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:

• 

  One of the best cars for the money - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By MKG - November 5 - 8:46 am

  Great car. And the best part of it is that there are not many on the road. You can upgrade it w/ supercharger up to 500hp w/o problems and use it as everyday.

• 

  3rd gxp it bolts - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By joe - November 1 - 7:16 pm

  it goes like this: to have a v8 gxp with all options its a pleasure to drive anywhere. in city with tap shift you have little to worry about getting off the mark. I find myself driving less than the speed limit!!? just because I want to here the exhaust purr its about time. stereo great as usual with xm but its not for the weak with this size engine you need to know what your driving.

• 

  One of the best cars yet - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By ashbash8921 - November 1 - 7:13 am

  Have you ever wanted a fun affordable car? Well youve found it. Thats right the Pontiac G6 Convertable is one of the nicest, best cars I have ever owned. I have a Mercedes convertable and a BMW sedan and this beats out the both of them. The overall best thing about this car to me is the amazing gas mileage and looks of it.

• 

  Great Car - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By GetTheVibe2003 - November 1 - 2:00 am

  I have driven this vehicle over 18,500 miles since I bought in December of 2002 and it has been a pleasure to drive. Comfortable for myself and my passengers. No real problems with it mechanicaly yet. I have just taken it for its usual oil changes.

• 

  Great Van! - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By CabForward - November 1 - 2:00 am

  Bought new in March 2000 - now at 44000 miles. We had to buy a minivan when the family grew from 4 to 6 in one shot. A minivan was not our favorite type of vehicle, but the Pontiac has completely won us over. It drives & handles like a car and has plenty of power. The city mpg is a bit low at about 17, but freeway exceeds 25.

• 

  Awesome - 2003 Pontiac Montana
  By pinks_2013 - October 30 - 12:47 pm

  The best used car.. We bought this car used with 90k+ miles on it. Now it is 140k++. And its still running fine, without any issues. Just oil changes and brakepad changes. Very stable car and great pickup. Hwy MPG can go as high as 27-28, better than any sedan of the same time frame. Excellent car.

• 

  Nice ride! - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Ron - October 30 - 9:23 am

  I drive 110 miles a day to work enjoy the good gas mileage! Very nice riding car!

• 

  Great Car! - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By VROOOOOM! - October 28 - 6:40 pm

  What an awesome car! I am a little sad that this will be the last Grand Prix model year, and that 2 doors are not an option anymore. But otherwise, I have owned 4 Pontiacs, 2nd Grand Prix (other was a 01 GT) and I expect the same level of satisfaction as with all the others. Gas mileage is NOT BAD for a V8, especially with the active fuel management system. When you spend as much time in a car as I do commuting, you must LOVE your car! Traded a Mazda CX7. The CX7 was awful on gas (with a 4 cyl), very hard to see out of, and felt cheap! I did not feel the joy of "zoom zoom." I definitely like the VROOM VROOM more!

• 

  Glad to be back in a car! - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By jbowen81 - October 28 - 6:43 am

  The family had been driving SUVs and Minivans for years because the kids volume of friends and stuff demanded it. Now that we have a teenage driver it was time to get a vehicle with some drivability back in the driveway. The Grand Prix has delivered a powerful drive and been okay at the pump -- knowingly and acceptingly self- inflicted.

• 

  Over 20K miles and still lovin it.... - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By vmp711 - October 27 - 10:00 am

  I commute 70 miles round trip to work, driving both highway as well as hilly mountain roads, and I was sick of paying through the nose for gas. So I bought the Vibe, and I LOVE it! My bonus was its roominess -- you can fit a lot of stuff in this car (groceries, bikes, dogs, kids, skis, etc...) If you want to go from 0 to 90 in 2 seconds, dont get this car. If youre looking for luxury, youre better off with a Lexus. But if you want something affordable, roomy, and fun to drive, this is it!!!