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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  Mechanical Difficulties - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By Calyn - April 27 - 10:00 am

  I have driven the Pontiac Aztec for almost 3 yrs and I have had difficulty with the condensor for the air conditioner 2 summers straight. The condensor was leaking and cracked both times and had to be brought to dealership for repair of the same problem. The information lights continously come on and display inaccurate information. The air-bag light comes on and stays on. Outside of mechanical problems, it is a fun car to drive but I would never purchase another one of its kind and I would encourage not purchasing a car before it has been on the road for at least 2 years.

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  Never again - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By Kevin Nadai - April 26 - 2:00 am

  From day one we had little bits of interior pieces break and/or fall off. Powertrain warranty only 36 months. Transmission destroyed itself at 42,000 miles. Very poor customer service and support. Even though Pontiac admitted the failure was "unusual" and NOT related to abuse or maintenance, it still took over six months to receive any compensation from Pontiac in the form of 60% of the cost of the repair.

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  Disappointing 04 GP - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By JDCar - April 26 - 2:00 am

  Im really disapointed...only 5 exterior colors. Wheel design is poor. Styling is as bluh as you can get. A change was way way over do, but I was hoping after 7 years Pontiac would have done a better job. The "cloth" interior looks cheap...like it came out of a striped down pick-up. What were they thinking??? Is GM trying to go out of business???

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  Buy something else - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Brian - April 23 - 5:23 am

  I loved my new G6 the first couple months, then alot of problems happened. First the headlight gasket split leaving moisture in my light. Then I experienced shaking and a knocking noise when braking. Also my sunroof had a leak plus I have a really annoying squeaking noise somewhere around my dash which my dealership still has not fix. So buyer beware!!! I cant believe I traded in my Camaro for this car. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!

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  Fun, looks good but poor quality - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By CEH - April 16 - 11:10 am

  Bought the car new. Still like the car, but expensive to maintain. Have had lots of minor problems and some major ones. Water leaks around doors and trunk, lumbar support switch replaced several times, Bose radio led disappeared, heater fan replaced, headlight plastic replaced, power window switches quit working, auto feature on rearview mirror does not work, fuel pump replaced, brake light wiring shorted out, etc. Major problems: Car vibrates when accelerating. Dealer replaced HUBS and axles and motor mounts three times as well as brake rotors. Alignment did not help. New tires did not help. New wheels did not help. I just live with the vibration now.

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  Love it/Hate it! - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By James123 - April 3 - 2:00 am

  Bought used two years ago. Has 90,000 miles and still runs quiet and quick. Too many window problems and Pontiac customer service problems. I recomend staying away from this car based on the window problem.

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  Not a good trade-in value - 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport
  By keeshonden - April 2 - 10:00 am

  With all the money spent on the vehicle, I was sorry to find out that my Pontiac Montana had virtually no trade-in value. The dealer from whom I purchased the vehicle did not want to give me more than 1500.

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  A Troubled Car - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By John623 - March 28 - 1:30 pm

  This was a "GM certified" car, with @ 27,000 miles on it. The "change oil" light was on, 1 headlight had condensation in it, the tires all had different pressure, and the intermittent wipers didnt work - so much for "certified". This was all fixed with a smile by the dealer. At 30,300 miles, the lower intake manifold gasket and water pump were leaking. Again - all fixed with a smile. At 32,900 miles, the lower intake manifold gasket was again replaced, and due to a "hot start" problem diagnosed as low fuel pressure the fuel pump was replaced. Again - all fixed with a smile. Overall. It drives well, smooth relatively quiet and comfy, and good stereo. Extended warranty a must!

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  Lemon - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Lemon Solstice - March 20 - 8:06 am

  Maybe I am the only one, but I have had MANY issues with this vehicle. Paint rubbed off under the hood, misaligned body panels, paint chips on door due to body panel alignment. A LOT of top leaks, interior squeaks, passenger seat rubbing against door, top making a lot of noise (not wind noise), gas gauge not functioning properly. Knocking sounds from motor, anti freeze leaks, and last but not least power steering leaks. some of the issues have been fixed, others are still pending, and some I am told are "normal". Other then all the problems I love the car

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  Finally Rid of It!!!! - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Former Owner - March 18 - 12:46 am

  I just traded my Grand AM in this week. I had to replace the brakes within a month of the warranty expiring. The drivers power window conked out at 20,000 miles, luckily was covered by the warranty. At 40,000 miles the AC quit. This would have been a $1,400 repair bill, so I just suffered the heat in the summer. ( I live in the Northeast where its cold most of the year, so I was able to live with that). More recently, the radiator needed a $500 repair and 2 weeks ago the catalytic converter went out. Other minor things like leaks of fluid started. Including the AC, I had about $3,000 worth of repairs to make. with only 65,000 miles on it. Never again General Motors!!!