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 Bang for the Buck - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By mrbpmb - September 11 - 11:00 pm

  Bought the base G6 as a third car, to save gas and wear on my 04 Envoy, then pass to my kid in about 5 years. Love the looks, veery roomy inside for a smaller car, especially the rear seat. Performance has been better than I expected from the 4-cyl. The tires arent the best, and the wheel covers are cheap plastic, but they do ride on 16" rims. Many features that are optional or unavailable in a Civic or Corolla are standard here, but I find the manual locks to be an unnecessary complication. You cannot lock/unlock all doors with the key from the outside. I wish I could add keyless remote entry without having to get a package that includes 17" alloys and cruise control.

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  Excellent value - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By borych - September 8 - 4:16 pm

  Have had car for 7 years now and have been more than satisfied. Recently had a few significant repairs. Over all am quite happy with the purchase. Runs well. Good gas mileage 18-24 mpg for a 6 cyl AWD model. Excellent in deep snow! This car lives in New England outside and has served well. Only minor cosmetic drawback is that it does not come with gas cover. Many people over the years have asked what happened to it. I keep needing to explained that this is the way it was designed. If they still made them I would buy a new one.

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  Nice ride if you like the looks. - 2005 Pontiac Aztek
  By Jmamadei - September 4 - 8:43 am

  I never even considered an Aztek when I was shopping for a car but there it was with low miles and a good price so I was sold and I really love it. Everything about it is convenient and easy to use also, it sits high enough to give a good view of the road without being difficult to climb into. Gas mileage is acceptable (19-20mpg) and reliability has been good during my first 500 miles. However, if you change your own oil its really hard to get the filter out because of the front frame crossmember so plan on wearing half of your oil the first time you change it.

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  Had a few problems - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By gators - September 4 - 2:00 am

  I know many people who have owned this vehicle. It is usually very dependable. The traction control and heavyness of the car is a plus. It is fast, but eats gas. I purchased this car used. I should have bought and extended warranty. I had problems with the stearing. Which if not under warranty can cost over $1000.

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  Wife loves it - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By rmbmt - September 4 - 2:00 am

  My wife drives almost 20k a year and loves this. We sold our Durango and am happpy we did as this gets around 23mpg and the Durango got 14. My main complaint so far is that the temp gauge will often appear as if the car is running warm. The dealer has checked it several times and said it is ok - so I guess we all should believe the dealers - right?

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  And I paid money for this? - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Very Disappointed - September 3 - 5:26 am

  This is a fun car to drive when it runs. That is key. The car has stalled on me numerous times while driving, coasting, or waiting at a stop light. Other times, it simply wont start. I cannot count how many times the grand prix left me stranded. If you purchase this car, be sure to have a cell phone handy to call friends/family for a ride. Mechanics say that it is fine, but problem persists. Electrical problems abound. I will definitely do my homework before my next car purchase. When I do, quality and reliability will be at the top of my list. This car seriously lacks both. There is no worse feeling than not knowing if your car will take you from A to B without any trouble

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  Great Car - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By K Dub - August 31 - 10:23 pm

  I bought my car brand spanking new with only 2 miles on it. Ive had a few issues with it with a bad fuel pump the catalytic converter went out which was replaced under warranty. Ive also had to have the battery replaced. Other than that ive had no other problems with my car I usually change the oil at regular intervals and recently had a coolant flush. It rides great.

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  Rolling Movie House - 2005 Pontiac Montana
  By Pierre S. - August 30 - 7:40 pm

  The front driver/passenger have a fairly good ride Transmission is smooth with plenty of motor power. Misleading ads when it comes to available storage space, compared to the previous models. This model is drifting away from its true mission of what a mini van should stand for. It was poorly conceived to carry baggage with the seats folded. There is a need to increase the size door pockets to storage. This model has too much for for movie goers, with 4 oversized hardplastic headset holders poorly located for passagers own comfort, 2 pop-corn table with plenty of pop holders. The passagers second row of seat has a lot to be desired with restricted leg room. They did away with fog lights

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  147 K to go! - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By THEPEST - August 30 - 10:00 am

  The Vibe is all it is cracked uo to be. Anticipate getting at least 150 K out of it. Regular routine maintenace is probably the most important factor; you take care of it & it will serve you well.

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  I cant believe I bought a Pontiac - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By furrydogs - August 30 - 10:00 am

  Never thought Id own an American car, if you can call it that. Bought it in December and I have almost 13000 miles on it. Very happy so far. In the short time that I have had it I have taken quite a few road trips with it and have been quite comfortable. I think it is a great riding car that gets awesome mileage. One small gripe is my front fender panel is loose so I will have to take that in to get fixed. Also, the A/C isnt very cold. The options I have are: Moonroof, 200 Watt CD Stereo, Rims, and power package. My MPG with a 5-speed manual averages 33 on the hiway and about 30 in the city. I almost forgot, the cargo room is exceptional.