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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  Looking for a reason to drive... - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By SuprChrged 05 GTP - October 20 - 10:10 am

  I have owned my 05 GTP for almost a month now. The handling is superb, makes going through highway curves at 70 mph a breeze. Engine is very responsive, supercharged power is there when you need it most. Performs well for such a heavy vehicle. The interior leaves much to be desired. The inside compared to competitors is dated. The exterior design had to grow on me a bit. Overall this car is fun to drive, sometimes leaves me looking for a reason to find somewhere else to go.

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  275k and still runs well - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Creighton Barker - October 18 - 6:11 pm

  It is great in snow, gets 23mpg always, AWD, roomy, love the rear hatch. Yes I replaced one wheel bearing, did the head gaskets, and now adrive train bearing. But its on its third lifetime in Midwest Winters and hot summer. We got it with 74k 10 yrs ago. On our third set of tires, we buy Cooper. If I can find another with only 100 k on it, Ill buy it for later on. Love the manuverability.

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  My new ride - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Tony A. - October 18 - 4:26 pm

  This is the third Pontiac Ive owned and it easily outclasses all the others in all-around performance. Not as fast or cool as the Trans-Am I drove in the 80s, but a lot more useful and quiet for long highway trips. The 3800 V-6 is dead reliable and the ride is firm yet comfortable. The front buckets are a bit tight for persons of girth but the leather/vinyl is very attractive. My wife drives a Grand Am and constantly wants to switch cars with me. I suppose one can call it an average mid-size sedan with solid reliability but thats not intended to be a criticism. It does exactly what I expect it to do: carry me around in style without breaking the bank and making me look like an old fart.

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  Decent car with regard to pricing factor - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By chris - October 18 - 5:53 am

  Ive had the car for 2 years with only 1 minor problem with the AC (the insulation under the dash detached itself and blocked the vent) which, the dealership fixed with no hasel. The car has been very reliable under all conditions and dependable in climate extremes for +115 heat in AZ to -40 in the Rockys. I have put alot of miles on this car (47,000 currently) and have never worried about having a performance related failure. For styling and performance I have yet to find anything else in the same price range that even comes close!

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  2009 Vibe 1.8 automatic - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By brisan - October 16 - 8:01 pm

  I bought this car with 8000 miles on it and put on an additional 60,000 miles before it was totalled out in a crash with a 4 wheel drive pickup truck. We were driving almost 50 mph when the truck turned into us from the turn lane. We hit drivers side bumpers and came to an instant stop. My wife and I were banged up and bruised but able to walk away. We found out it had 4 and 5 stars in crash tests. We loved this car and got between 32 and 36 mpg depending on driving habits and time of the year. We never had a single problem with it and are now in the process of finding another one to purchase.

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  Never Again - 2001 Pontiac Montana
  By S James - October 16 - 6:33 pm

  OK, I was smitten by its good looks for a mini van. What a pig it turned out to be. I have sworn off any GM built vehicle for as long as I drive. (And I control the fleet at my work) Read each of the posts and I have had the problem. Fuel tank sending unit made the gas gauge quit. Head gasket blew out. A/C out (twice) Windshield wipers nesting in the "touchdown" position. My wife drove it that way for a month because two of our neighbors were having the same problem at the same time. (It was comical) GM dealers are lame. Could be the corporate policies. Still, they give you no reason to want to even look at another vehicle built by them. I give them less than 10 years.

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  Pretty Nice - 2000 Pontiac Sunfire
  By bcr_88 - October 15 - 10:40 pm

  well i have this car for a few months now like half year and its been a pretty good car its very confortable and the interior i like it ...and has good fuel economy tooo

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  Nice car at first, but just wait - 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Scott Buechl - October 15 - 10:00 am

  I really enjoyed this car when I bought it used in 98. It is nice looking and comfortable. It drove very nicely with the V6 engine. But within the past several years, I have replaced window motors, door locks, alternator, intake gasket, timing belt, fuel injectors, and several other small things. I just had the transmission repaired! This car is a money pit!

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  It Grows on you! - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By Tejas Lady - October 15 - 10:00 am

  I was a little iffy on the looks of this thing but once you drive it, look at all the great features and really get to know it you grow to love it. This is perfect for our family of 5 the kids all feel in love with it, ages 17- 11. I really think it is 3 vehicles in one, a SUV, minivan, and a pickup truck. SO VERSATILE! It will grow on you.

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  Life with my Vibe - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By dennishough - October 15 - 3:43 am

  This is the car I really wanted. I knew going in that the AWD model was a little underpowered compared to a 5-speed front wheel drive model. Outside style and inside comfort are first rate. Doors all close with that nice Japanese sound and fit. The trick to driving it is to keep the overdrive turned off while in traffic below 50 mph. Then when everyone is out of your way or you merge onto the highway, kick on the overdrive and let it roll up to 60 + mph. There is a torque converter that allows the overdrive to have a high and low range so you will control that with your touch on the gas peddle. I plan to add power with some after market engine breathing products.Try to get $3000 in rebates