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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  I love my Car - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Justin - October 29 - 2:13 am

  the car has been amazing reliable for me, i use it as a daily driver and my work car ( i deliver pizza ) and to be honest for a car with 230,000 on it, its solid the engine is very strong and amazing, its got ample performance and has been bullit proof this far (knock on wood) iv only had to replace the fuel pump and spark plugs, people complaining about brakes is just stupid, they wear thats what they do, iv replaced the brakes probley a good 6x but no biggie, its cheap its a sunfire :), im purchasing a 2008 chrysler 300 limited and still keeping my sunfire cuz it will probley last longer then that car will, its treated me well and i treat it well, il be happy to get it over 500,000kms :)

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  Improvements needed - 2005 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Sam Abraham - October 29 - 12:20 am

  Air conditioning leaves a lot to be desired. In 95 degree weather it did not cool even when recirculatimg the inside air.

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  Great car, horrible sunroof - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By joane - October 27 - 9:10 pm

  I love the G6, its a beautiful well running car. The wind noise in the panoramic sunroof is so bad that i would not buy it again. It sounds as though the window is cracked. There is no beauty or no amount of performance that makes up for the noise and water leaks in this sunroof. Beware if you buy it, my experience is showing that General Motors doesnt want to work with the consumer on this problem.

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  The fun to drive universal Grand Am - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Seth - October 27 - 3:10 pm

  I love my Pontiac Grand Am se coupe. This car is great on gas on average I get 32 mpg or better on the highway. It is also very fun to drive it takes curves excellent and the ride for the most part is smooth.The display panels are also nice because they are easy to read and the cd player is easy to get to without having to take your eyes off of the road. The space in the car is another great thing. I have fit four guys there golf clubs and small luggage in the car for a weekend golf trip. I highly reccomend this car to anyone looking for an afforable 2 door car.

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  Best GT so far!! - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By zenith321 - October 25 - 11:33 am

  Maintenence. Thats the most important thing to remember if you want to keep your car running at top performance. Change oil depending how and where you drive, filters are so important. Every once and a while, take your car to a good, HONEST mechanic. Your car should last you as long as you want it to!! My 99 Grand Am GT has 300,000 kms and still going strong! Remember my first word- MAINTANENCE!!!

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  Pontiac GT6 what a car ! - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Bruce Wylie - October 23 - 1:13 pm

  We are relatively new owners but my wife and I find the design both inside and out to be of a quality found in few vehicles. The mileage is also great! The trunk space is not large but more than adequate for this couple in there 60s. We highly recomend this vehicle!

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  Reliable for being an american Car - 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Hydracid - October 23 - 10:00 am

  Only trouble I had was the side view mirro connectors are cheaply made and the light went out in the stereo clock. I have only had to perform routine maintainence which is nice. This is a much better pontiac in comparison to previous brands from previous years.

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  Sunfires Kick Arse - 2001 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Babyboy2711 - October 23 - 10:00 am

  The sunfire does great on the road.Its fuel is good on highways, but city needs a bit improving.Its fun to drive and very roomy.The sound system is okie, the front small speakers make it a bit worse then a Dodge Neon but still good.

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  Great Car and Bargain - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By HET - October 23 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this car for my wife and she loves it. Ita a big improvement over the Suburban we traded it for. Now she can pull in and out of parking spaces with ease, whip in and out of traffic, and not worry about using gas to go to the grocery store. We didnt get the power package or On-star; the dealership didnt have any on the lot. But thats OK. Shes the only one driving it and her other car is a Cadillac CTS. Eventually, it will be a great get around car one day for our soon to be teenager.

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  Great styling - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By hawk1 - October 23 - 10:00 am

  Great looking car, and in 2004, it still looks as contemporary as the new cars coming out. I always get compliments on the on the exterior styling. Im somewhat disappointed on the MPG, Ive been gettting around 23 mpg on the road and I set the cruise at 72 MPH. A few squeaks, but nothing unusual for a domestic vehicle. The factory sound system is better than any car Ive ever been in, and Ive worked in the car business for the last 12 years years.