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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  Love-Hate Relationship - 2005 Pontiac Bonneville
  By andacious - May 21 - 7:12 am

  To start, I love Bonnevilles. I owned a 98 Bonnie all through high school and college and it served me well. Bought this GXP once I graduated, and its definitely a love-hate relationship. As far as style, this car has it. Interior, exterior, handling, performance - all fantastic. However, the biggest issue I have with this car is the reliability. I bought it with 64k on it and in 2.5 years Im at 83k and have put over $8,000 worth or repairs into it (I have a warranty). There is no way that it should need this many repairs when its just a daily driver with less than 10k a year.

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  Great Van - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By abtowell - May 17 - 10:00 am

  Great two year experience - only problem was a misaligned hood latch and a flimsy cup holder.

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  SSEi, Yeah, Baby Yeah! - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By dan-d-Dave - May 17 - 10:00 am

  So far, so good. I havent had any real problems with this car. Initially, there was some issue with starting the car. Somehow that has worked itself out. Other than a cargo net anchor breaking, this car rocks! If you have the opportunity and the means, get one!

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  Steering Problems - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Jon - May 16 - 10:50 pm

  I bought the car with 13 miles on it, great car, always started in the cold (-45 degrees f). Then i noticed I had a clunk in the front left. The dealership "never heard anything, and cant see any problems." This was common during turns especially with more that one person in the car, they finally fix it. It was the strut, it wasnt secured right. They secured the strut but the sound was still there, the rack & pinion had to be replaced, twice. The starter went out at about 40,000 miles. 43,000 miles, the clunk now turned into a squeak, it happens even when I get into the car. Im glad I splurged and got the 60mo/100,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. The dealer hates me, oh well.

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  1998 4dr GTP - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Jared Davis - May 15 - 5:16 pm

  I bought my grand Prix almost three years ago and for the most part, have enjoyed it since then.. There have been some problems with the inside door panels coming loose, the heater went out, and the window operating unit has broken. I have put alot of money into this car in little misc. parts... It has nickle and dimed me death... I love this car, but probably will not ever buy one again..

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  Grand Prix GT2 - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Jim Shaw - May 14 - 10:00 am

  Back seat? Forget it, its way too small for any distance. Engine is quite powerful and it gets up and goes. Comfortable driving position for longer trips hard to find. Some minor rattles and shakes. Brakes are in need of work after 19K miles, am having a problem with warped rotors that make brakes pulsate when stopping or slowing from higher speeds like 65 plus. Fit and finish is OK but not great.

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  Disappointed - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Miss49079 - May 12 - 9:50 pm

  I bough my car about 5 months ago and Loved it. I researched the G6 for months before my purchase and test drove many. I owned a Grand Am GT1 previous to this that I absolutely loved. I found out one thing with this car that has sent me looking for another... its horrible in the winter. I have never had so many issues or problems driving in the snow until I got this car. I have had one accident that could have been worse then it was due to the no T/C or ABS being on the car. I thought when purchasing that ABS was a standard feature, boy was I wrong. I am now doing what I can to trade the car in on something with a better braking system and that I feel safe driving.

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  Great Car - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By J. Moyer - May 11 - 9:16 pm

  I loved the look of the GP when I first saw it, and traded a 2000 Accord V6 for a new 04, black with chrome wheels. After 58K miles, the GP has been just as reliable as the Accord (which is to say zero problems) and it rides quieter and feels more stable on the highway than the Honda. However its fun to drive when I want it to be: acceleration is fine, and new Bridgestone Potenza tires helped the handling (the standard Goodyear Eagle LS tires are cheap squealers in Eagle disguise). My GP is a car I still look back at after parking it. The only disappointment is that if I were to trade-in the GP today, I would get much less for it than an Accord that cost me exactly the same.

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  Dont but this car - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By john729 - May 8 - 10:00 am

  This is an ok car but i wouldnt recommend buying it. I have had many problems with it. I had to get new front brake rotors at 20,000 miles and now the brakes are squeaking. The 3.8L engine has a lot of power but it seems like the transmission is holding it back. The engine also runs very rough and is very loud, but when you are inside the car you cant hear anything. I also think the car has horrible handleing. The interior of the car is very comfortable except for the headrests and head room. I dont like leather so the cloth seat option was nice.

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  Dont but this car - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By jesse 97 - May 8 - 10:00 am

  This is an ok car but i wouldnt recommend buying it. I have had many problems with it. I had to get new front brake rotors at 20,000 miles and now the brakes are squeaking. The 3.8L engine has a lot of power but it seems like the transmission is holding it back. The engine also runs very rough and is very loud, but when you are inside the car you cant hear anything. I also think the car has horrible handleing. The interior of the car is very comfortable except for the headrests and head room. I dont like leather so the cloth seat option was nice.