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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  Disappointed in my Pontiac :/ - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By Meg - April 17 - 8:40 pm

  I have had my g5 gt for 2 years now and it has given me nothing but trouble!! dont get me wrong i love my lil bumble bee!! shes fast and cute and has appealing features! but its not worth it!! so far i have had a blown amp, replaced a/c, replaced radio for AUX jack, power steering failed while driving on the highway!, and most recently a gas leak w/ noise coming from front driver side and a starter elated issues!! i love my car but im just dissapointed that all this has happened...i never drive far with her nor take her on tough roads...it makes no sense....guess i just have bad luck.. but good thing i have a 10 yr warranty or Id be screwed!! goodluck!! :/

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  Must have been a monday car - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By wanna import edition - April 17 - 2:00 am

  Where to start... driving home from the dealer suspension was knocking - turned out to be broken bolt. Engine kept stalling while driving - bad crank sensor (towed 3 times before diagnosed) Engine soft plugs poped while driving Steering column was replaced twice. Door panel replaced twice Seatbelt mechanism rattled and squeaked. Transmission failed after 38 months and 27000 miles. Now exhaust flange has cracked (no impact marks per dealer - it just failed) Dealer and GM have been great in fixing the clunker - it just my time that is wasted and nerves that are being wracked.

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  Black Beauty 06 GXP - Time to say Goodbye - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Queenie - April 15 - 4:32 pm

  When I first bought this vehicle 6/14 everything seemed fine-until I had it for about 1.5 months and the brakes went bad. Took it back to the dealership and they replaced them without replacing the drilled rotors (I found out much later). Not even 8 months and I dont drive this car hard. I am replacing drilled rotors and premium brake pads. Later on down that line, I have replaced serpentine belts(2x), water pumps, it has accessive oil consumption (small oil leak). There is a noise when I drive under my car that I can not get rid of (no one seems to know what it is). I have replaced throttle, battery (within a year of buying it). Now, the Torque converter clutch is going bad. This is my second grand prix. My first was a GT V6, I had absolutely no problems with that vehicle which I bought used at 75k miles and sold it at 110k miles. I will have to part ways with this current vehicle. Sad to see it go.

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  Something to Think About - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Kasi - April 15 - 10:00 am

  I thought of 3 good things to say about the 99 that I own. It is a reliable car. It starts right up in the winter. It still turns heads (even for all the wrong reasons!). It has some good speed. However, I have had to bring it into the dealer 3 times for the same problem. The windows keep falling off track. Working windows are important. I have found that the apoxied plastic clips on the windows seem to come "unglued" or brittle in extreme temps. I have also had to change the brakes, rotors, and belts that should last. I am not completely dissatisfied, but I will think twice before I purchase another one. My only advise with this car is if you use your windows a lot, pass on this car.

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  Great car, horrible service from Pontiac - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By K. Janz - April 15 - 10:00 am

  I bought my 99 GT as a "GM Certified Used Vehicle". While it was still under warranty the paint started to peel badly on the trim moldings behind both windows. I took it to the local Pontiac dealership & they suggested calling Pontiac because they wouldnt do anything for me. Ponitac refused to do anything about it as well. They gave me every excuse they could think of including that this was normal wear and tear. (the car was only 2 yrs old) Pontiac completly rejected the idea of taking care of this small paint job & taking care of me as their (former) loyal customer. This is a great car, one of the best Ive owened, but I will not buy another Pontiac after the treament I recieved!

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  If Only... - 2004 Pontiac Bonneville
  By John Wellauer - April 11 - 8:36 pm

  This has been a nice car to drive over the past three years. It has decent pickup and great road manners. It is quiet and has a smooth, comfortable suspension setup without excessive body roll in turns. The dual zone HVAC is a dream, always ready to make you absolutely comfortable no matter the weather outside. If I were to have any complaints about this car it would be the ill advised Intermediate Shaft in the steering column carried over from the Olds Aurora. When your GXP becomes afflicted with this malady you are stuck suffering through moans, groans and a stiff feel in tight turns; and a notchy "hitting a rock" feel in normal driving turn situations. This car depreciates quickly.

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  Disappointed Lemon - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Roger V - April 11 - 10:03 am

  I was very excited when I bougth this car used. I got the exted=nded warranty on it thank God. Every 6 months a mojor repair. Head gasket, transmission selenoid, intake gaskets, brakes etc. I used to love this car but each year it gets worse and worse.

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  Not sexy, but dependable - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Jay Brad - April 11 - 9:33 am

  We bought our Vibe with 36,000 miles and are now at 96,000 miles. The only repair was on the alternator at 90,000 miles. Outside of that it has just been oil changes and brake pads. This is a great car! The only thing it lacks is a cool factor. However, we drive a ton and the whole family enjoys the ride.

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  Expensive & frequent electronic repairs - 2001 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Lola R. - April 8 - 3:20 pm

  Have driven this pre-owned vehicle for nearly two years and have had a number of electronic problems, all of which were fairly expensive to repair. The two front heated seats have now been fixed a total of five times - three times for the drivers seat heating element alone! It is comfortable, stylish and affordable and I enjoy driving it, but it has far too many electronic options, which makes it a very expensive car to repair.

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  Good car. Room for Improvement - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By New Owner - April 2 - 7:46 am

  I really wanted an Acura TSX but admit that Pontiac discounts and low financing rates were too hard to pass up. When I test drove this car, I was impressed with its ride, handling, looks, and of course, price. There is lots of room for improvement. For me, 200 horses is plenty. The engine sound lame, however. There is too much lateral movement, especially at low speeds and the car could be stiffer. Way too much interior plastic. And finally, whats with the floor hump in the rear passenger area? Fuel economy is not bad. At 26 mpg highway, it is well below advertised value of 29 mpg.