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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  better than anticipated - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By hk - October 9 - 10:00 am

  the grand am is providing better performance and enjoyability than I had imagined- its acceleration is fairly peppy, cornering quite good, braking excellent and the ride is smooth for the cars size. Standard features are numerous as one would expect from a GM vehicle.

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  Solstice GXP love affair. - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By edgar robertson - October 9 - 5:33 am

  This car is very well received at any local show and shines, and parades, that I have entered it in. I have never found that lowering the top is a problem. And, I routinely complete the task, in 15 seconds. Raising it is only slightly more time consuming, requiring 28-30 seconds. The power window switches could have been better placed. I would have preferred wind up windows, and side pockets. The cup holders, I really could care less. A bigger trunk, would be a great help for weekend touring. But with some creative packing, two can go on a weekend cruise. I also, do not require A/C in a roadster, and would have appreciated the weight savings, and possible extra horse power. Stereo 1st class!

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  Should have bought 2 of them! - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By dvick - October 8 - 3:13 am

  Purchased my G8-GT before I knew Pontiac was going down the tubes. Did my research. This car has more interior room than a BMW 7 Series, four 6 ft+ people can go cross country, no problem. V8 got me 24.5 mpgs fully loaded going thru desert with a/c full blast! I will keep this car until it craters on me. People still stop me occasionally to compliment the car. After 18k miles, absolutely no squeaks, no rattles, a pet peeve of mine. Performance claims are correct- 0-60 in 5.3, 13.5 1/4 mile at 110 mph- AWESOME for a car thatll haul the family in complete comfort. IF you can find one, BUY IT, but plan on keeping it- but dont worry, you WILL, as it puts a BMW 550i to shame for half the price

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  love it - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By dennisc - October 8 - 12:13 am

  Orderd this car in may, received it in november, well worth the wait. Car is beautiful, very comfortable, drives great, corners great

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  Terrible Pontiac experience - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By Bad Experience - October 6 - 10:13 pm

  The Pontiac G5 coupe that I purchased and drove for two weeks has problems. The wind noise in the car is terrible. You can hear the wind noise above the radio when driving at speeds above 50 mph. I had warped rotors on the car that cause the steering wheel to shake upon braking. The trunk opening space is very small and makes things difficult to put in.

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  PONTIAC AZTEK- Get 1 Before Theyre Gone - 2005 Pontiac Aztek
  By Susan Skinner - October 6 - 1:06 pm

  We bought our first Aztek in 2001 and found it to be a joy to own - no maintenance. no problems! When my husband read they were discontining them this year (05) we drove from Georgia to Ohio to get the model we wanted...they are so comfortable, have so many included features that cost more on other makes, are such fun to drive...we love our Aztek! Who cares if Jay Leno makes fun of them!

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  excellent - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By Wanda - October 6 - 8:00 am

  I have never had any problems. Always get the oil changed and car maintained at the given times. Fun car and I am sorry the car wont be made now in the following years. Good buy with fun results.

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  Dont buy - 2008 Pontiac Torrent
  By joslin3 - October 6 - 6:43 am

  Absolutely horrible and because you now must deal with GM they dont want to recall these vehicles because that would cause them to fix a problem that Pontiac created.I have owned one for almost 2 years and I have had nothing but problems,within a month of owning it the radio didnt work, the lock on the drivers door costs 300 to fix because unless you actually try to open it while it is locked you would of never known it doesnt lock, the rear windshield wiper motor went, the wheel bearings are 300 a piece, and because of how they are made it is common for rocks and sticks to get into the cv shaft and cause 200 in damage.Stabilitrak & ABS light constantly on & off.

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  Great vehicle - 2007 Pontiac Torrent
  By Janet Pierson - October 4 - 11:53 pm

  Did lots of research before purchasing and after the test drive, I was sold. It has met my expectations. NO mechanical problems and took 2 week road trip and it was very comfortable. I planned on keeping this vehicle for many years, due to its nice performance, handling and storage room. It has a 5 star crash rating and unfortunately I recently was involved in a serious collision with airbag deployment. I walked away from the car without a scratch or bruise! I will be looking for another Torrent to replace this one.

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  Great car - 2005 Pontiac Bonneville
  By sharon - October 4 - 2:20 pm

  For the price this car beats everything sports luxury car on the road. Great power. Has features that of luxury cars $10k more in price. Handles great. Large trunk and very comfortable seating. Like it so much I decided to purchase it at the end of lease. Cant find anything comparable in its price range. Excellent safety rating. Bring back the GXP!