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 pontiac montana - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By smiley - June 16 - 10:00 am

  we were in a car accident and my two children were not hurt. The rear end that was hit at about 35 mph was damaged and was almost totalled but we all walked away from the crash with very minial injuries.

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  I really want a new car - 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
  By summer80 - June 16 - 10:00 am

  As I try to trade my sunfire in, I am finding it very hard. This car does not hold its value. My sunfire is in perfect condition but the new car dealer only wants to give me 3000 and why I asked him and he responds its a Pontiac. So if you want a car that holds its value do not buy this car. I like my sunfire but its a 5 speed and I am just tired of driving it.

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  The everyday practicle performance car - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Fraser Semple - June 15 - 7:43 pm

  Great vehicle, extremely comfortable to drive, 25mpg averaged on 300 mile trip and ran 13.00 seconds quarter mile.

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  Looks can be deceiving - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By TexasGRL - June 15 - 4:20 pm

  I bought this car in 2007 with less than 16k on it. It was great for the first month then I started having trouble with the steering and the sunroof leaking. It took more than 4 times being in the shop to fix both the sunroof and steering. This car has LOTS of rattles and squeaks that thankfully the monsoon sound system blares out. This is my 1st GM vehichle. Have owned a mustang and a F150 which i got rid of to get this car. Lets just say my f150 had 180k on it and ran like a dream - would rather take it on a trip cross country than my g6 which now has less than 50k on it. Now having horrible gas mileage ( about 19mpg ) and brakes squealing awefully. Just had new brakes less than 1 yr ago.

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  Good car - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By Mark - June 15 - 8:13 am

  I had a 2005 that I bequeathed to my graduating college senior. I knew I wanted another Vibe but was a little too late to get the last of the 2008s with the sweet rebates. 2009 Vibe is basically the same though the cars cosmetics have changed. Theres no longer plastic cladding and bump strip nor the nearly useless roof rack standard. The change is supposed to be better looking but it looks more like a Prius or Versa now. Maybe not quite as young looking. The interior cosmetic changes are mostly an improvement but I really had no problems with the way it was before. Maybe the car is quieter now. Standard features in the 2009 make the slightly higher base price still a great value.

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  Excellent Crossover with some drawbacks - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Kevin - June 13 - 8:16 am

  I have to say that this spacious SUV is very comfortable (including the spacious back seats) and very fun to drive. I have never really struggled with the cargo aspect of the car, and it is a good look inside and out. I love taking this car anywhere (beach, road trips, etc.). However, I have had trouble starting up the car especially on short trips. Sometimes, it doesnt even start the first (or sometimes second, or third) time! That is outrageous for a brand new car. Granted, I havent had them look at it yet, but I have heard the same thing from other Torrent drivers. Also, the cup holders cannot be used with the hand break up, which is a pain when you live on a hill.

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  cool kar - 2005 Pontiac Bonneville
  By alanfor2 - June 12 - 10:00 am

  this car is a tank! but sooo comfortable. it rides very nice. a very nice design.

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  Gone but not forgotten - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By wmath44 - June 12 - 10:00 am

  Car was totaled in rear end collision July 2. Liked the gas mileage,30mpg at 75mph with air on.Poor excelleration on freeway on ramps.

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  Awesome......when it works - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By toyotaboyesl - June 9 - 2:00 am

  We rented it for a week and loved it. I loved the handling and speed. It looked REALLY cool, it was really so much different than the Camrys, Accords, Corollas, and Siennas and I am used to! That must be why I liked it so much, a VERY cool car, it will definatly wake you up from the boringness of most other cars in its class! Another thing that I loved was the sound system. Oh, I could go on and on about that! It played CDs so perfectly clear, it was the first factory stereo system that I have ever seen that could actually play heavy bass.

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  RELIABLE GAS CONSUMER - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By cwg292 - June 8 - 1:36 pm

  Bought car for 13000 out the door in 2008. Could not be happier with reliability and mpgs. Averages 28-30 in town, 33-35 highway. Not a performer though very practical. A little noisy and under powered. Plenty of room for a small family. If performance doesnt matter to your driving needs, this is a perfect car.