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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  Nice car but not for me - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By John - June 2 - 2:00 am

  I bought my wife a 2004 Vibe and have to say we are not very impressed. Gas mileage is great but performance is lacking. I realize I did not buy a fast sports car but this car cant get out of its own way. On the highway the car is all over the road the second a 5 mph. breeze blows. The car does not hold the road good at all and my wife and I feel very unsafe in it. The inside of the car is very stylish with nice gauges and switches but that just doesnt cut it.

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  Good vehicle with minor repairs - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By jiggles - June 1 - 12:33 am

  Overall this has been a very good car. Its very comfortable and fun to drive. At about 100,000 miles I had to replace the alternator and water pump. I have also put two driver power window switches in it already. Other than that Ive had no major problems and will buy another Pontiac when I get rid of this one.

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  2009 Pontiac G3 - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By 2009 Pontiac G3 - May 31 - 1:26 pm

  I bought this "used" with 1200 miles. I now have 3000 miles on it. Like the car - however, having similar issues with the check engine light keeps coming on. In 2 weeks, I have driven the car for 1.5 days. It is BACK at the dealership and they cant figure out why it keeps coming on. Changed coils and wire and not happy that I am driving a G6. I bought the G3 for better gas - but so far, I am spending more money on the loaner car this year than I wouldve saved keeping my other car. If they can fix this, I will be happy very happy.

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  Rockin Red Wagon - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By cieglo - May 31 - 12:23 am

  Ive been looking at the vibe and its ever-more-numerous competitors (ZX5, Mazda3-5door, protoge5, PT Cruiser) and its Matrix twin, but all along I knew I wanted the Vibe. I drove a GT a year ago and loved it...but it took that long to find a used one all optioned-up and for a reasonable price. Now, a week later, I love it. Drives great, feels gret on the road, looks great inside and out. Even with 25,000miles on it when I bought it it looks and feels brand new. Did I mention it drives great? Everyone who sees it likes it. Ive loaded it up with gear, driven it like a race-car, hauled passengers, cranked the stereo and everything comes up smelling like roses...all good!

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  Ugly Duck gives you a bang for your buck - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By B. Adams - May 29 - 10:00 am

  Captains chairs are great except for skinny armrests which are not comfortable at all. Car gets fantastic gas mileage...Car is exceptionally heavy compared to other SUVs but get the 16" wheels for much better handling.Car is sluggish and acceleration is only fair. Cornering is another challenge. ABS brakes are ok but again youve got a lot of weight to stop...The Aztek is super roomy with great head room.. The biggest problem with this car is rear visibility-there is none...there is a major design flaw with the back end.If you like a car that is different and cost a GM V.P.of design his job...the Aztek is for you.

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  Never buy another Pontiac - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Gary Keister - May 29 - 7:00 am

  Lets start out by saying I have been a Chevy/gm person my whole life and grew up in a family the same way. However I am so disappointed in my grand prix at the constant repairs with such low mileage. At 20,000 had the transmission pulled and repaired along with a wiring harness. Soon after the car had a very bad oil leak. Now at 57,000 the abs light is on water pump needs replacing. I have coolant running out and will cost me around $800 because the labor is long . GM decided to make you tear 1/2 the engine apart to do this job. I never thought I would drive anything but gm but I am going to do the thing that bothers me most, buy foreign.

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  Why - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Razz - May 24 - 1:43 pm

  I dont know why I bought this car. The V6 was plenty good. Tested the Charger, Mustang V6 & GT, Accord, Civic, Sonata and been in many others during my search over the last year. The BMW sure is nice but I think my friend will be disappointed when he sees the G8 GT for half the price. If you keep under 65 you get remarkable 25-27 MPG. It eats gas just idling. 15 is no problem in the city. First impressions: besides the tough look and motor is the front interior,and excellent seats. Warmers work great and no need for extra lumbar support. Handles good and is very fast. Reminds me of the Catalina I had with the special 400 plus motor that was ordered from the factory.

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  Wouldnt Buy It Again - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By jodygodie - May 22 - 7:43 pm

  Vehicle was a certified used car, which evidently means little. MPG is great; car looks sharp. On a long trip, ride becomes a little hard. When backing up rear visibility not good. Requires a learning curve on operation of windshield wipers. Car now has 38,000 miles and rear main seal is leaking oil (but that is covered for 100k on power train warranty). Also, within last year front main bearing required replacement, dash A/C vents (plastic) broke. Now, service airbag light occasionally illuminates; so far (knock wood) it recycles and goes off when car is restarted. Dealership wants $700 to replace airbag seat sensor control module which he says will fix the problem.

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  Great Midsize Coupe!!! - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By NYPontiacFan - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my GP/GTP for over 2 years now, and I still get comments from people on it. Love the looks, outside and in. I wish they added a few extra options like a passenger heated/power seat.

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  Sayonara Grand Prix GT - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By pnwson - May 21 - 8:28 pm

  I bought this car in 1998 with 25,000 miles on it. Options I have and have appreciated are alloy wheels, remote keyless entry, power drivers seat and rear spoiler. I have put 206,600 more miles on it in the ensuing 12+ years. It has been a joy to drive. Naturally over that long there has been a few water pumps, a couple of alternators, replaced the radiator in 07, intake manifold last year in 10, oxygen sensor, engine mount, spark plugs...sigh. I dealt with all that, hoping to drive it even longer, but the transmission is slipping has been given a terminal notice by my trustworthy mechanic, and he wont touch it.