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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  Best Sub compact ever - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By KMMACK - February 2 - 8:03 pm

  The car handles great, even at high speeds its a smooth ride. I can pull a u-turn just about anywhere and park in the smallest places. When I baby it I can get over 35 mpg and so far I havent dropped below 32. When its cold out I can hear a rattle coming from the front passenger side, I dont know what it is but it hasnt been a problem. My car suprises everyone with its speed. Its no race car, but for its class its impressive. I can easily turn em over in second gear with 3 passengers.

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  Versatile, Economical, Fun! - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Mike - February 1 - 9:36 pm

  This is the first vehicle Ive owned that I like even more now than the day I bought it. Great gas mileage, fun to drive and plenty of cargo space. I have not experienced any problems or concerns with this car, and it has a very solid, well-built feel. I am very satisified with my Vibe and highly recommend it to others!

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  killers gto - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By killer - February 1 - 3:30 am

  the gears are long 1st 20mph 3rd over 80, 4th over 120, have not tested 5th or 6th gear

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  Im spoiled now - 1998 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Builtforcomfort - February 1 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car used. The dealer had purchased it in a Florida auction. The ride is smooth and comfortable, second only to an older Oldsmobile. The wide seats are extremely comfortable, with plenty of room in the back. It came with every option that Pontiac makes for this car, and Ive never had any trouble with any of them. I definitely prefer the power of the SSEi - I felt I didnt have quite enough power in the SE.

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  excellent - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By maryicelady - February 1 - 2:00 am

  my husband and i just love our aztek. my sister in law has one. my husband can get in and out of the vehicle very easy. he is very sick. we just enjoy riding in it. thank you.

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  My Review - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By mrgills - February 1 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car. It is obviously not a high performance sports car, but it does have that feel.

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  Excellent Features/Fun to Drive - 2007 Pontiac Torrent
  By Dan - February 1 - 1:16 am

  We Love our 2007 Torrent. The new interior layout with the Driver info Center is excellent. The New Onstar Nav feature is just as good or better than a screen nav, and it comes included with onstar. The info center gives fuel econ which is important to us. We have averaged about 21-22mpg mixed City/Hwy. The radio functionality is great, with XM built in, and a aux jack for ipods, etc. Would highly recommend this car to anyone wanting alot of space, a solid quite ride, and many features, for a great value.

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  Id buy the same car again - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By mlaner92 - January 30 - 10:16 am

  Its hard to write everything I like about the car: performance, handling, mileage (for the performance, its pretty darn good), the front seats, features, options, looks...im sure theres more. The drawbacks: I probably could have been OK with the added MPG of the GT over the performance of the GTP, but whats the fun in that? Im glad I dont ever have to ride in the backseat. Ride seems to stiffen a lot during cold weather, more than any car ive owned in the past.

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  Pontiac-One of Detroits best. - 2001 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Dwayne - January 29 - 2:00 am

  I have owned this vehicle for four years now and I have had absolute no problems at all. I purchased my Bonneville with almost exactly 60,000 miles on it and was expecting some sort of major issues, but so far they have not occurred. I live in a Downtown Metro area and drive both city (and I mean gridlock city) and highway. My average MPG is 24 which is very manageable. This car has handled everything I have thrown at it and I couldnt ask for anything more quality wise. Very well rounded competent vehicle with a wonderful blend of sport and practicality.

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  Very Reliable - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By C. Davis - January 29 - 2:00 am

  This is far and away the best car Ive owned. Recently the lighting behind one of the instrument panel displays went out. That is the first and only problem of any sort Ive experienced with this vehicle and Ive driven it for almost 3 years and put about 50,000 miles on it. The car is a pleasure to drive. Acceleration is outstanding, nearly on a par with Corvettes I’ve owned. Handling is good for a car of this size. It is not quite as nimble in city traffic and parking as a smaller car, but not enough so as to make driving to and from work unpleasant. We’ve found the car to provide more than adequate interior room to make long family trips pleasant.