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:

• 

  After 8 years of ownership... - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Dyzzispell - April 3 - 2:00 am

  The way I rated the car was based on where it stands now after 8 years. It was very reliable for me overall, but now the mechanical problems showing up are hard to diagnose and treat. Also, dash lights began burning out after about 5 years.

• 

  V6 Grown Up - 2001 Pontiac Firebird
  By TTraveler23 - April 3 - 2:00 am

  When I was just thinking about trading in my 92 Firebird V-6 3.8, I took a test drive in this car. I still liked my 92, but it had over 200,000 miles on it! I found the performance to be outstanding, and the car is very comfortable. The extra features such as the Traction Control system and the 6 speed transmission only add to the performance. The gas mileage is excellent for a V8, it is close to that of my former V6. I highly recommend this model.

• 

  Satisfying Formula - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By SilverBullit - April 3 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Formula new when I was only twenty five years old. I was completely impressed then and continue to be to this day. The car has been extremely fun to drive. It was reasonably priced at the time of purchase. I still consider it a great performance bargain. I have been very satisfied with the car. It has been very reliable over the years. Maintenance costs have been very low. The only problem I had was a faulty headlight motor, but that was replaced under warranty and has been problem free since. The car is very durable and reliable. This car is a great buy for the money and has a fun factor of nine out of ten. I love it.

• 

  Rally package - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By dibber - April 3 - 2:00 am

  love the car. get 26 MPH on a trip and about 19 around town. Not bad pickup with only front drive. Rally package almost nice looking for a generally ugly looking car. Got a good purchase price and glad I bought. sit up high and can see all around, back window with bar takes getting used to but general good visiability.

• 

  NICE RIDE - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By PAT MCARDLE - April 3 - 2:00 am

  THE SUNFIRE IS A NICE RIDE FOR THE MONEY 10,8OO AUTO AC SUNROOF CD 6SPK FOG LTS ABS TRAC CONTROL

• 

  Love it/Hate it! - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By James123 - April 3 - 2:00 am

  Bought used two years ago. Has 90,000 miles and still runs quiet and quick. Too many window problems and Pontiac customer service problems. I recomend staying away from this car based on the window problem.

• 

  2003 Bonneville SSEI - 2003 Pontiac Bonneville
  By TOPTIMLRD - April 3 - 2:00 am

  Fun to drive. Doesnt fel like a large car. The 240 horsepower allows plenty of throttle response. Very comfortable interior, seats could use a little better bolster however. Great driver interface, great sound system.

• 

  it goes fast and is sooo comfortable - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Depdoug - April 3 - 2:00 am

  about all I can say is this car is awesome. megga power and so comfortable. I love everything about this car. the mustang cobra svt may be a tad faster but when you sit in a gto and then get into a mustang there is no comparison. the mustang feels like a cheap econo rocket.

• 

  The GTO is Back, baby! - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By ScottieDogFLA - April 3 - 2:00 am

  Waiting over 30 years for a "real" GTO, the wait has indeed been worth it. No Pontiac in recent memory gives more bang for the buck. Fun, fast, comfortable; all of the pluses of my old T/A with none of the vices.

• 

  Not a good trade-in value - 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport
  By keeshonden - April 2 - 10:00 am

  With all the money spent on the vehicle, I was sorry to find out that my Pontiac Montana had virtually no trade-in value. The dealer from whom I purchased the vehicle did not want to give me more than 1500.