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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  I love this car - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Bobby - October 22 - 1:10 am

  This car was previously my mothers car, but when I turned 16 I took over the ownership of the car. At first I did not like the look and feel of the car but it grows on you. I have made several modifications to the car (grille inserts, cold air intake, decals). I plan to convert the car to rear wheel drive, put the LS9 engine in, and put in a 6 speed manual transmission. I also want to customize the interior as well. I get great gas mileage (average 28 in the summer). I had to replace the water pump and intake manifold gasket each once but Ive had no problems now for about 20000 miles. Everything breaks eventually, just spend a little extra money and time to take care of the car. I wash mine 1 per week.

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  Satisfied with Sunfire - 2001 Pontiac Sunfire
  By satisfiedwithsunfire - October 20 - 9:16 pm

  I purchased my Sunfire 09/2000 and it has been a very dependable car. Im extremely pleased with it. I took it on a long trip and couldnt have been happier. The gas mileage is great, the ride is good for that price range. The interior could use a little more quality, but the outside is attractive. I would recommend this car to anyone looking for dependability with a little sporty look. My car is paid for and I have no intentions of getting rid of it. Ill probably keep it till it dies. Its my baby.

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  RECALL, but wait! - 2010 Pontiac Vibe
  By wade - October 16 - 1:53 pm

  purchased with the help of GM points and cash for clunkers program. So, whats a good GM vehicle? Ouch, me too. Guess what, the Toyota built (80%) with a pontiac skin, is GMs best car! Check out the rating guides,its Gms best period! Ok, looked at it, and wow! Sporty look, interior room is suv like. Im serious. AWD,great for wisconsins winters. Its funny, Ive read other reviews and zippy was mentioned often. My wife and I nicknamed the car "zippy" when describing the ride and feeling we get when driving. But, now we have a re-call on this vehicle! 100% fact. My service man has said we will recieve a re-call letter from Pontiac. We are @ the bottom of the food chain. Minor I hope!

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  2002 Bonneville - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By pmdta76 - October 15 - 2:00 am

  The 2002 Bonneville has tight handling and quick reflexes. The suspension/steering package hold this vehicle squarely and securely on the road even in hard cornering, but leaves a smooth ride and feeling of control. The styling is contemporary and makes a stunning visual from any angle. The 3.8L V-6 automatic is smooth and moderately torquey, but can snap the car cleanly and quickly down the highway if need be. The instrumentation is easy to read at a glance and all controls can be accessed without leaning from the drivers seat. Seating is comfortable, but the thigh bolsters and head room are less than previous model years.

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  Great car - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Jeff002 - October 15 - 2:00 am

  Great car but the cupholders need some help

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  Hammer Down - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By CEllis - October 13 - 12:50 am

  I recently bought my G8GT with sunroof, sports and comfort package for my wife as we our first child neccessitated 4 doors. My wife LOVES this car as do I. The power this thing has is incredibly smooth and I regularly find myself going faster than I should. The only weak areas of this car are the brakes, lack of navigation, no memory for the driver (my 98 vette has it, why cant a 09?), the manual knob for the seat back, and the lack of bluetooth in lieu of Onstar (boo). Other than those little things, which are forgotten once I put the gas pedal to the floor, this car is a rockstar. In fact, I will be looking for a nice used GXP once I pay this GT off.

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  2004 GTO - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By dave - October 12 - 10:33 pm

  Great "grand touring" car for the money. Plain styling, but the overall performance and built quality (not your typical GM car) make up for this.

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  Fun...at a cost! - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By jhawkes - October 12 - 6:13 pm

  I love driving this car--it performs very well for the cost ($5,000 in early 2004) and handles like a dream for its age. However, there are some issues. I had to replace the brakes and need new pads literally every six months (and I dont drive it very hard). The audio display and climate settings displays sometimes show goofy non- numerical junk and/or no display at all. Ive also had some issues with a grinding noise when turning (which is probably the result of hitting a deer - the mechanics error, not Pontiacs). Finally, the drivers side window has given me all sorts of trouble (two window-engine replacements and still an issue). BUT, fun to drive!

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  Last of the Pontiacs: G5 - 2009 Pontiac G5
  By thebarkingspider - October 8 - 11:13 am

  This car has been 100% reliable and, for a small economy car, its fun to drive. Had the dealer correct a minor manufacturing defect with the antenna, and otherwise its been perfect. Steering is solid and precise. Acceleration is good, but wont blow your sox off. Visibility is fair -- the faux spoiler partially blocks the view aft, and side mirrors are a bit small. At 65", I cant rave about space, but it is adequate, and better than most cars of this size (and many larger cars as well). Plenty of storage, with folding rear seats to expand trunk space. Noise level very good as small cars go.

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  Its not just a car its a Sunfire - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By adc1990 - October 7 - 1:06 am

  I just purchased this 2004 Pontiac Sunfire its a bronze color but it looks more like a brown/ silver color. This car can get to high speeds quickly for a affordable car. Hear the engine roar with the Sunfire. So far its been nothing but good to me its always reliable. Everything on the car is impeccable, it works to the "t" and Pontiac didnt miss a beat. The design is alright nice bulky interior, seats are fairly comfortable. This car makes you feel good when you drive it, it rides nice and smooth and everything about the car is awesome. I would say the one downfall is the stereo. Its not the best my speakers sound like crap so Im replacing them and the stereo and putting my 12" in the back.