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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  Love this car! - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Rochelle - September 6 - 3:00 pm

  This car was purchased for me when I turned 16... 8 years and 100,000+ miles later I still LOVE this car. The power and handling is fantastic, very fun to drive. I havent had many issues except for electronic things... Replaced window motors, batteries. Many problems with wires and dashboard controls not working properly, but that seems to be common with Pontiac. It is roomy and comfortable.. the trunk can hold ANYTHING. I have been hit twice, and am impressed with it holding up nicely. (Doesnt look nearly as pretty now though) Now at 125000 miles I am starting to have bad problems with the electronics. Heat no longer works and it dies on me a lot. Will be very sad to replace it.

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  From NEW to 106,000 miles..7yrs of FUN - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By fladad - September 5 - 10:54 pm

  I now have 106k miles on the Vibe and I have only replaced the tires and that was at 65,000 with the original Goodyear Eagle tires. Still have original brakes. The VIBE will cost less than its twin the Matrix and have the same reliability. I think it was 2009 that they changed the engine with increased hp but less mpg.. I would rather have the better gas mileage and the design of the 2003-2008 body too.. Both the MAtrix and the Vibe are built on the Corolla platform, but I think the Vibe is more versitile..

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  2009 Vibe - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By JM - September 4 - 8:23 pm

  I have had my vibe 2 months now, I do like it a lot it does handle well and the user friendly interior is great, like the curse control, it is easy to get in and out of. I like setting up a little higher that most cars. I love the color of mine it is Carbon gray, I do get a lot of complements on how it looks. The gas mileage is also good. Very disappointed when the On Star pkg doesnt include the Monthly auto ck on the vibe.

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  Thanks Pontiac - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Kipper - September 4 - 1:56 pm

  I researched cars for 2 years and got the GT. Better price/performance value than Audi, VW, BMW, Merc, Acura, etc. hands down. What you get for the price is unbeatable. This rides solid and quiet, punch it and fly. Styling is awesome. Driving position is great, it drives like a small car. It isnt perfect but Ill take it. My dream car that I can actually afford. Im taking it to the track soon. City mileage 18. Highway mileage 27. Be careful with curbs.

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  Great ride for great price - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By steined - September 4 - 10:00 am

  Bought this car new in July of 2000 and have never once regretted it. Problems have included a broken rear map light switch, and thats it!!! Over 50,000 miles and this car still runs like a top. It get 24MPG in combined city highway and makes more than enough power! Great car.

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  After four years of owning - 1999 Pontiac Bonneville
  By alex-with-bonnie - September 4 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Bonnie in August 1999. The family loves it: my wife mostly appreciates the space and comfort of the back seat, I love the responsiveness and performance (plus the comfort of the leather drivers seat). This is not a perfect car: the fit and finish on the 2000 VW Jetta that I owned for a year, would beat Bonneville. The paint gave me grief early on, the plastic parts inside are fit worse than parts in Jetta. Other than this, and excluding wear and tear, I havent had problems with the car and have no plans to part with it. This a good car to have for many types of folks. (And it feels nice to leave BMWs behind, starting from a stop line :-)

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  93,000 Miles and no major issues - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By fwviber - September 2 - 7:56 am

  We bought our Vibe 3 years ago and it still looks and runs great. We traded in an SUV to save on gas money. The savings has been great. We get around 30 mpg no matter where we drive. We have owned the car from 36,000 to 93,000 miles and have only had to replace the alternator, outside of your normal tires and brake replacements.

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  One of the best small vehicles GM has - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By kenneth tennison - August 31 - 8:06 am

  I purchased a 07 G5 for my son,at the age of 17 for school and collage.The vehicle has 53,000 miles.The only problem so far,was a small gas leak,at the top of the gas tank.Which was replaced under warranty by GM (goodwill policy).The vehicle is very reliable and safe.I will buy only GM.

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  Love My G6! - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Tiffany - August 28 - 12:23 pm

  I got my G6 in January 07 and have loved it since. Its fun and easy to navigate. I think its extremely roomy inside, especially in the backseat. The only problem that Ive had is during on of our snowstorms in February I slid into a snowbank and about 5 MPH, and it shattered my bumper and radiator. Granted it was cold out, I think the construction of these parts could have been a bit more withstanding to such a small incident. Otherwise, I would highly recommend Pontiac to anyone I know!

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  Great choice for the price - 2009 Pontiac G5
  By Tim - August 27 - 10:33 am

  I finally bought this car after reading reviews and staring at pictures of it over a course of 2 years and its precisely the car I wanted. Coming from a 2003 basic model of a Saturn Ion its a huge upgrade and great for someone my age (22).