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 - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By stefan440 - September 16 - 10:00 am

  I got this car when i turned 16 and have had it for almost a year now. When i got it there was about 16,000 miles on it and it has been running great ever since. I havent experienced any problems. This is a great car, but its no Lexus.

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  Its Okay, bu could be better - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Becky1116 - September 16 - 10:00 am

  Love the body and basic performance. However, car is shaky above 65mph and RAM engine and tires can make for a noisy ride. But, wide tires make it great in harsh weather.

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  fun to drive! - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By micha - September 16 - 10:00 am

  Huge improvement over previous body style / interior! And really really fun to drive.

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  Does what I hoped for - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By SteveT - September 16 - 5:26 am

  After a terrible experience with a VW Jetta (it lived in the shop), I was looking for a solid, reliable vehicle with good fuel economy. So far the Vibe fits the bill. Ive had ZERO problems so far in a time period that the Jetta wouldve filled with one thing after another. I did a lot of research and was very impressed by the philosophy and reputation of the NUMMI plant where the Vibe is built. It certainly shows in the final product.

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  Simply Amazing - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By computernut21 - September 15 - 11:20 am

  I couldnt have been more pleased with this car. For the price you simply cant do any better. The G5 has great power, awesome features and looks very sporty. I would recommend this car to anyone I know.

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  Love my G6! - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By NJ G6 - September 15 - 11:10 am

  Very nice car! Ive had my G6 for almost a year now and theres not a thing about it I dont like. The car handles beautifully, is very comfortable and fun to drive.

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  Love The Wide Body - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Rusty Wraith - September 13 - 2:00 am

  First owner and love everything about this car. It was in the shop 7 times in the first 3 months to work out some minor bugs but besides that this car rocks. I have upgraded the engine with some mods and now the stock GTPs have to check their rear view mirrors. Great Family Car and weekend cruiser.

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  I LOVE IT!!! - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By BRANDY - September 13 - 2:00 am

  I love the way this car handles. The leg room is great for tall people. It is a good style for a family and sporty car. Only one problem with it..the coolant system.

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  Hoped for more than I received - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Rick Sundeen - September 12 - 2:00 pm

  I purchased my Pontiac Vibe with high hopes of a versatile automobile with high gas mileage. While the versatility aspect has been fine, I feel that the gas mileage isnt up to par with what they suggest. Given that it is a four cylinder with less than hoped for response, its getting around 24 instead of the hoped for closer to 30 mpg. Even being on top of air filter and tire pressure maintenance... Also, the biggest downfall is in winter driving. I live in the Northeast and this car should not be sold here. The OEM tires are rated A for traction and temperature, but they have no grip whatsoever. I have to believe that the weight of the car is not distributed over the tires properly.

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  lot of SUV for the money - 2007 Pontiac Torrent
  By cubldr - September 12 - 5:03 am

  I am tall and so are my kids and you gotta LOVE the rear legroom! Unbelievable. I was amazed at how much room this thing has. I share everyones frustration with ergonomics of front window controls, front seat adjuster, cupholders, but these are minor irritants. Had to have some warranty work done to correct some noisy valve operation in the engine but this is covered under the extended drivetrain warranty that comes with the vehicle. I sold GM vehicles in 2002-2003 with this same engine. I have MOST pleased with the 18-19 mpg my wife gets running the kids all over town everyday. Also much peppier in this configuration than Buick Rendezvous or GM minivans with this engine.