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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  Beautiful but poorly designed - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By CB - July 11 - 5:33 pm

  I loved this car the first second I laid eyes on it. My first problem began at 3500 miles and the latest just started at 22,000 miles. The list of items that have required service on the car: radio, leaky trunk, frayed convertible top, noisy top after replacement, a/c (3x), rear differential (still makes a LOT of noise), stuck accelerator. This car is beautiful but the engine, transmission and basic build are EXTREMELY problematic. Pontiac will NOT stand behind their product and have given me nothing but grief. Please think twice before buying!

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  best car we ever owned - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By draybike67 - July 10 - 11:00 am

  we have put 239,895 miles on this car with no major repairs at all. Still runs and drives great,gets 28 mpg highway. auto trans still works perfect. we replaced the water pump at 189k ,replaced radiator at 200k miles. All you have to do is maintain your car and it will last just like ours. we are afraid to sell this car because it has been so great. we also have a 1996 gmc suburban with 278,000 miles and only had to rebuild the trans at 167k, and one fuel pump at 103k. it still runs like new.

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  Great Car but has a few flaws - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By andunn - July 9 - 1:53 pm

  Pros: Toyota Engine -Great gas mileage -Sporty look Cons: Noise every time you go from park to drive and start to move. It is the anti-lock breaks kicking in. Drove three others. Same thing. Dealer said it was not designed very well because you could hear it kicking in. - XM radio cuts song title information off. I had XM 5 years ago and my radio could display the entire song. Cuts it off even if you switch to non-flashing mode and have to push info button. Bad design! - Doors make a slight vibrating noise when closing them. Again tried 3 others and same thing. Body design flaw - Little noises coming from the dash area even when driving on a smooth highway or road

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  2006 Pontiac Torrent - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Tim Stout - July 8 - 2:16 pm

  I have had a Torrent for the past 11 months. After driving a Montana Mini van for five years, I found the interior room of the Torrent much smaller, with the floor gear shift lever taking up too much room, especially for the right front passenger. There is not enough leg room for stretching out, even with either front seat all the way back. The exterior gives the impression of a "big" SUV, but the interior does not. The motor is sufficient, but lacks the get up I was use to in the Montana. So far it has been a reliable vehicle, and should remain that way for years to come. It has a comfortable but noisy ride, mostly from the tires. The AWD is great in snow when driven with care.

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  Right when they got it right. - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Ryan - July 3 - 2:00 am

  I have owned my G6 V6 for over 2 years now, I had one item replaced under warranty which was the transmission cooler lines because they started to leak at the fittings. I did have to replace my brakes prematurely but that is mainly because I bought it used with 19,000 km on it and it had sat in the lot for almost a whole year and the rotors got rusty. It drives great, gets good mileage, looks pretty good tinted out with black rims. The stock stereo is amazing except for the lack of an aux. input. One other mechanical issue Im having is my left front strut already needs to be replaced (leaked out) @ 48,000 km. Definitely premature to the 80,000 km recommended replacement. Even so still happy!

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  Not perfect, but glad I bought it - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Scott - July 2 - 11:06 pm

  Great handling, good ride, nice looking car, draws a lot of compliments. Gas mileage averaging about 18 mpg in mostly city driving. Nice steering feel, decent stereo. Two problems so far at about 10,000 miles. Bad gas cap, no big deal. Developed a vibration in steering wheel at about 8000 miles. Dealer said its the cylinder deactivation (active fuel mgmt) system transitioning from 4 to 8 cylinders and there is no fix for it yet. Went to a tuner and he turned the thing off and retuned to run on super unleaded and reprogrammed transmission shift pts. Car runs better than new and my mpg is about the same or even a little better. That vibration was driving me crazy.

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  NIce Car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By J Williams - July 2 - 9:53 pm

  I brought the Pontiac G6 in 9/06 after wanting a Nissan Altima. I found that the G6 was a nice substitute. If I had to choose now, I would choose the G6 over the Altima. The car is very roomy and the design is very nice for an American made car. I love the interior lighting that lights in read and the computer messages.

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  not bad for a v8 - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By jeff - June 30 - 10:06 pm

  wow! talk about power in a front wheel drive ... lets just hope the year of the v8 has no problems :)

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  I love Azteks, but... - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By lovetheteks! - June 30 - 4:16 am

  I have had my Aztek for a year and put only 10k miles on it. Even though I have had to replace everything but the seatbelt buckles I still love it. It is very comfortable and handles well with Michigan weather. I dont like the fuel economy (gas is 3.89 here) but cant complain since for its size it does well. I only need a new fuel pump and Ill be back on the road with the silly looking thing. :D

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  Not intended for young drivers! - 2004 Pontiac Bonneville
  By DrDre413 - June 30 - 2:00 am

  Went to the dealership to buy a Grand Prix, but ended up with a Bonneville instead. Went into the shop for a knocking noise when steering, especially turning. Leather is ripping after only 15,000 miles. Dealership says it is normal wear and tear.... Not recommended for anyone looking for a fun, exciting Pontiac. Get a Grand Prix GTP of a new GTO.