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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  Miss my Aztek!! - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Trinity - June 26 - 11:36 am

  I bought the vibe wanting to get better mileage than my Aztek. Better mileage is about all Ive gotten. From day 2 Ive had troubles, constantly in the shop and theres no pep to this car. The front seat folds down for use, but doesnt lay flat, visibility is awkward also. Not great...although many people love them.

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  A stand out among the ordinary - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By MARKZ - June 26 - 10:00 am

  We purchased this vehicle for around $21,000. It stickered for $23,885. We looked at the Rendezvous but to get the same equipment we would have had to spend nearly $4,000.00 more! The 0% financing made it even more tempting. We turned in our 2001 olds Alero early and are still paying less to purchase this vehicle than to lease the Alero! The ride and handling are top notch and the functionality of the interior is wonderfull! My wife originally wanted a minivan but after I talked her into the Aztek (because it was $3,000 cheaper) we now fight over the keys to the Aztek

• 

  Great Car - 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
  By judyp - June 26 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car, with the 3.1 V6 engine, for over 6 years. It has been a great car. Besides the normal maintenance, it has never been in the shop. Very reliable car. I am currently looking to get a newer Grand Am, even though the one I have is still running great at 101,000 miles. I am just wanting to upgrade to the GT model. Highly recommended.

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  Lemon - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By cyclops24 - June 26 - 1:50 am

  I love my GTO. Unfortunately I got a lemon. Leaking head gasket, fuel injector wiring harness failure, numerous exhaust leaks and my biggest issue, paint flaws through and etching. I have been without my car for a total of 52 days in less than one years time. Currently in the process of lemon law.

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  Lovable sports car - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By G WILSON - June 25 - 9:40 pm

  My Pontiac is full load.Love my leather heated seats speedometer on wind shield, onstar protection,the body is just hot, more power than i can handle

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  Best SUV/Station wagon ever - 2007 Pontiac Torrent
  By Ricardo - June 25 - 2:13 am

  Love our 2007 Torrent! Great combination of MPG, HP, Weight, Styling and Handling. I think GM has really gotten their act together. This SUV has all the options and still is about $25,000 less than some of its competitors. Looks great and and handles great and its safe too...

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  Fun car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By candy - June 24 - 9:00 am

  This car is the most fun car to drive. Handles beautifully in all weather conditions, hugs the road. Quiet with the top up. Comfortable. Just cant wait to get in it every day.

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  G5 Kentucky - 2008 Pontiac G5
  By Skyhawk - June 24 - 7:26 am

  I bought this G5 as a "go to work" vehicle. Solid performer. Drive train (engine & transmission) are very smooth and responsive. I got 7,000 miles on it and Im averaging about 29.5 mpg (mostly interstate driving). Road noise is minimal. Limited visibility on the passenger side "blind spot".

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  Super car for the money! - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By kyyankee7 - June 24 - 5:16 am

  Ive had this car for about a week, so long term details obviously arent here. But Ive absolutely loved it. I had already bought a G6 earlier this year and was looking to get another, but the style and color I wanted was sold just before I got to the dealer. Looking around the lot I saw the G5, a 5 speed, very basic model. I hadnt driven a stick in years, but I found it immediately easy and fun to drive. The bottom line is this: needing 2 cars to replace aged ones, we were able to get a G5 and G6 for about the price of a Hummers front end suspension! Cant recommend them too much.

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  Hatchback Problem - 2008 Pontiac Vibe
  By Kay - June 24 - 1:30 am

  As you can see from our ratings, we are enjoying the comfort and gas mileage of our Vibe. However, we are experiencing one problem other Vibe owners do not seem to be having: a poor fitting hatchback. We live on a dirt road and dust accumulates inside the hatchback top, bottom and side ridges. Moisture, leaves, and twigs also are in evidence when it rains. Daylight is seen through the top of the hatchback when it is closed. This is either a poor design or a fabrication error. We intend to pursue this problem directly with General Motors as the dealership was unresponsive.