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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  My 1st car - 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Thatsunfiredude - December 20 - 7:35 am

  Bought this car used around July 2016, as every 1st time car buyer I was skeptical at 1st but when I drove it for the 1st time I loved it. Also the previous owner installed a Bluetooth radio so Im always jamming out. 😂 However Id say that around a month after I got the car the shift cable broke and it was a $200 fix including the part for it. Then a couple months later at around 175,000 miles the brakes were bad when I got this car ( I knew it but didnt have enough to get it fixed) so I finally took it to get it repaired and I had a brake fluid leak, my brake shoes, drums, pads, and rotors needed replacing so all of that came out to a $300 fix. Now the car drives sooo smooth. However the check engine light keeps coming on and sometimes when driving all the dashboard lights come on and Im pretty sure its a sensor error somewhere. Every part of this car I want to restore before I eventually sell it but for now I really love this car. I have a red 2002 se and still driving like a champ. Might have a few dents and sun damage but its a cool ass car. However room interior could be better. This car I can clearly tell was made for the younger generation. This car is a smart investment because if you have any problems its pretty cheap to fix than cars nowadays. 😂 Like they said in the Pontiac commercial. "The Pontiac sunfire, get one for yourself." Also, awesome on gas compared to a Honda. For an older car it sure keeps up with time. If you ever see these cars on the road especially any Pontiac brand that owner is probably proud of their car.

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  10 years and keeps on going! - 2016 Pontiac Torrent
  By René Arana - December 13 - 6:16 pm

  I bought this Pontiac to replace a 1999 Grand Am (which I did with a heavy heart) because I needed to upgrade it. This vehicle has been great to own. Right now the odometer has almost 89k miles on it (I use to commute to and from work). The only mayor jobs I have done on it have been replacing the dual radiator fans, front wheel bearings, resurfaced the front disc brakes and rear rotors. After spending $1100 for all that this SUV just keeps doing fine. The next job I will have to work on is a new paint job (the clear coat has begun to fade on top of the hood and door frames). I just think that if you keep good care of the car, no matter what make it is, it will respond great!

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  2004 Pontiac Aztek - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By Kristi - August 1 - 6:37 pm

  Love my Aztek, my only complaint is they stopped making them. PLEASE BRING THEM BACK!

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  You Get what you Pay for. - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Tami - December 31 - 10:10 am

  Even though the car looks like a 40,000 dollar sportscar, it is about as good as a used car with a new paint job! Ive put more parts on that car in the first 50,000 miles than I put on my first car (used). I replaced two turn signal controls, the fuel pump, the left and the right power window motors, the pasanger seat adjusting handle, the heater temperature control and the seat belt lock. On top of that, you hear every sound outside. Its like riding a bus. Did I forget to mention that the car will slide on spit. If it rains slightly, you should buckle up and say your prayers, that is if the buckle works.

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  Not your typical boring 4 door - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Mark Moody - December 31 - 8:46 am

  I just purchased an 05 Grand Prix GT great car at a great price with the employee discount saved almost $7000.00.This is my second Grand Prix GT we also have an 02 which after 75000 miles has yet to give us any problems.I test drove many other cars but came back to Pontiac.For the money I couldn`t find a better equipped car.The Grand Prix GT for us is a nice combination of good looks power and reliability.

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  1st and last GM product. - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By Unhappyg6owner - December 30 - 9:53 pm

  Bought this car over a Ford Mustang convertible because it was front wheel drive. Wasnt impressed with the acceleration, but this was after driving the Mustang. In the beginning I loved the car. The car looked great with the top down and even better with the top up. Sluggish and had too much pause between shifting. Horrible in snow, so ended up driving my truck all winter anyways. Now almost 8 months later I am in a rental car while I wait for my transmission to be fully rebuilt. The moldings around the seats are coming off for no reason. There is no where to put anything. Cup holders are in a bad place. Random rattles. More things, but running out of room. Should have bought the Ford.

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  Black Beauty - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By Brian - December 30 - 6:43 pm

  What a great car for the price. I wanted to "Buy American" and couldnt be more pleasantly surprised with Pontiacs newest offering. Sporty looks, comfortable ride, nimble handling, and great gas mileage from a quiet, smooth, peppy engine. It has all the features I was looking for, many unexpected on a car at this price point. Leather, heated seats, On-Star, and the Pioneer sound system with the ipod input jack are all great in this class of car.

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  Muscle is Back! - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By jazzman55 - December 29 - 5:56 pm

  I grew up during the mucsle car era and this car brings it back in a "family 4-door". It is comfortable to drive and the mileage is impressive. But the power of a Pontiac V-8 is the best feature of all. This car is just fun to drive.

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  Most Fun Ive Ever Had On Four Wheels! - 1997 Pontiac Firebird
  By frebo3 - December 29 - 12:33 pm

  A 60-something sport touring motorcyclist - I bought my 1997 WS6 in 2000 replacing a ten year old Mustang GT. The WS6 had run out of warranty, so I bought an extension from the GM dealer for just over $1,000. It paid off. In the next four years I had about $3K of work done for free, replacing the Monsoon audio system and rear woofers, and the power window motors.This car is a blast to drive. It corners as if it were on rails, the power lumbar support is excellent, the throttle response is incredible - the exhaust note awesome. The only thing I can liken it to is an XKE V-12 that I once owned.My wife loves the lines - says it reminds her of a Ferrari.Its been a blast!

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  2003 pontiac vibe - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By dfmlhm - December 29 - 2:00 am

  automatic headlights wasnt working correctly