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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  Great value - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By jim - August 23 - 5:33 am

  I bought this car two weeks ago and love it. It looks modern and sporty. With rebates I bought it for $14,500 plus tax and liscense. The experts grumble about the susspension and steering, but I find both good and the car fun to drive. Take one for a test drive instead of just reading the experts. This car has mor space, more power, and looks better than a Civic, and it costs less.

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  Very Pleasant Surprise! - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By MikeG - August 23 - 5:16 am

  I paid $15,700 for this car with employee discount and crazy rebates. All in all, a great new car for a price range in which I was only finding 40-60,000 mile 3.5L Altimas. Engine powerful, but needs a little more oomph against competition. "Touring" suspension in base models make car feel bigger than it is, only reason to pay more for GT. Overall the ride is very good. "Value leader" automatic brings back memories of my Olds Intrigue, not really a sporty feel. Back seat looks huge. Body styling looks import inspired, slightly generic but very sharp. Fit and finish seem great, especially for the price range. Something a little different from GM, and Ive had a lot of GM cars.

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  My G6 - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Jenny - August 22 - 8:26 am

  The car is great there are only 2 negatives. The first is that i should have gotten the spoiler on the back, not for visual reasons but for function. The trunk doesnt have a spot to grab onto when you open it so if you have an armfull of anything it can be inconvenient. The other dislike is the front end comes to a very low point. You have to be very careful not to pull into a space too far or you may hit the curb or another car and damage the front end. Other than that it is an awesome car and i love it. It is very quiet and beautiful to look at!

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  Wonderful Car - 2007 Pontiac Vibe
  By Northstar1 - August 22 - 6:16 am

  I live in cold winter Western Canadian prairie climate and I am very pleased with my Vibe. Purchased new in January 2007 and I have accumulated 77,000 km (45,000 miles) in 3 full years. Absolutely no reliability issues whatsoever. FWD with manual 5 drives has always done quite well in snowy weather with aftermarket Michelin X- Ice tires. (You should never winter drive with all-seasons tires). Heater is good within 5 minutes and quite hot after 30 minutes. (Ditto for AC in summer with 33c [95F] heat). Excellent gas mileage. I like to travel in the intermountain western states. This car is an economical aircraft replacement vehicle for my fun-filled long road trips. Camping is great as well.

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  Drive Train troubles - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By pontiacrod1970 - August 21 - 8:26 am

  For about the last 6 months this car has had cv problems, shifting problems, Have had the front wheel brgs replaced on each side at least twice, now they have to replace the automatic transmission valve body and the 2-3 shift solinoid also replaced! Also had to replace left axle assm. and has had 4 fuel regulators in 2 years!!!!!!!

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  A few dissapointments..but overall happy - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By pr0gr4m - August 21 - 3:20 am

  I really dont like the monsoon sound system, its too boomy. I dont know if thats just mine or if all the monsoon systems sound like that. As Gib mentioned there is a leak problem but its the sunroof, not the windows. The sunroofs drainage hose pops loose. Once reconnected, all is well. I love driving the car but wish it got better mileage. My old V6 (Dodge Avenger) would get 300+ miles per tank full. This one just gets 240-280, unless I take a long highway trip, then the mileage jumps. I like automatic but wish it were a 5 speed, or 4 spd w/overdrive. Theres always gonna be problems, but these arent deal breakers for me. I really do enjoy this car and recommend it. Its FUN!

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  Ugly but REALLY practical - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By Nick - August 20 - 5:13 pm

  Best bang for the buck in mid-size U.S. SUVs. Roomier than an S-10 Blazer, safer than the current blazer, and gets 21 mpg FOR HALF THE PRICE OF MANY MID-SIZED SUVs. FIRST SUV to get 4 star rollover rating and how many 2001 SUVs had standard side airbags? Sure its ugly, but how many $50k luxury SUVs have a heads-up display on the windshied off of an F-15 fighter, a built-in air pump, and their own tent?!

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  drive the Vibe - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Charles Guido - August 20 - 12:43 am

  Great value, fun to drive. Rear sets fold flat-good so as to carry equipment for sports minded people. A small person like myself can sleep inside when on a kayak trip. Add Thule racks to the factory racks and it will carry a secure load.

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  Heartthrob to Headache - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Illinois Girl - August 19 - 4:06 pm

  Purchased 2 1/2 years ago. Loved the vehicle from the beginning. I still like the car, but not the repairs. I have had to replace the thermostat 3 times in the 2 1/2 years, the fuel pump 3 times within the last year, engine replacement, and now my gas cap is leaking air and the temp light is coming on again at times. It gets me to and from where I need to go on a somewhat reliable basis, but everyday I Wonder when will be the next time its not going to start and need yet another tow. I have taken care of the car and still these problems. Makes me wish I didnt still owe so much on it!

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  Okay for the price its worth - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Ohio - August 19 - 11:56 am

  My expectation for the Grand Am was "fuel for the soul", sporty and something that can satisfy your needs. However, It didnt quite do that for me after awhile, it was short-term. I became unimpress with the overall quality and performance. The center console along with everything else in the interior feels extremely cheap. The exterior is okay, the only thing that bothers me is the emptiness and gaps of the plastic moldings, it can really make the engine very dirty during the winter with salt and dirt which I notice when driving during this season. Engine performance is acceptable, a lot of low end torque but it disappears at higher revs (no top end). After awhile, the car feels old =(