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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  My 6th new GM vehicle and my LAST - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By UGH - May 3 - 8:56 pm

  The transmission failed at 58,000 miles. Dealer wanted $5000 for repair. Asked GM for some financial help, they said NO and that I was Hot Roding the car for this to fail.At 62 years old my Hot rod days are long gone. At 75,000 miles the new Orange Anti Freeze coolant ate thru some gaskets. I got to dig out my wallet again.Over $1000 for this one. The fuel gauge has not worked for thousands of miles, the dealer can fix me up for under $800 by replacing something in the fuel tank. No thanks, I will just keep the tank full. The power windows fail periodically, but reset themselves, must be a heat thing. Fortunately the dealer only charges me $30 when I bring it in for repair estimates.

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  Great Car! - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Great Car - May 3 - 5:43 pm

  This is a great car! I get about 24 miles per gallon average, which isnt fantastic, but isnt that bad, either. I love all of the features, like remote access, CD player, cruise control and especially the on-board computer system with trip meters, tire monitor and oil monitor. I feel very safe in this car! The other day I had run over a nail and didnt even know it until my computer system warned me that my front passenger tire was low! I love the sporty style, so unique from other cars out there. This is no boring Toyota! Great power, better than my 1996 Subaru. Only bad thing is the poor quality materials in the interior. Interior is set up nicely, though. Massive trunk space!

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  Greatest SUV sold! - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By 76corey - May 3 - 2:36 am

  If you like to get a more for your money than you cant beat the Pontiac Aztek. Just do a comparison between any other SUV in its class and youll see that it has more cargo room, more payload capacity, better gas mileage, more comfortable, quieter, more car-like, more room, and on top of all that its one of the most inexpensive. Now is a really good time to check the Aztek out, the rebates and incentives make this one awesome deal!

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  Brand new car troubles. - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By Kristin - May 2 - 2:33 pm

  Dont get me wrong, I absolutely love my 2007 Pontiac G5. But now it is starting to have problems already and it hasnt even been five months since I bought it brand new off the lot. Im not sure if it is just my car experiencing these problems or if there are others, but there are not any recalls about leaks. Two months after I bought the car, the front windshield leaks. We just recently had a big rainstorm, I go look in my trunk and there is a good 3 inches of standing water in my trunk surrounding my battery. Other than these problems, which shouldnt be happening, this car is a great choice for my first car. Nice and smooth riding.

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  Fun to drive, good on long trips! - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By alessing - May 2 - 12:06 pm

  Owned mine until 2007 when it was vandalized and totaled by my insurance company (ugh.). Very reliable and fun car for a decent price. Everyone constantly complains about the lack of power from the "Ram Air 3400 V6." The title offers more than the engine itself. 8+ seconds to 60 which can be an issue passing sometimes, however it has a ton of torque. Other than that its a fun car with decent fuel economy. Ive taken to the mountains of NC and it was perfect for what we needed.

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  Supercharge It! - 2003 Pontiac Bonneville
  By leaseman - May 2 - 2:00 am

  This is a handsome vehicle now that the universally hated body cladding has been replaced with simple molding. The drivers seat is like a cockpit with soft, comfy leather seats and an assortment of lights and gadgets that will make any techie drool. Acceleration is snappy with the supercharged engine, the only noticeable lag being when the car was being driven aggressively up a steep hill. This is a fine American performance sedan.

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  Hoe lotta car - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By RoadRunner44 - May 2 - 2:00 am

  My Grand Prix is my first car and its absolutley great. Hugs the curves, Bose system is high quality, HUD is a nice feature, and boost gauge is fun to play with (by flooring it ofcourse).

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  Try a Dodge Stratus instead - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Bob Westerman - May 2 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle pales in comparison to others in its class. Think carefully before purchasing one - just because it is a few $ cheaper does not make it the better buy.

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  Wonderful Car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By clomregcik - May 1 - 5:03 am

  If I didnt know much about used cars I wouldnt like this one. I have had some issues, but nothing that wasnt expected out of a vehicle with over 100,000 miles that wasnt maintained properly. Everything still works on it, and nothing major has gone bad. The most Ive had to do was replace back rotors and brake pads after I got it because they had been let go for way too long. Its a joy to drive, the perfect balance of feedback and comfort. It has a good pick up to it, and wouldnt have any issues at highway speeds if I didnt have a bent wheel (aftermarket wheels). Even for not being maintained this car is surprisingly sturdy and is still running strong.

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  Reliable car - 2010 Pontiac Vibe
  By manitoba1 - April 30 - 5:04 pm

  We have put on 80,000 km with no issues to report. We like the gas mileage and cargo space. Very good on ice and gravel. Noisier and less room than our sequoia, but a lot more practical for 2 or 3 people.