I became unimpress with the overall quality and performance. The center console along with everything else in the interior feels extremely cheap. The exterior is okay, the only thing that bothers me is the emptiness and gaps of the plastic moldings, it can really make the engine very dirty during the winter with salt and dirt which I notice when driving during this season. Engine performance is acceptable, a lot of low end torque but it disappears at higher revs (no top end). After awhile, the car feels old =(