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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  Cool ride with a few flaws - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By kre57 - December 21 - 2:00 am

  I really like the look of the vehicle and the performance under the hood. The car handles well and for the most part has been mechanically sound. The Problems I have experienced include loose wiring that would cause the power seat to stick, and the transmission went out on us. Both of these problems were quickly fixed and covered under warranty. The power Drivers seat uncomfortable and on rough textured roads the road noise is very loud. All in all I would recommend the car to those looking for a moderately priced sedan with enough HP to satisfy the lead foot in all of us.

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  Love The Vibe - 2008 Pontiac Vibe
  By BMW - December 20 - 6:26 pm

  This is now our second Vibe based on our great experience with our 05 Vibe. It is used as a commuter and vacationing vehicle - it has great fuel economy and comfort for long trips. We are both over 6ft tall and have had trouble finding a comfortable seating arrangement that is not a SUV. Headroom is great but *watch out for the sunroof if your any taller than 6ft*.

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  Nice car - 2001 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Troyboy - December 20 - 2:43 pm

  This car is a great car, nothing wrong with it at all. I bought the cheap kind with the cloth seats and nothing fancy, get the nicer stuff, its so much better, my cousin has one and its great. Engine though is unbeatable, had it until about 140,000 miles and would have kept it alot longer but I hit a deer. Great crash safety! I hit the deer going 80, and it didnt even scratch me! Great car will never let you down!

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  3 yrs and I hate the car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By notso - December 20 - 12:23 am

  I have had this car for 3 yrs now and have had the rotors front and back replaced twice each, and my brakes replaced 10 times.A leak in the sunroof, motor blower replaced, turn signal bulb burnt out, and the drivers mirror cover broke. I have had Chevys and Fords in the past and never had problems like this.

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  Best car I have owned - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By McLaren - December 19 - 11:53 pm

  My Pontiac Grand Prix was six years old when I bought it in 2004. It had been bought new by an elderly woman who only drove it to church on Sundays, and always kept it garaged. It had 17,000 miles on it. This car has been phenomenal. In the 4.5 years since I bought it, it has had no major repairs. Very reliable. Aside from reliability, the car is Very comfortable. It has all the options, leather, power, heated seats, excellent sound system. I have taken this car on several cross country trips, and the ride was considerably more comfortable than in my old Ford. Overall this car was an excellent buy. Comfy, reliable, fun to drive. I recommend.

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  Hunk O Junk - 2007 Pontiac Torrent
  By Mike - December 19 - 8:20 pm

  Most unreliable vehicle I have ever seen! I have a rent-a-car for the 5th time in less than 2 months....all for the same problem. Talk about incompetent. The stabil-a-trac light comes on and I lose power almost causing accidents every time. I almost got rear-ended yesterday. Please do your homework beofre buying this vehicle. I think the mechanics that are working on it are borrowed from Toyota if you know what I mean. Thank God I leased this junk piece.

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  You Got Somthin Here - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Panda - December 19 - 10:00 am

  Handles. Smooth. Go 70 all day. Change oil regularly-- Dont let it go past 5000 mi.

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  Very Satisfied With my Pontiac - 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Pontiac Rules Baby! - December 19 - 10:00 am

  When I bought my Sunfire GT in Feb. 02, I was very excited to own a newer car. Now in July, Im still just as excited to own this baby! I love this car. Its quick, manoevers great and loves the corners. Ive heard lots of people knock this car, and I used to do it too...until I bought one. Now I tell people how great this car actually is. NOw, for those of you who have complaints about the Sunfires, (especially the convertibles) all I have to say is, "serves you right". The Sufire and Cavalier convertibles are probably the ugliest cars around and I have no Idea what would posess anyone to buy one. I went with the sunroof and thats good enough for me.

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  97 Firebird - 1997 Pontiac Firebird
  By Sharker - December 19 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car...but with GM Quality. At 4,000 miles 500 Watt 10 Speaker Moonson Stereo begins to act up- Volume control is touchy, and CD stacker give off Error code-Fixed by pulling Fuses. Rear Window defogger dies at 37,000 miles but was touchy from the start-but I can live without it; Drivers Power Window dies at 48,000-fixed by replacing motor and regulator; Drive ability issues rise at 57,000 miles feels like transmission is slipping....aaauugghhhh...In Short, This is a great car as long as it is under a warranty.

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  Good Vibe-rations! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Shane4252 - December 19 - 5:23 am

  Fantastic in every way! Pontiac definitely has a winner here. Be sure to testdrive the Vibe before you make a car-buying decision. You wont be disappointed!