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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  !997 Grand Am GT - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Rikkirich - September 2 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car in August of 1996. The only problem I had was last year my driver side power window let go. I brought it back to the dealer, they took care of it. I have 89,000 miles on it and Im going to run this car till it dies. It still has the power to get up and go. I did have to replace the brakes twice, also the rotors were replaced also. Besides that the car is sound. I highly recommend the Grand Am GT.

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  Best Bang for the Buck!! - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By anaztek - September 2 - 10:00 am

  This is Really a nice Car- Truck- Van! I Love it, Remember that this is a GM product- I have nothing bad to say about the AZTEK... Good ride , good fuel milage, Fast (peppy for so big). Good for the family. LOVE the plastic sides, I havent seen any door dings yet. The cooler is really "cool". Kids have their own radio controls. rear seats recline. dark tent rear windows, BIG REAR WINDOW makes for Good visiablity when weaving in and out a traffic and parking, and reverse backing up, very impressed! And we have a Tent-- way too Cool!! I really could go on and on and on and on...

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  Solid Car, reasonable price. - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By dtskiles - September 2 - 10:00 am

  I rented a Grand Am for a week. Followed by a Corolla and a Taurus. Pontiac has get-up-and-go. This car has more punch and better handling than an comparably priced Accord. However, I cant compare the reliably, nor would anyone be surprised if I did. Unlike their counterparts at Ford, GM remains a solid "B" student. They build solid cars at reasonable prices. Now if we can just discuss the over- stylized interiors. (Its a car, not the bridge to the Enterprise NCC1701)

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  Pretty Face, but no substance - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By ds - September 2 - 6:16 am

  Purchased a very sleek, stealthy black 2007 Grand Prix GXP in 2/07, new. At 500 miles, transmission began to fail. Dealer stated "no problem found". At 3,000 miles, dealer tried to repair tranny, then had to replace tranny entirely. Still does not run correctly. Also, the only tires which fit rear wheel are Bridgestone Potenza. No one else manufactures 225/50/18s. So far, 3 defective tires, 4 alignments, 12 force variance balances...steering wheel still shudders, and theres excessive tramlining. Car is pretty..but thats all. Nearly undrivable. Ive filed for Lemon Law repurchase, at 3,500 miles.

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  Dont Make Our Mistake - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By ddd017 - September 2 - 4:10 am

  Ugh. We wanted to buy American but the G6 2-door convertible is a mistake we will not make again. We have not even finished paying off the 3-year loan and cant wait to get rid of it! Just had the entire exhaust system replaced ($1200!), weve had 3 flat tires (driver side back tire) and numerous trips for the rattles. Horrible in snow, no tractionIt takes FOREVER to retract the hardtop & you lose the trunk if the top is down. The lower dash/glove compartment areas shows every little mark if you brush up against it. Horrible trying to get into the back seats. "Terrable, terrable, terrable" as Charles Barkley would say. DONT make our mistake - RUN, RUN as fast as you can AWAY from this car.

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  2005 Pontiac G6 - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By yen - September 1 - 8:36 pm

  This is a GREAT car. Its got style and performance! I was pleasantly surprised at the smooth ride and the roomy feel

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  Its OK - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Jocelyn - September 1 - 7:13 pm

  So I had a Honda Civic and was forced to get rid of it for an SUV, not happy to begin with. Now I have 45K and my windshield has a 3+ crack that started from the right lower seal! Nothing hit my car. Now its in my face. My rotors thump and my car wont crank over sometimes. I live in a snowy area and have driven it in the snow but never ever saw the AWD light kick on. It used to shift rough but now its OK. I guess it was just because it was new. Its OK though, not happy with it but love the sunroof and definitely the stereo and sound system

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  Objectively speaking - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Mr. Quick - August 30 - 5:06 pm

  This is hands down the best Bang-for- the-buck car for the guy/gal who wants to have their sports car cake and eat family car cake too. It is fast and agile for a large car. Features like touchscreen navigation, performance brakes and V-8 power are great. Leather and power everything as well as a load of driver aids and multi- information data tools are awesome. Other things like the standard HUD and remote start are features no other car manufacturers can offer for anything near $30,000! There was no compromise when I traded in my 2-door 345 hp turbocharged sports car for this 4- door family car. 0-60 in 5.7 seconds, 150+ mph (governor defeated, factory halted at 140) Nuff said, go drive one!

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  2000 Montana - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By Stiofan - August 30 - 1:46 pm

  Took this vehicle over from my sister who bought it new. Just suffered major engine repair when known defective intake manifold gasket deteriorated causing coolant to enter cylinders.

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  Great Car/Great Price - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By RobRWA123 - August 30 - 6:10 am

  Weve had this car for about 2 weeks now and couldnt be happier. Replaced an 03 Vibe. Obviously, we liked its predecessor, but the 09 is safer, quieter, has slightly more power w/slightly improved fuel economy, and burns cleaner. Overall ride and handling are better as well. Although hard to find, get the 1.8 L engine w/the base model; you wont need the 2.4 L. If you can, go 1 step further & get the 5-Spd manual - better MPG, feel more power, and more fun to drive.