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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  Got to have one! - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By MikePoo - December 15 - 10:00 am

  When I sat in one and then test drove it I knew I had to have one.

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  No Cash 4 This Clunker - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By NoCash4ThisClunker - December 14 - 9:36 pm

  I bought my 2006 Pontiac G6 brand new with only 7 miles. After a few months and some rain I got in my car to go to work one morning and noticed my seat belt was soaking wet (due to leaky sunroof). A couple of months after that I had a terrible vibration when turning left and come to find out my steering column was almost about to snap into! Hows that 4 safety? Also having some starter issues that no one seems be able to figure out. All in all Ive had the leaks fixed 5 times, brand new steering column 2 times, and I guess one day Ill get in it and it wont start from the starter issues Im having. All of my problems started from the get go and dont look like its getting any better.BAD CAR

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  Fun to drive, not too shabby too look at - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Celine - December 14 - 8:06 pm

  Car runs beautifully, bought it fully loaded, with more features than I could imagine. Great handling and acceleration. Gas mileage could be better, but I do get at least 300 miles before I need to refuel. Really fun to drive, yet big enough to fit more than one adult comfortably. Easy functions as a "mom" car, without sacrificing style!

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  Great car - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Steve D - December 14 - 4:40 am

  I have owned now 4 Pontiac Grand Prixs (1973, 1974, 1983) and I have to admit, the 2004 model has the other 3 cars beat hands down. I like the performance and features of the car. The only disappointment was the fuel economy. I was expecting better mileage, but the car makes up for it in performance. I would recommend anyone to buy this car.

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  Robert Snyders Review - 2007 Pontiac Vibe
  By Robert Snyder - December 13 - 5:26 pm

  I have had many, many cars in my 73 years and the Pontiac Vibe rates way at the top of My favorites. It has excellent pickup, it can be used as a truck by laying all the seats down. The milage is always over 30 MPG. I cannot say enough good things about it. I have had Rivieras, Roadmasters, VolksWagens Impalas, Mercurys, and numerous other automobiles in My lifetime and the Vibe is my favorite.

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  Wifes loves her car - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By Bigchief - December 13 - 2:26 am

  With a family of 4, this is the only choice for a convertible. Excellent all around performance. A lot of rattling after 1000 miles, the dealer greased the door latches and no more problems. The brakes started to squeak at 3000, the dealer installed ceramic pads (under warranty) problem solved. The fun factor is 100% as well as her satisfaction.

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  Rock of Gibraltar - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Macj - December 12 - 12:53 pm

  I bought this car at 6k miles and now its at 64k, I absolutely love it, the engine is a monster and the a/c still causes a polar experience. The sound system is pathetic and a few speakers are torn. In terms of drive quality, this thing really gives me power when I want and offers a majestic cruise experience. Honda and Toyota would have set me back a few more thousand dollars, but I dont see where I lost out with this. One major issue I have is with the seating in the back, its extremely cramped and most ppl have complained of nausea because of the claustrophobic rear styling. Ill keep this one till it dies, my last American car got me 268k, miles to go before she sleeps!

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  Almost there! - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By AJ - December 12 - 7:23 am

  I purchased a red 2008 GXP last weekend. This car has a lot of potential with a few changes. Interior materials are ok but not up to the same standards as the MX-5. Trunk space with the top down is non-existent. The manual gearbox should be improved to minimize the effort required to move between gears. The best way to describe it is clunky. Despite these drawbacks, the car is a lot of fun to drive, gets a lot of attention from admirers and is fast.

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  Just Loving It - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By mIKE57 - December 12 - 5:16 am

  Bought GXP and have never looked back. Most fun and exciting drive I have had in 20 years. Great ride, handling, accel and got almost 27mpg on hwy trip. Why did it take Pontiac so long??? My 5 year old loves it.

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  A FUN DRIVER - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Mike - December 12 - 3:30 am

  I was amazed at the power of the 3.4 V- 6 and yet it gets me a constant 29 miles per gallon on regular fuel. It is comfortable to drive and handles great. The 4 spd auto trans. is great for the miliage, but you need to use the 3rd gear to get the car to hold back on steep down hills or you will use up your brakes. In the 105,000 miles we have driven it I have replaced the front brakes once and checked two weeks ago still have 90% and the rear is still at about 40%. The car just turned 250,000 and the engine & trans. work great. I change the oil every 3,000 miles and I still have no need to add oil in between oil changes. For trips it is great with all of the room in the back.