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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  Get in your Pontiac and ride! - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By Stan - January 1 - 5:43 pm

  We looked at and tried a lot of cars, but didnt care for them. My wife suggested that we go to a Pontiac dealer and see what they had. I had never seen a G5, didnt know they existed. The G5 is a real sleeper. It makes you want to throw rocks at the other cars, especially those overrated Asian cars that people are so proud of. Phooey! When I saw the American G5, I knew it was right. I was so certain about this car that I bought it outright without driving it first. My wife and I love it. Its everything we want in a car. We are so glad that we found it. This sport coupe has class. The boring Asian cars have no more charm than kitchen appliances.

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  My car - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By ken - January 1 - 2:50 pm

  I picked the 2.4L base automatic over several other models.I have 7000 miles on it.I have had several issues with it the center caps kept coming off,the steering column had a noise in it when it hit a bump. The dealership found the electronic box on the bottom of steering wheel is bad and now the dashboard pieces that were taken off will not snap together. The plastic clips seem to be very brittle they break off easy. The XM radio is great as long as you dont go through mountains or valleys or even under shade trees signal will go out.The 2.4 has lot of power would not recommend 1.8. Ive been averaging 26 mpg city 35 mpg. highway. The wheels make car stand out.

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  Totally awesome ride - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Radio Flyer - January 1 - 10:26 am

  This car is very solid and corners well, reminds me of my former TA. Have driven 1500 miles and averaged 28.4 mpg mostly suburban miles. One Interstate trip of 180 miles, it displayed 32.1 mpg. I am used to a 3800 v6 engine in the Grand Prix but this 3500 is very satisfactory. The small buttons on the steering wheel were hard to get used to.

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  Good Vibrations - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Pontiac Fan - January 1 - 10:00 am

  My wife was looking for a car to go back and forth to work in that was good on gas, reliable on the road, and good handling in bad weather. She test drove an AWD Vibe, but didnt act excited about at the dealership, but when we left the lot she said "I want one". We bought one a week later, traded in a 99 Grand Prix GTP of all things for a Vibe. This car is FUN!

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  The Perfect Year - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By John Fraser - January 1 - 10:00 am

  I never realize how good of a deal I got ($4900) until I saw a friend spend $33,500 on a loaded 2003 model. Other than mine lacking mood roof and dual heated seats (only the driver in mine). The style interior and everything else looks exactly the same. I love the drive and the great gas milage on the highway (in town is not that good however).

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  Hard to Follow - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By TAKerr - January 1 - 10:00 am

  American cars have come a long way. My Pontiac Grand Prix has been such a pleasant surprise! Its has such wonderful features, like the heads-up display, that would normally come in a much more expensive car. In the four and a half years that Ive owned it, I have not had one thing go wrong. I just love it. Unfortunately, the new Nissan Altima I just purchased just doesnt measure up. Its a nice car, but Im going through withdrawals from the Grand Prix. Its just a hard act to follow.

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  Blast to drive, very happy with this car - 2003 Pontiac Bonneville
  By CACruising - January 1 - 10:00 am

  This car is a blast to drive if you like a car with power that handles well. The suspension gives a great ride for long and short trips. To eliminate some expensive options that we did not want (12-CD, Satellite radio, chrome wheels and sun roof because of head clearance), we ordered the car. It arrived in 4 weeks. Had a water leak problem with trunk through the bolt holes that hold Spoiler. It was fixed after a couple of tries.

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  PS review - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By pa - December 31 - 8:36 pm

  Fun to drive. Easy handling. Fairly quiet. Sleek design. Good gas mileage. Able to manuever in traffic easily. Some blind spots need getting used to.

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  Excellent Quality - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By motormaster - December 31 - 12:20 pm

  I am surprised with the GM built vehicle. Design is better than any Japanese brand. Standard features such as ABS braking,DVD,regular unleaded fuel,immobilizer,alarm,power package, On Star, cruise etc. Very fuel efficient engine with lots of power on the road.

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  G6 Surprise - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By Chris - December 30 - 6:40 pm

  Bought G6 for comfortable, leather, adjustable, heated seats and nice interior layout with good quality. Car has surpassed my expectations. Its quiet, well mannered, V6 is responsive, great fuel economy at 27 avg city/highway. Car is solid with no rattles, no problems of any kind. Best car Ive ever owned and Ive had many of all kinds - Ford, Toyota, trucks, SUVs and sports cars. It you want a relatively inexpensive car, that is solid, somewhat fun to drive, good looking and comfortable - this is worth a look.