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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  Research this car first!!!! - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By dochollywood - March 14 - 10:00 am

  I loved this car (bought new) but problems began immediately after my warranty ended. I understand that certain things will need maintenance, but not this many things at 40,000 miles! I have since read about other GT owners with the same list of problems (mainly 1998-2002 GTs)and just want other potential buyers to be aware because I wasnt.

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  Nice Car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By kjd - March 13 - 5:30 pm

  I love my g-6 its fun to drive, and has plenty of power. It is very roomy feel like I am driving a much bigger car.

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  13 years and counting - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By eddy37 - March 12 - 10:26 am

  Bought mine new in 2001. Ive taken decent care of it, oil changes, minor repairs. Its never broken down or had any major issues. Has the same issues as other Grand AMs. Side passenger mirror just fell off, AC has been broken for a couple years, fan speeds 1 and 2 dont work, side mirror control broken. The car itself is no longer waterproof. The factory battery lasted 11 years. Took it on a road trip this summer and actually got really good mileage. To recap, its been paid for since 2005 and has never left me stranded. Going to drive this thing until it explodes.

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  A mixed bag - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Patty Aspen - March 12 - 10:00 am

  I like the style of the car, as well as the fuel efficiency, but I think it is very cheaply built compared to other cars Ive had. The windshield wipers wont go all the way down anymore. Screws are coming undone on the interior and the plastic that covers where the seatbeats attach has broken off and looks unsightly. Its been fairly reliable except that the check engine light comes on and off randomly.

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  love it - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Kathi - March 9 - 1:43 pm

  I have driven in the Ozarks and with all the hills and turns the Torrent handles the curves well!

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  pontiac is a good car - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By johnny22n - March 9 - 10:00 am

  I have had abosolutly a wonderful time owning this car. I have driven it cross counrty and taken it back and forth to work everday. After 135 thousand miles on the car not one major problem. If there are any flaws its minor electrical problems

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  Fun for a few weeks... - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By RANZ - March 6 - 8:40 am

  Its easy to be drawn in by the sexy stance, the leather, moonroof and the 17 in. wheels that the GT has to offer. However, once you get past the vroom vroom shiny red race car surface stuff, the disgraceful fuel economy alone is enough to make you list it for sale after a month. Excessive road noise is even worse with the sunroof shade open. The interior especially the headliner feels cheap, even tacky after the new car smell wears off. The worse paint Ive ever seen - there seems to be no topcoat or clearcoat as there are hundreds of chips down to the metal after 22k miles. Not worth the ins. and payment. Im going to get a Honda or Toyota which might seem boring but definitely smarter.

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  Great Little car - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By Herb - March 5 - 3:43 am

  Got 30 mpg on the first tank and looking for better as I break it in. Fun to drive and handles great on the Highway. Engine performs very well ( Heck.... its a Toyota ) Not a complaint yet. Love passing up gas stations.

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  Enjoying New Torrent - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By JohnV - March 3 - 4:36 am

  I wasnt interested in an SUV until I test drove a Torrent. I was very impressed on how it handled,and how enjoyable it was to drive. The interior also caught my eye with the great amount of leg room in the back.

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  Dont do it - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By rodeo3829 - February 28 - 10:53 pm

  I am writing this in order to save at least one person from my experiences with this car. It has been in and out of the shop since purchasing. The car only has 60,000 miles and just this year alone I have put in 2000.00 in repairs, not maintenance but repairs. The car has always been maintained to OEM specifications. The engine light is back on again, that will probably be another 1000.00 Oh and the cruise control light comes on even when the cruise is not on. It goes through brakes every 30,000 all around. Run as far and as fast as you can from this car.