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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  acceleration - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By leonard shoemaker - May 25 - 3:53 pm

  must be careful when starting from a dead stop. with front end being so light, car has tendency to lose traction. must watch when on stones, dirt or wet road.

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  Goat Junk - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By mbarilla - May 25 - 1:40 pm

  Too many initial problems: 1) Blemishes in paint 2) Lights misaligned 3) Gear shift knob rattles 4) Needs New rear end after 1500 miles 5) Weatherstrip not attached to door Also, the car is not fun to drive for a performance car. It handles like a very heavy car. Too much plowing into corners. This has to be the worst new car I have ever owned in initial quality.

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  so far so good - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By gt lover - May 25 - 2:00 am

  the fuel pump went day 9 master cylender went day 60 a replaced by dealer warrenty at a cost of $1700 other than that it has been a good car 27mpg 32mpg

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  Bonneville By Chance - 1999 Pontiac Bonneville
  By sandwedge - May 25 - 2:00 am

  I was looking for a Grand Am or Grand Prix and came out with a Bonneville. The bonny was very sporty looking, and had all the options I wanted. No major problems. Very good car.

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  Firebirds Forever - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By Tyler - May 25 - 2:00 am

  I own a 2002 Standard Firebird with the Sport Appearance Package, It is a GREAT car for summer cruising with the T-tops out. My car is Pewter Metallic and 4 speed automatic transmission. This car is perfect for a teenager who wants to be seen. I would recomend this car everyone and make sure to get one before there all gone!!

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  Beat to hell, Runs like hell - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By fisher580 - May 20 - 3:34 pm

  We bought the car with 15x,xxx miles and sold it to my friend with 205,xxx and it ran great, only left us stranded once, it overheated and boiled coolant out, but we were going 90+ mph through oklahoma during 95+ degree heat. we seen that coming. drove it on a 2500 mile trip and went 3000-5000 miles between oil changes, like said beat to hell in every way and always started and rarely got stuck. he now has 225,xxx miles on it and said it runs perfect

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  Boooo - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Barry09 - May 18 - 12:40 am

  Fuel pump went out atleast 4 times within first two months of owning car, constant, constant, constant ticking in dash, AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF in wreck when rear ending someone at 35 mph, coolant leaked constantly, tires leaked in cold weather, keyfab did not work, lots of problems. I would not suggest this car to ANYONE.

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  Questionable Reliability - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By hshepteach - May 16 - 9:40 pm

  I have owned this car for 3 years and have had several problems with it. I drive 80 miles a day and it gets me from here to there, but I am constantly having to have my rotors turned. The car also shakes a lot and I have had it looked at several times and they cant find anything wrong. The computer is always saying something is wrong. The throttle also sticks and it will speed up on its own. Now dont get me wrong I love how the car looks but when it comes down to it I would want something more reliable.

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  Great Looking Full Size - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By PNA 14 - May 14 - 8:43 pm

  I love the car for its great looks and full size features, yet its still nimble handling and decent power. Also, despite its size, I average almost 25 mpg, and Im not a light pedal pusher either. However, I have had similar issues as other owners. The steering shaft, brake rotors, power windows and flickering lights. I too bought an extended warranty and this helped. However, now that its out of warranty things could get expensive. The steering and brake rotors are my biggest complaint. However, it is a great looking car, definitely fun to drive for a full size vehicle and thus far, reliability really hasnt been an issue, mostly a few modest annoyances.

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  06 solstice - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By 06solstice - May 14 - 7:10 am

  the car is a blast to drive i have to turn the radio very loud so i dont hear all the squeaks coming from behind the seats or in trunk area squeaks only when top is down. ive owned it since 8-06 and needs service already no trunk cheap plastic