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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  vibe GT black - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By blujkts - February 11 - 10:00 am

  Fun, practicle and still a lil sexy for a semi-grocery wagon.

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  Power for cheap, crap reliability - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Neil - February 9 - 8:33 pm

  When I purchased this car in 03 with 40,000 miles on it, it was about 5 years old. Being a GM car, I expected it to run into some nickel-and-dime type problems, but got more than I bargained for. I was told that the 3800II engine was ultra-reliable, but came to learn that from 97-99 roughly, the plastic intake manifold was suspect to cracking and coolant leaks, leading to VERY expensive repairs. Read below for specific problems/etc.

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  Harley Davidson Of Automobiles - 2000 Pontiac Firebird
  By CHIEF TA - February 9 - 2:00 am

  Thundering exhaust, tire smoking torque, sexy curves - all with 26 MPG on the highway! Too bad everyones so hooked on the boxy dullness of SUVs that theyve allowed these cars to die.

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  The problems are just starting - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Lori Roberts - February 9 - 2:00 am

  I just reached the 38000 mark and am replacing the window regulator ($300). I have filled my coolant twice in the last 3 months. My brakes make this noise that cant be fixed (a rubbing like noise). I have thoroughly enjoyed my car up until this point. After looking through these reviews and the similar problems Im thinking about getting rid of it now.

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  2009 pontiac vibe - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By kasjun - February 7 - 3:26 pm

  We like our new vibe because of its ease of getting around in traffic and parking. We like the mileage we are getting but feel it could do better with a 5-speed trans. But Pontiac chose not to offer it on awd model. We bought chrome wheels which turned out to be just plastic wrapped chrome that chips and peels. Pontiac does not stand behind these. The awd model gets a roof rack that is worthless. There is no option for leather or heated seats so we had these installed after market. Radio options are limited and no navigation system option. Pontiac needs to get off their rear and go to work with these option pkgs. Or people will just look elsewhere. I called Pontiac with chrome wheel problem an

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  Dependable and fun to drive - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By rab61384 - February 7 - 10:00 am

  My GP has treated me well. No engine problems after 4 years and 60k. However, my fuel economy is nowhere near what some other people are saying. For purely around town driving, it gets around 16. However, highway-only fuel economy is excellent at 30. Car handles well with plenty of power. Some of the interior components are cheap. Like some others, the door panels have started to get loose, and power windows seem to be slowing down a lot now. Seats could be a little more supportive for a long drive. Overall though, it has been a positive driving experience and the car has gotten me through many snowstorms safely.

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  Pocket Rocket - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Uncle John - February 7 - 10:00 am

  This car is the most fun to drive of any car Ive owned in the past 37 years. I have a five speed and get between 33.5-35.5 mpg. doing mostly highway driving around 65-70 mph. It hugs the road around corners, is very quiet on the highway (Goodyear Eagle GT tires) and runs circles around both my Honda CRVs. This is essentially a Toyota Matrix with a Pontiac Vibe nameplate.

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  Great Car - 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
  By expressfanatic - February 6 - 1:58 pm

  My partner has owned this car since 2009. He has had no problems what so ever with the car other then wrecking it twice. Since we have been together, and i have been doing most of the driving, i have been taking care of the odds and ends. This car has 177,600 miles on it, and still runs like a champ. I have had the oil changed numerous times(as all he did was add oil when needed), tune-up, Throttle Position Sensor, and soon a O2 sensor. We drive the car about 300 miles a day, and have no problems.

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  Seven-Year Review - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Denver Area Owner - February 6 - 4:20 am

  My 1997 SE sedan has 85K miles and other than annoying radio/clock display failures, I am amazed that I have had no structural or mechanical issues. None. Gas mileage hovers around 22MPG mixed city/highway. My 3.8-litre engine purrs and still has getup when I need it, even with AC cranked. Transmission still works smoothly thru the gears. The tan cloth upholstery fabric hasnt held up all that well, and the interior ceiling fabric is pulling away along the top of the rear window. Bottom line: Ive been car payment free for over two years and still have a reliable and reasonably good-looking ride. Until any serious difficulties arise, Ill just keep banking those potential payments.

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  Mine is Great! - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Alml - February 5 - 7:30 pm

  I purchased my 03 Grand Am new as a left over in Feb. 04. I paid about $7000 less than sticker and it s the best car bargain I ever got. Since Ive had I put 53000 NYC miles on it and its only needed minor normal wear repairs that one would expect for a 03 model. Water pump was the most serious. I do go thru brakes more than I think i should but other than that this car has been good to me and I love it!