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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  Satellite - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Jamesp2000 - February 23 - 2:00 am

  Great car lots of head room and very versitile. I have 13,800 miles on mine. autotrans. Made clunk noise at first but went away after 3,000 miles. Gas mileage increases after break in. Everything works no warranty work!

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  Grand Prix GTP CompG Hits the Mark - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By johnsonsh - February 23 - 2:00 am

  With the 2004 Grand Prix GTP Pontiac has taken big strides forward and a few small steps backward. Starting off with fresh and exciting sheetmetal the GTP continues its promise with exhilirating performance even using regular gas. This is a confidence-inspiring vehicle that is fun to drive. The TAPShift feature is meant for spirited driving but here in northeast Ohio I find it especially useful for driving in snow. Minor irritations include the wierd assortment of plastic interior materials and the elimination of the electrochromic rear- view mirror and dual climate controls for driver and passenger.

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  KELLY L. - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By KELLY L - February 23 - 2:00 am

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  That darn engine light - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Sherri - February 20 - 5:00 pm

  I have had my Vibe for three years now and about twice a year it is in the shop for the engine light coming on. So far the most of the time I have been told it is the fuel emissions. Well its back on again and my warranty just ran out... So what to do? I dont recommend the 2003 Vibe at all. I mean I like the way it rides, its style, but too many trips to the shop.

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  Main problem: Passenger side head light - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By nt1078 - February 17 - 5:03 pm

  Ive owned my 2006 G6 sedan for two years. Drove my long commute to and from work each day reliably and comfortably. Main problem with these cars is the passenger side headlight. GM used a sub quality harness which plugs the headlight assembly into the main harness. It overheats and melts (if yours hasnt yet, it will) Best thing to do is bypass the plug wiring in your own spade connectors. Headlight ground went on it too, had to wire my own. Wish there was a recall on this. Sometimes I get a check engine light which is accompanied by hard shifts. It clears up on its own. Drivers door seal leaks water. Other than that, just brakes and normal ware items. Overall car is very reliable.

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  Wouldnt buy another one. - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Pielz - February 17 - 2:00 am

  Replaced brakes at 5,000 miles. Vinyl on passenger side back door came out and had to be fixed in the body shop at 20,000 miles. Driver side electric seat broke in the up position and need a new motor put in it at 30,000 miles. New fuel pump at 35,600 miles, 500 miles after my warranty went out. New brakes and rotors at 41,000 miles. Replaced Serpentine belt at 41,000 miles. Coolant light keeps coming on and was told that the coolant was leaking into the engine, at 41,000 miles. Just waiting for the next problem.

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  Just One Thing - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By IkeDunk - February 17 - 2:00 am

  I bought the GTP used in 10-2003 and found myself stranded in 02-2004. After paying the tow and repairs totaling $800 I was informed that my pass-key III module was defective. After working with a Pontiac rep for 8 weeks they told me there was nothing they could do. Love the car, not so sure about the Pontiac service.

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  pontiac - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By alanna - February 16 - 10:00 am

  Very sporty car but for a family there is not enough leg room in the back.

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  Good on the Pocketbook - 2005 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Amgrand - February 13 - 1:13 am

  This is a first vehicle for me. But I have driven many. This is a nice small car that is still sporty enough that it doesnt look like something your grandma would drive. Very convenient.

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  Aztec - Like It - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By Tough Customer - February 11 - 10:00 am

  In some ways we just love it. Great road trip car - storage, decent hwy mileage, sit up high, corners pretty well. Looks cool inside and out. Can carry lots of stuff but its not a minivan or just another SUV.