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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  my vibe - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By doublell1 - January 26 - 5:33 am

  The vibe is a good car for intercity driving. I like how small it is and how easy it is too use, the gas mileage is not the best but the joy of diving and versatility that the car provides overshadows its downfalls.

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  I LOVE my Aztec - 2005 Pontiac Aztek
  By Kalyn - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I think the Aztec is Wonderful. It is my Second one and I will buy a third when the time comes.

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  great economy car - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Heather - January 23 - 7:06 pm

  I`ve had this car for almost 2 years. bought it at 31`000miles and it`s now at almost 80`000. The car still runs like new, no oil leaks, or burning oil. Only thing I`ve had to do is change the brakes and maintenance. Stock sound system is decent. It`s pretty peppy for a 140hp. Handles very well for what it is. Love this car. Haven`t had any issues, would buy another one

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  2000 Bonneville - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By thargarther - January 23 - 1:07 am

  I love the car but it has been a little bit of a money pit. I hate how it rust right under the gas cap and on the hood. The front end is clunking and I can not figure out why. Every time i accelerate kinda hard it starts to shake up front and it feels unsafe. The gas gauge is messed up, every time it gets bellow half, it goes to full.

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  Unhappy - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By unhappy G6 owner - January 22 - 10:23 am

  I was extremely happy with my purchase until i reached about 3,000 miles, that is when my brakes started squeaking then at 4,000 miles i get into my car and attempt to make a turn, i personally being a small female could not turn my wheel. I then called roadside they towed my car to the dealership who had it fo 5 day to replace the entire steering column-- i cant exactly say that i was very happy with the situation and from now on i have a bad outlook on the g6

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  pontiac gto - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By coins - January 20 - 10:00 am

  One of the BEST cars I have ever owned, except around town gas mileage! I even got 24 mpg driving car home form Iowa! And, that was with the cruise set at 75mph with the air on.

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  Grand Am Fan - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Grand am fan - January 19 - 4:33 am

  Good Car, reliable, peppy v6, I would buy another for my wife if she needed one

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  was suprised - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By klthomson - January 18 - 11:06 am

  Im a "traditional" SUV type person and I was kinda skeptical about the Aztek (looks a lil funny), even after we test drove and decided to buy it. Acceleration is very good, and out performs my Tahoe when it comes to gas mileage. Over the course of a weekend trip I was averaging aprox 27 mpg hwy, with the ac running too. WOW! My chevy, as much as I love it, wouldnt have done much better than 18 mpg at best. so on fuel economy, I have no complaints. The interior is fairly user friendly, and is a comfy ride. About the only thing I dont like is that its AWD and not 4WD. Visibility all around isnt bad.

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  Good Luck So Far - 2003 Pontiac Montana
  By Pontiac Owner - January 16 - 2:00 am

  We have had our van for over 1 year, it has 21,000 miles on it. We enjoy driving it on trips with the two kids and two dogs. Everyone has enough room. We have not experienced any mechanical or cosmetic problems. Just regular oil changes.

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  Its a nice car - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Reezy-High - January 14 - 8:46 am

  Its great! I got everything under the hood squared away. High-mileage runs like a new car though. Cheesy interior. Oh and the pad under the glove box is slightly hanging down. I purchased it that way.