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:

• 

  Reliable Winter Driving - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By Richard - November 16 - 8:33 pm

  Had the car for only two months. Its the AWD model and it gets up our 300 ft 25-30 degree sloped paved driveway even before its plowed. It handles great in all conditions. I enjoy sliding in and out of the cabin with ease. Some minor complaints, would be the trauf that the windshield wipers sit in. It gathers snow and ice. I wish the ignition area would lite up at night. The car is getting about 23 miles to a gallon on mostly highway driving. Could be due to the cold weather and its not broken in yet?????

• 

  Sweet Car - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Patrick - November 16 - 12:10 pm

  An amazing car for the price. I ended up paying 20600 after taxes, and got a big, beautiful, 256 horsepower 4 door. The only things I dislike is that the remote start does not turn on the heater, so you have to deal with the frost if you have it. Also, I had to get a repair (snowy roads- my own fault) and I had to import a part from Australia.

• 

  Heroin with Wheels - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By John Bruning - November 14 - 11:40 pm

  The 260 HP Solstice is the most addictive driving experience Ive ever had. This car is like mainlining heroin to an auto enthusiast. Quick and agile, but packing plenty of power and kick, the Solstice GXP offers a visceral thrill unseen since the era of the mid-Sixties Corvette roadster. With XM radio, On-Star and enough room in the trunk for an overnight bag, the Solstice is the quintessential date car. Im courting my wife all over again, and were having a blast rolling around the back county roads with the top down and a picnic lunch in the trunk. You cant miss with this Pontiac. Test drive it at your peril. Youll find yourself taking one home with no regrets.

• 

  Back into a Bonn - 2001 Pontiac Bonneville
  By 2nd Bonne - November 14 - 10:00 am

  The last Bonne that I owned was an 87 SE...and what a change! Having 3 kids, we needed a car with lots of space - and still fun to drive. This car does everying well - but not perfect (not sure anyone does). There is lots of room, but the center rear seat is only good for the smallest child, the front seats are not as comfortable as first thought for a long drive, the auto down windows are a little two easy to activate (I am looking for issues here). Overall though, I am immencely happy with this car, and one year from now, I think I will move from this used SLE, to a new SSEi - just to spice things up even more. Considering a Bonne?? Go for it!

• 

  Enticed - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By kscot3 - November 14 - 10:00 am

  I was a very happy VW driver but we needed more room without a huge new monthly payment (new dad). The Vibe fit all our stuff and still has room to spare. Better fuel economy was a plus and the little things like a roof rack and storage spaces everywhere helped make this decision easy. Also, safety ratings and recommendations from the web and Consumer Reports were what we wanted to hear. The Vibe handles well and offers a lot of car for a fair price.

• 

  From a Dodge Ram to a Vibe? Great car! - 2008 Pontiac Vibe
  By 99evo - November 13 - 2:36 pm

  We looked at cars for over a month and decided on the Vibe. It has plenty of room for me(6-2") and my wife(5- 10"). It has good looks, great fuel mileage, and comfort all in one affordable package. Great for weekend trips as it has plenty of room for all our things. Overall a great car.

• 

  4 door Vette - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By 2009 GXP - November 13 - 2:16 am

  Bought a used 09 GXP for 32.7k with 5600 miles. Hot White with black & red leather. 6 speed manual. Added Corsa exhaust already and sounds great, much deeper and burbly. Love the car! Really fun to drive, and you never see one and I live in Houston. Have had zero issues so far. Car feels solid & unlike some I really like the stereo. Its not as clear as some, but the windows down I can be driving 60 and still hear very clear. No one has messed with me yet. I have people all the time ask me about the car and what it is. They cant believe the engine specs. You pop the hood and tell them the battery is in the trunk and they laugh. At my age 42, wife asked if I was having a mid-life.

• 

  One Heck of a Car - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By L. Bowers - November 9 - 5:13 am

  I purchased my 06 vibe as the new 07s were coming to market. So to say the least I got an awesome car for the price. Mine is a 5 speed manual with the 1.8L. It has plenty of pep for a smaller engine and awesome fuel economy. I mostly do city driving and after 7 months my MPG increased from 31 to 34. I love the cargo area and the roomy cockpit what a surprise for such a small car. I car pool with 2 of my hockey buddies and there is more then enough room for our 3 large hockey bags and sticks. The fit and finish is a little on the weak side but what can I expect for a car under 18,000.

• 

  BMW 5 Series Eater - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By MTA - November 7 - 7:36 am

  This car is ridiculous. Everywhere I go, it turns heads. Pontiac listened to all the customer suggestions on the 2008 and on the 20009, got rid of the oil & temperature gauges in the center console, added XM Radio standard and no noises other than the awesome purr of the engine as I upshift past overpriced German imports. The V8 blows doors on everything else in its class while getting surprisingly good gas mileage. If you want to enjoy driving again, go get yourself a 2009 G8 GT.

• 

  One underrated car - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By digitalquirk - November 6 - 4:46 am

  I was looking for something bigger than my compact car, and a black Grand Am GT Sedan caught my eye, so I thought, why not try it out? I was impressed. It handled very well and had more than enough power. I turned off the traction control and could easily spin the meaty P225/50R16s. Most importantly, it has awesome stopping power. I thought I wanted a stick shift like my last car, but after driving this car its clear that the automatic is a perfect match, so I lost the desire to row my own gears. The cockpit layout is very logical. I was quite impressed with the stereo system. Dont be fooled by the horsepower rating; this car has more than enough power. A great car for real drivers.