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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  Do not buy into the certified - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By raton - May 6 - 10:00 am

  I bought a 1999 grand am certified car with 22,000 miles in Aug of 2002. I thought I had got a great buy for 12,000. I was wrong. I found out that I had to replace the intake manifold gasket at a cost of $600.00. I did some researching and found out that this is a common problem with these cars. of course they had to do other things that the intake caused total in repairs coast $890.00. intake manifold normally last a lot longer than 4 years and 40,000 miles in most other cars.

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  Domestic or Foreign? - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By RedLine - May 6 - 9:13 am

  The GTO is an excellent example of a classic muscle car (classic being mid- sixties rather than early 70s)...conservative ("sleeper" rather than "boy racer") exterior styling, jaw dropping power, and almost European handling characteristics. The ride is comfortable and compliant with relatively little body lean while having fun.

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  A little disappointed... - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By ADIDAS10 - May 5 - 3:20 am

  First of all I take very good care of my cars. I just wanted to say that first. I had the car a year and a half and had to have the transmission replaced. That took 4 trips and an act of congress to get that done. I actually had to go to a different dealer. The car just turned 3 and the CD play stopped working. To me there is no accuse for that. On the plus side, I love the way the car looks and handles. I hope Pontiac doesnt screw it up with the redesign in 03.

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  Reliable Car ~ So sad to see it go.... - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Jasmine Primas - April 21 - 3:54 pm

  I had this car fora about a year, and I bought it at 180,000 miles on it....quiet, ran like new! I had absolutely no problems with this car besides regular maintenance like oil change, tire rotation, the usual stuff. I wasnt a big fan of the dark teal colored pain job, and interior is pretty boring, but the quality of this car is a keeper for sure! **Im sorry, I was at the shop one time, this is when I first bought it, I had to get my water pump replaced, but that was it...

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  Like my old car better - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By moms ride - April 19 - 4:50 am

  I have had the car a few months and I have to say I miss my 1999 Grand Prix GTP. I regret selling it to buy the 2006 Grand Prix GXP I have now. My old car handled much better and had GREAT fuel economy. 25-30 mpg for my daily driving. The GXP is getting tops 18 mpg. This is WAY under what I was told. The full size pickup with the same motor is getting 20 mpg. I also have lots of rattles and squeaks in the interior. It is also dogging and is missing. I am actually thinking about selling it already. I love the overall look of the car. It is a definite head turner. Guess I just got the bottom of the pile on this one.

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  dependable no frills little car - 2001 Pontiac Sunfire
  By JJ - April 18 - 3:56 am

  I bought this car used w/ 41000 mi.about 6 mo. ago and have been pleasantlysuprised with it. While not the most robust on the road, it is efficient w/my 34 mpg (and given my daily commute of 90 miles round trip-its vital!). I havent had any problems with it other than needing brakes and a new battery. Always starts right up and have not had any other problems with it. With the 2.2L engine in mine, its not the most powerful force on the road but it does its job. If youre looking for something to get you back and forth cheaply, this may foot the bill for ya.

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  2007 G5 - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By 07g5 - April 15 - 7:20 pm

  I have had my 2dr coupe for almost a year now and overall it is a good car. I have never had maintenance done on my car except for necessary oil changes. I do not have any problems with seeing through the back window because of the rear spoiler like a lot of other people have mentioned. I actually think the spoiler gives the car a more sporty look. Some people may not like the firm seats but personally I find them quite comfortable. The car accelerates well considering the 4 cylinder and is a great around town driver. I would not however recommend this car for someone who does a lot of highway driving as it is very light on the road and tends to sway because of the loose steering.

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  Gran Prix GTP Limited Edition, 2004 - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By J. M. Miller - April 13 - 10:00 am

  I recently bought my first Grand Prix because I wanted a sports sedan instead of a sports car. The Grand Prix fit all the requirements: looks and sounds like a sports car yet can carry another couple when necessary. The wide track handling reduces body roll and, with the supercharged engine, makes it a fun car to drive. As my husband says, "It really scoots!"

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  Pontiac GP - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By MICHY - April 11 - 10:13 am

  Within 6 months of purchase I had a warranty replacement of the rack and pinion steering that also caused me to have to replace the tires, which was not covered. I also had a warranty replacement of the a/c condensor. Other than that, it has been basic maintenance, but with the warranty issues, the quality expected just was not there.

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  my 99 formula - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By brt blue bird - April 10 - 2:00 am

  my formula is used as a dry weather cruiser/driver which is why the miles are low.only repair to date is leaking rear axle.