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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  Great Car - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By E Olexa - March 12 - 10:16 pm

  I purchased this car in late June and it has been fantastic! Great gas mileage (50% HWY) @ 28 MPG. I am 6 ft 3 in and I am very comfortable in the Vibe. The 2.4 L engine has plenty of passing power and climbs hills with no problems. I would recommend this car to anyone.

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  G6 power - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By jennifer shipley - March 10 - 12:16 pm

  The pontiac g6 is an awesome car to own. It gets great fuel mileage for the power it has. Excellent family car with all the room it has, yet has a very sporty look.

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  Excellent Car! - 2001 Pontiac Sunfire
  By john_y - March 8 - 5:40 pm

  Got this car at 120,000 and now is at 150,000 and running stronger than ever! Beastly in all weather, I can get through a foot of snow without a problem and with good handling too. Decent gas mileage (24-27 mpg). Only ever need to perform minor repairs (exhaust, shocks, oil changes, spark plugs). Ice cold A/C, and engine warms up quickly on those cold days. When I got it the two lowest fan blower settings didnt work, but easily fixed by replacing blower motor resistor. Roomy trunk, I can fit a Tuba in it with a bit of room to spare. Not the fastest car in the world (could only get it up to 105) but it gets you where you need to go. Comfortable seats for road trips.

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  Ten times around the globe - 2001 Pontiac Bonneville
  By rdthore - March 8 - 2:55 pm

  I have over 220,000 miles on this car and only minor wear and tear repairs to this point. I bought this used with 18,000 miles in 2003 and have driven it in the harshest of ND and MN winters. There isnt a spot of rust anywhere on it. Ive since handed it down to my daughter and have no qualms about her taking it to college. Its big, its safe and with over 200k miles, it still gets almost 30 mpg at 75 mph and 20 in town.

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  2003 GT is my second GP - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By orwoody - March 8 - 2:00 am

  Purchased my 2003 GT and love it. I had a 2000 GTP which I really liked and was forced to trade in on another vehicle. I missed it so much when I was able I went looking for another GP. I went with the GT because of the skyrocketing price of gas.(GTP takes premium) I drive a lot and the 2003 is a great road car and fun to drive when I want to be sporty. Ive had no problems or complaints on either the 2000 or 2003 Ive owned.

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  05 GTO Feedback - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By 05worldclass - March 6 - 8:40 am

  Previous Car to This was a BMW 740 I SPORT.An Excellent Car with Great Driving Manners. What a surprise the Quality/Fit Finish and Performance that the GTO offers.The Handling is Just as Good as the BMW and Includes a Nice Ride as well. Also had a Mint 2000 Mustang GT 4.6/5 Speed (NO COMPARISON). This Car is an Awesome Value and The Aussies Totally Have Their S-T Together compared to GM Quality Over HERE. Try One. You Will love it!

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  My midlife crisis car - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By L SQRD - March 6 - 6:40 am

  I have been enjoying this car since the day I got it as a birthday present from my hubby! Great looking car, people definitely stop and look. I put on custom chrome wheels and the chrome package on my black G6...looks great. Love the monsoon sound system. I live in the desert so I can put the top down almost every day.

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  Best car made - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Lori Davenport - March 2 - 3:33 pm

  We purchased this car 3 years ago and took many trips in it. It is very comfortable, reliable, and fun to drive. It is one of the best cars I have ever owned. I will purchase another one when I get this paid off. It has everything you could ever want in it and I have never had any problems with it. It is an awesome car and I am proud to own a Pontiac considering I was a Chevrolet Monte carlo person. The Pontiac Gran Prix is the best car made and I would not trade it for anything. The gas mileage I get is amazing. I will buy another one and highly recommend this car to anyone looking to buy a car.

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  Excellent Car! - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By Stryker - March 2 - 2:53 pm

  This is my first brand new car, and I couldnt be happier. The engine performs great on the highway, as well as in the city. The heated leather seats are nice in the cold Colorado weather. And it handles better than most cars Ive driven. I cant think of another car that even compares to this one in the same price range.

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  Great Car - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Choosing Cars - March 2 - 10:00 am

  We have had the vibe for 3 months now and have only had good experiences with the vehicle. The car was to be my commuter vehicle, but my spouse fell in love with it and now I only drive it on the weekends. The car has plenty of power and is fun to drive. It has a smooth ride at all speeds. The interior is very useful with all the seating/cargo configurations available.