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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  The Muscle Car Lives! But not after 2002 - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By Marcman - February 25 - 10:00 am

  An affordable Big Boys Toy for those that want to be a Rebel in an era of four bangers and dull styling.

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  Fun Car with a load of go - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By albertschmitz - February 22 - 10:00 am

  Great car so far. The only major item was the fuel pump that is inside of the tank however 400$ and 2 days later running fine again. It is nice to see that they put an access in the trunk so that the tank did not have to be removed from the car. That I am sure kept the $ down also. Car is a pleasure to drive for extended miles and the fuel economy on the road is in the 24-25 range and 19-20 around town type of driving. Good for the type of engine in it.

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  GT Grand Am 1999 - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By GTGrandam - February 22 - 10:00 am

  Bought when they first changed body style. Unibody construction is much better than the older type so much more solid built. Problem areas front brake rotars need turning if vibration. Have 43,000 miles and almost 5 years. Chg one battery, alternator, window washer pump and window regulator for elect windows Still Warranty. Owned various other Grand Ams this best except no V-8 like early 70s Most problems occured after mfg warranty so always purchase ext. warranty if plan to keep car longer than 3 years and 36,000 miles recomended.

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  Pleased Overall - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Chasing Hazel - February 21 - 9:30 pm

  Ive had this car for almost a year now, bought it used with 38,000 miles on it. I easily put 1500 miles a month on my car driving to work and back, and Wisconsin winters are harsh -- and as of yet I have no major problems to report. Now, at 56,000 miles, the only work Ive had done so far was a front wheel bearing, but I hit a pothole so Im pretty sure that was my fault, not Pontiacs fault. I love my car, and wish Id be able to buy a newer Grand Am when Im done with this one, but sadly they dont make em anymore. It has a nice, smooth ride, and I love the way it looks. So happy that the 2004 doesnt have those ugly "ribbed" side panels!

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  What a Surprise - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By chef357 - February 20 - 10:06 pm

  Hadnt owned a Pontiac since a GTO back in the late 60s. The G-6 is slick! A ton of power, great response, lots of cool electronics and a convertible to boot. Its fun to drive again. Think about the value you get compared to some of the imports in its class. Tough to beat.

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  Grandy review - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By girl47723 - February 20 - 10:00 am

  its a good car

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  A Huggable Little Car - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Jack McCormick - February 19 - 5:50 am

  A cute little car thats lots of fun to drive. Just the right size and the engine performance is better than what youve been told. It feels and looks like you got more quality than you paid for.

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  2001Grand Am SE 2.4L - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By rhino61466 - February 17 - 3:50 am

  I have never had any serious mechanical problems with this vehicle. I bought it pre-owned certified with 56,000. It is now up to 98,000 miles and I have only spent 700 in total for repairs, spanning five years. The only problems I had was the ignition at 98,000 miles and my power windows broke. The key to this vehicle being very reliable is preventive maintenance. If you know nothing about cars and run it into the ground like a Honda you will have problems; however, if you do the normal maintenance such as tune ups/oil changes every 5k miles, fluid flushes, and belt change you should have no problems. If you buy this vehicle and no nothing about how well it was taken care of beware.

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  tires - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By bryanr - February 16 - 10:00 am

  my daughter had a flat 70 miles away from home.the tire was bad.the local dealer would not honor the bumper to bumper warrenty that they say that comes with every car.it only had 5,000 miles on it.they tried to sell her a new tire....for only 250 dollars...so she went to wal mart for a 60 dollar tire....pretty sad that a 20,000 car i paid for,they wouldn,t honor the so called warrenty.....be careful for the fine print....rather had all 4 tires the same than 3 of one and 1 of a different brand but gm didn,t offer me no options.....hint...hint....gm

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  Driving excitement? - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Darkshadow - February 15 - 9:03 am

  Ive never had more fun driving a car, more complements or looks. Handles awsome,could use more torque for starts slow until you reach about 4k rpm. Information center is nice, make sure to get upgraded stereo if you want any bass, there isnt really much room to put a small sub anywhere. The tranny is a little clunky, but short shifts are fun. The MPG is more like 18/24.5 on the freeway, I dont think Ive ever gotten more than 25 except going downhill. Cheap plastic int. and rubber seals. Turns and handles like a champ. Biggest drawback is absolutley not room for anything, so dont pick anyone up from the airport or have more than one friend!!