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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  MY MOMMA CAR - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By BONNIE - August 4 - 10:00 am

  I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAAR ONE MONTH AND I REALLY LOVE IT! I HAVE ALREADY DRIVEN 1000 MILES, A LOT OF MY JOB IS DRIVING AND I AM ENJOYING IT!

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  Will miss the Grand Prix, get one if you can - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By bobr15 - August 3 - 11:53 pm

  Bought my 2008 GXP used from a MA dealer who bought it at rental auction at 12k miles in June 08 (was a former Alamo rental). Excellent car, but burned through brakes like crazy. After replacing front brakes with rotors at about 18k, needed all brakes/rotors again at 25k. Some light arm twisting at the local dealer and GM rep agreed to a whole new set of rotors/pads front and back. Still holding at 37k though theres a lot of brake dust on the front wheels. Smoking, fast car. Even better than the 2000 Grand Prix GTP turbo I drove for 8 years prior. Too bad, its the end of an era.

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  Small Dreams - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By Jim - August 3 - 4:00 am

  This small car always puts a smile on my face. It is a nice addition to my Harley! Fun for two!

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  My Pontiac G5 - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By Betty - August 2 - 9:30 pm

  My G5 is so sweet, she drives so well.The pickup in my G5, Id never know it was a 4 cyl. The pickup is great and all turns and u turns are remarkable.My G5 is so perfect for me. I sit in drivers seat high & can see great.I have to be careful not to get a speeding ticket,my G5 flies so fast I cant believe it;s a 4 cyl.

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  Couldnt ask for better so far - 1998 Pontiac Grand AM
  By yomama4 - August 1 - 6:36 pm

  Owned this car for 10 years now, bought it brand new, and it still runs awesome, going to give it to my neice for her first car. Only real problems I noticed over the years were the brakes wear easy, the radio volume changes sometimes...weird, and the ac clutch rattles like crazy. overall good though.

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  I Bought American - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By Robert - August 1 - 2:40 am

  I bought this V 6 car based on the reviews and must say that I am most disappointed in the quality. So far the vehicle has been to the dealer 3 times for brake squeal and now there are issues related to fit and finish that have to be dealt with. As an example, the front valance does not fit properly and the grill is warped. Vehicle gets very poor gas mileage and stalls when idling (another issue that the dealer has yet to fix). I will not be keeping this vehicle and will most likely return to a Toyota Camry. Sorry, but I gave GM a chance and they failed.

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  Sweet Car - 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Randy G - August 1 - 2:00 am

  I Love My 97 Pontiac sunfire GT. i got it for a graduation present and i Love it. it is very very sporty and Prety fast for its price. i couldent have asked for a better car!!!

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  2000 Montana Ext - 2003 Pontiac Montana
  By Danb - August 1 - 2:00 am

  Great running gear, but everything else is a mess. Has 35,200 miles and I have replaced the instrument cluster, stereo, cup holder, rear lock 3 times, auto sliding side door mech. 2 times, front seat cushions 4 times (side airbag box built in the seat kept cutting them), front seat cover once and a rear seat belt lock. The service at the dealer is the worst Ive ever seen. Some of these items took four visits and up to 5 months to repair, some have never been repaired. Warranty expires in 800 miles. Im trading in on a new Honda Pilot in this weekend, who know what will break by then?

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  First SUV experience - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Jones - July 31 - 8:23 am

  This is my first SUV. I love it. The Torrent is fun, roomy, comfortable and stylish. The back seat has lots of room for the children. The idea of adjustable rear seats is great. I would recommend the Torrent to any first time buyer or anyone that has experience with SUVs.

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  Love the Vibe - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By Debbie - July 30 - 11:53 pm

  I just bought this car and love it! It is fun to drive, great radio, and I love the room in the back with the fold down seats. I am able to fit my two dogs back their easily. I look forward to many years driving this car.