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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  GTP Rules! - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Mikes1998GTP - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Love the Acceleration, Love the Styling, Love GrandPrixStore.com and all the great upgrades to put on the car. Aggressive styling and power, this GTP is PIMP!!

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  Love it - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Rsudik - June 2 - 2:00 am

  The gas milage is awesome. I have averaged about 31 miles a gallon since I bought this car. I drive about 400 miles week, and with the growing gas prices its a blessing. The car is quiet, comfortable, unbelievably roomy and of course that gas milage. This is the best car I have ever purchased.

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  Good Vibe - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Vibe Man - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Excellent Car for the Value!Toyota Motor!

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  Vibe - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By mellee - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Was not looking for a new vehicle when I fell in love with the Vibe. The dealer who had the car was not even great, but the perfect car made up for it. Love the extras like two prong outlet and moon and tunes pkg. Better looking than Matrix and all the reliability of a Toyota. Best resonably priced car.

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  Affortable Excitment - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By pontiac nut - June 2 - 2:00 am

  this car is sporty alot of fun to drive and affortable.

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  Great vehicle - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Dick Leavitt - June 2 - 2:00 am

  Fun to drive. excellant acceration, just wants to go... a great sporty feel.. happy with the car but wonder what the GDP is like over this great sound system A great dealer and saleslady I have been doing business with for years along with a superb staff.

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  Coolest Car Ive Ever Driven - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Happy Happy Happy - June 1 - 11:46 am

  Ive owned a Jaguar and a BMW and this is still a far better car. It has timeless styling and the dashboard isnt boring at all. I bought it four years old and have only done routine maintenance and replaced the brakes. It is a great car. Mine is a black GTP. The supercharged 3800 is excellent, powerful, and still gets great mileage. Buy one if you have the chance, but I would only go for the GTP.

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  Ode to my Pontiac - 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Noumenon - June 1 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Sunfire used in Dec. 97, w/30k mi. I drove it to 112k mi. and it never broke down or needed mechanical repairs. Just normal maintenance. Most reliable car I ever had. Made it through 6 accidents. The metal body had a good heavy weight to it and I always felt safe in it. (It was finally done in on the 7th accident by a Suburban traveling 50+mph). Excellent gas mileage. Las Vegas to Phoenix on one tank of gas. Hugged the road in tight turns on a mountain grade at high speeds no problem. It could pull a U- turn on a dime. It would accelerate on command in an instant without hesitation. I will truly miss this car.

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  built to put a smile on your face - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By jmdz06 - June 1 - 10:00 am

  it took 6 months for me to decide what my next car would be. i looked at everything from the 99 impreza 2.5, to the firebird formula-then i test drove a 1997 gtp coupe. simply put, the car is fabulous. yes, the firebird had more grunt, and yest the impreza is more fun to drive in rain, but the gtp combines excellent performance, good looks, and provides a level of comfort foreign to both of my other choices. not to mention that you can speed past a camaro or firebird in a red gtp, and watch the other chump get pulled over!

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  2002 Trans Am, Ram Air, Hatchback - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By Black_Bird - June 1 - 10:00 am

  I knew I wanted a sports car for my next vechile. I drove a GT Mustang and then the Trans Am (with Ram Air). The Mustang just didnt compare to the Trans Am. The Trans Am is just a pleasure to drive. I use the car as my everyday car and I look forward to getting behind the wheel and driving to work (or sitting in Washington DC traffic more apporiately).