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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  regretful - 2009 Pontiac Torrent
  By regretful - May 20 - 1:53 am

  GM says 16/24 mileage,more like 12/19,thats using cruise control, at approximately 70mph never over. It gets even less at 55 mph!what the!? Let up on the gas and it comes to a stop, I mean motor runs but I mean the power just dogs, its like all power stops going to the drive train? I guess it saves on brakes. It has a horrible turning ratio, didnt notice it on test drive, you need to plan ahead to park. The CD player takes forever to load. If Id known the gas mileage was going to be this bad, I wouldve bought a truck or a SUV with 4x4.

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  Not bad 4 the price - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Prairie Bob - May 18 - 11:43 pm

  had 119,000 when I bought it. Has minor issues with window clips, weather lights wont shut off. Minor coolant leak that doesnt worsen. Had overheating probs and check engine issues all eventually traced to clogged caty convertor. Runs like new now. Nice to drive, easy on gas, plenty of zip. Until the caty went berserk was fairly trouble free. Makes a nice first car for a student. Im 511 265 and can easily get in and out. tight fit for 3 in the back and trunk holds a three bowling ball bag plus set of golf clubs and a couple gym bags. On fishing trips my rear seat stows extra gear. Will pull my 17 boat w/ trans cooler and still gets decent mileage but struggles a little up steep hills.

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  Perfect for a weekend for 2 - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By Carl - May 18 - 12:40 pm

  My wife and I where looking for a little mid-life crisis fun - we are both in our early 50s. I had previously owned a 1974 Fiat Spider in my youth, so we looked at used re-conditioned Spiders - while from a nostalgia stand point it seemed fun, it wasnt practical - too many modern bells and whistles missing. We came across the Solstice on at a used sports car dealer with a good reputation - in really well kept shape and low mileage for a 2008 (30k) and attractive price. Very happy with it - we didnt need top end performance , but it is sporty, turns heads and a fun weekend play toy. Stowage for gear isnt the greatest, but we can get what we need in it for an extended weekend get-away - a small duffle bag, camera and a couple of lens. Well worth the price we paid, decent gas mileage and alot of fun.

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  Its sharp! - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Dez - May 15 - 5:26 am

  This is my first new car, although this car is technically a used vehicle. I bought it with 12,500 miles on the odometer. Overall GM has done a good job with this vehicle. For the price I couldnt have gotten a better more stylish 07 midsize vehicle. $15,000 altogether and I have the V6, 17in alloys, and lip spoiler. Im only 20yrs so I feel the design does a good job of apealing to a younger generation. Although I love my car a few things can be improved. Im not a big fan of the hydraulic assisted steering, not sporty at all, not even as good as the 07 Carmy and thats not perfect either. GM cheaped out on the interior a little but thats nothing new. Ride quility is good though.

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  exterior needs improvement - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By TRANS AM MAN 2 - May 6 - 10:00 am

  inside of car is hot,although exterior need needs a lot of improvement,,it should shout out ""GTO"" like the TRANSAM RAMAIR WS6 does.

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  Give it a chance - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By Geoffrey - May 4 - 10:00 am

  My father drives a Sante Fe, and I drive a VW GTI (Golf). We rented an Aztec this past weekend for some major moving. Wow, this was a great car. The inside is amazing. It could have held our entire load. It is a very practicle car, much like my Golf. Form follows function. The inside was made with nice materials, the ride was very smooth. Every aspect of the Aztec blew the Sante Fe away. If you are looking for an "SUV" and want to spend around 20k, I would suggest giving the Aztec a test drive. Driving is believing should be the Aztecs moto, not Hyundai. Because anyone who had driven a Hyundai then believes what they did before, their junk.

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  Fair Experience - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Glein - May 2 - 5:16 pm

  Fun car to drive, but several flaws in make. Brakes went out at 20K, tires at 25K, lost two driver side mirrors in cold weather (just fell off). Other GM problems were fixed by dealerhsip so Ive give those a pass. If you can only keep it on the road, itd be a great car.

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  Great Grand Am - 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
  By thestig - May 1 - 11:20 pm

  Bought the V6, automatic coupe as a lease-return in 1996. Has been very reliable, never left me stranded, no major issues. IMO, still one of the best looking cars out there! Good straight line performance. Door panels starting to crack around screws (hard plastic and -40C do not mix!), some rust starting around wheel wells. Starts in -40C weather without being plugged in (do not recommend!) Will hate to see it go, but the family is expanding so its days are numbered!

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  my new pontiac g6 - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By nurseshawn73 - May 1 - 4:33 am

  Overall I love the G6! Its been nice getting great mileage. Its also sporty unlike some mid-size cars on the market today. I definitely didnt want a grandmas car at my age!

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  Beware of Transmission - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Jimbabwe - April 30 - 10:00 am

  Great car in every aspect except the transmission. Ive had mine replaced 3 times, 24k, 38k, and 55k. Glad I got the extended warranty. Read other reviews and youll see a lot of transmission problems. Dealership denied having knowledge of a problem, but lots of owners have told me the transmissions are a real problem.