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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  Not bad but not what I expected. - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By 93pontiacga - June 23 - 5:34 pm

  Being a Toyota, I thought I could get at least 250k miles out of it before any major repairs. They say about cars nickle and diming you after they got older. This car never did that, it just slammed me with a book. I replaced the cat once, which was under warranty. At 188k, I replaced the clutch. Great so far. It has 219k on it now and it just cost me almost as much to fix as the car is worth. Needless to say, I most likely wont get another car with a Toyota engine in it.

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  I hate to see it go - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Mandee - Pittsburgh - June 22 - 10:33 am

  I have had this car 4.5 years and have loved every minute of it. I have two kids so the 90 degree back doors are great! The performance, acceleration, and interior are wonderful. I would like a higher roof line though. My husband is 63" and hates sitting in the front seat. But it is my car!

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  Long Range Commuter - 2009 Pontiac G5
  By john - June 22 - 3:46 am

  So far perfect. I have a 180 mile round trip commute,at 3 AM onstar is comforting. The car gets great mileage,very comfortable,xm radio in the lonely areas,fun to drive. For a commuter that gets 37mpg the overall performance is outstanding. Base level G5 xfe, 5 Speed about 17K, -4,500 cash for clunkers, 3,500 incentives, 500ish dealer discount +tt&l, came to 10,700 whats not to love. I got way more than I paid for. 11 bucks a month extended the bumper to bumper to 100,000 miles.

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  I Love It - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By Tommy N Daniel - June 21 - 5:43 pm

  i love my aztek my baby bought it for me 2 years ago and the only thing we have had to do is change the oil, put a set of tires on it and new brakes all i can say is that its not ever left me standing out in the cold/heat and that i love it lol

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  Hate this car! - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Hate this car!! - June 20 - 7:26 pm

  I bought this car brand new in 07. I LOVED it until winter came. This car does not hold to the road in snow or rain. It is DANGEROUS! I drive 88 miles each day and dread winter because I know my life will be spent in the car driving 20 miles/hour so that I do not wreck. At 72,000 miles today, I have had to replace the brakes, rotors, and now I have a leak somewhere between the sunroof and floor board. (Car flooded overnight during rainstorm- what a nightmare to wake up to!) Interior is cheap, cheap, cheap! Take my advice- choose a different car!

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  What a fun car! - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By First Pontiac - June 19 - 10:30 pm

  I got the Pontiac G6 Convertible for a Sweetest Day gift! I absolutely love this vehicle! I always feel safe and secure! The car barely feels like it is turned on when you start it! It has a great ride and great look! I love turning heads in my car! I even had a police man stop me just to talk to me about my car! If you are looking for a safe and reliable car that not only has a great drive, but also makes people turn their heads, this car is for you!!

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  great car for me - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By barb - June 19 - 2:46 am

  roomy, reliable, good gas mileage, i would buy another one but brakes are noisy at times. great sound system.

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  great family hauler - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By aarmchair - June 18 - 9:50 pm

  Great for hauling 2 kids and a dog around. Comfortable on the highway, but wish we had the bigger engine, it sometimes struggles up hills with a full load. On the 4 lane highways cruises along nicely. The kids love the DVD player, and we love the headphones for them so we can listen to what we want. The back-up alarm is awesome for city parking. A well recommended vehicle. Dual sliding doors are essential with 2 kids. Kids love being high up so that they can see out. Cargo tray in back is somewhat cumbersome. If you are looking a a mini-van this is the way to go from a price and perfomance standpoint, especially when you compare how much cheaper it is then an equivilant japanese moedels

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  Best vehicle Ive had so far! - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By vipergtsdrivr - June 17 - 12:23 pm

  Ive had a short version of Montana for 5 years now. The van has 380,000km on it and it still runs. I only had to deal with minor problems. Just do your regular maintenance on this car and it will serve you well. So far this van has lived in Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver. Im upgrading to 2003 Pontiac Montana Thunder as it has many improvements over the previous models. AWD and independent suspension are just two of the many features. If you are looking for a good, reliable and enjoyable vehicle to own, look no further; there simply is no better option given their cost.

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  ugly but beautiful - 2005 Pontiac Aztek
  By potsietp - June 17 - 10:00 am

  unique vehicle. Had no intention on buying it. Test drive sold me. Check out the price because there is a low market for these vehicles and you can almost name your price.