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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  The Best Yet - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By wsw - April 21 - 3:50 am

  This has to be my favorite car ever. I do not know how many I have owned but the list includes Mustang GTs, Corvettes, Mercedes 560 SLs, Thunderbirds, etc. This is the ultimate driving machine so far. Outperforms everything else and is comfortable for my 63", 275 pound body. I do feel sorry for people that would have to ride in the back seat, but this vehicle was not purchased for them. I have had some initial problems that I believe are attributable to transit involving the front end and strut failure. Only 3000 miles so far so reliability would be slanted heavily by these problems if not properly viewed. Overall, this car is great and has me looking for the next generation.

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  love it - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Jacquie Thomas - April 21 - 2:00 am

  when people ask me how I like my new vibe, i say "i dont like it i love it " I am on the highway alot and the gas worry is a thing of the past. fun little car to drive and i havent went on atrip yet that i didnt have enoughroom for everything.awesome!

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  Pontiac Hits A Home-Run! - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By Krista - April 20 - 4:20 am

  I have owned my G5 for almost 2 years now. I absolutely love this vehicle. The handling is great. Purchased $15k, the car feels like a luxury car. The seats are comfortable, and gas mileage is great! I average 25/city and at at 75mph I get 36/37 mpg freeway! The car quickly becomes like an extension of yourself on the road.

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  A Great Visit to Montana - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By John Fielding - April 19 - 10:00 am

  After steering clear of General Motors vans, in 1999 we purchased the newly designed Montana. We have been so pleased that we just traded it for the 2002 model. We drive other vans for rental or the ones owned by our children. The Montana has the best interior room and handling. We have had no problems in 44,000 miles. We believe it is a top quality vehicle.

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  Pontiac Grand Am - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Ronald Smith - April 19 - 5:13 am

  I am a 40 year old who purchased a 2004 Pontiac Grand Am in March of 2006. I will have to say, that I test drove several other cars before making my decision to purchase the 2004 Pontiac Grand Am. I am well pleased with handling, performance, & reliability. I would recommend this car to anyone out there who wants a sporty, reliable & excellent gas mileage automobile. The car also has a fantastic stereo/CD system & that is also one of its best features. This car is one of the best at gas mileage & as a testimonial I have run three tanks through my 2004 Grand Am & I have averaged 17.7 mpg. on one tank, 17.5 mpg. on the second tank & 19.5 on the third tank.

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  It was worth the wait..... - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Wright - April 19 - 5:00 am

  I saw this car when it was introduced in 2002 at the Detroit Auto Show. I knew I had to have one! It is everything I imagined and more!

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  Do yourself a favor and go buy one - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By McFly269 - April 17 - 4:26 pm

  Ive had my car for about a month now and I love it. The V6 packs a great punch, but can get you in trouble. When you hit 80 you still feel like you are going 40. The only thing I wish it came with was a navigation system. That was the only feature that had me looking at other cars, but when it came down to it the novelty and styling were too much for me to pass up on. The other feature that I didnt expect was the trunk space. This car has ridiculous trunk space for a coupe.

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  Love My Grand Am - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Benzcrazy1 - April 16 - 10:00 am

  I bought my Grand Am in January of 04 (My First Car) with 63,900 miles and now has 66,920 and hasnt given me one single problem. I have had to change the Serpentine Belt (I didnt like the squeaking noise). I had the transmission serviced, oil changed, and new fuel filter at 66,033 miles. Hope to get have a long life with this car!

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  Wolf in Sheeps Clothing - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By amfinanceguy - April 16 - 10:00 am

  This may be the car that renews my belief in American auto manufacturers. A true "spiritual cousin" to an M3 (could use a little better handling), if youre "sitting on the fence", do yourself a favor and save $20K over an M3. Quality build, fit, and finish plus that lovely American V8 rumble. What a pure pleasure!! The first car Ive bought since my M3 that has brought just a huge smile to my face every time I drive it.

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  Firebirds are sweet - 1997 Pontiac Firebird
  By mike - April 16 - 12:56 am

  Firebirds are sweet. They should have kept making them. They have the best handling and performance a car can ever give!