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 future freaks me out. - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By pontiacg607 - September 22 - 2:38 am

  I like the way my G6 looks. Otherwise, the car make me nervos. My steering has made that infamous clunking noise since I bought it, but when I bought it, the car was already out of warranty, so I just live with it. At this point, I dont even notice it anymore. I also had to stick a piece of cardboard inside my key fob because the part that holds the battery in place broke. The interior is cheap, but attractive. The car has nearly 82,000 miles on it and hasnt seriously let me down yet, but I am starting to get worried. I do have a wheel bearing going bad I think. I will keep this thing until it dies, but if I could do it over, I would do my research and buy something else.

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  Fantastic car - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By kmag53 - September 21 - 2:53 pm

  All I can say is GM hit a home run with this car. It has virtual everything you would want in a performance sedan except the high price. In todays market it is a true bargain. Very comfortable interior and everything is placed where it should be...exterior is very sharp and it gets many gawkers. I cannot say the handling of the car is sports car like but it is very good for a four door sedan. Brakes are very good and stop with confidence. Of course the raw power of the V8 is awesome with tons of torque. Trunk is very spacious and the back seat is extremely comfortable even for someone like myself who is tall.

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  Loving My GXP! - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By ObcidianButtrfly - September 21 - 8:06 am

  This is my fisrt new car and I am in love. Everywhere I go it gets looks and comments. Great ride. Pick up is good as well. I would recommend this car to anyone look for a fun sporty yet daily driver car. Love this car, Ill definetly have it for a long time. Exterior design is great. No need for any upgrades, street edition comes loaded.

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  Its been nice - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By sadiesangel - September 20 - 9:23 am

  I have had my Torrent for 3+ years now and for the most part have loved it. I have been told that they are discontinuing this model which is upsetting. I have had some problems with parts/repairs. Wished it had a 5 year/100,000 warranty. I dont think the 3 year/36,000 covers long enough.

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  Worst Ever! - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Leah - September 20 - 1:16 am

  This is the worst car ever built! When we bought the car it had 40,000 miles. So far we have had to replace the gasket intake, windows twice, brakes twice, the electrical system shorts out, and now our transmission is slipping. Im buying a Ford next time!

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  2005 V6 G6 - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Cafasco - September 19 - 6:00 pm

  Last week, I traded in my 05 Acura RSX for a 05 v6 G6 std. sedan. It only had 2,842 miles on it. In comparing the two, I really like the G6 a whole lot better. Interior fit and finish is actually better than the Acura (I was surprised by squeaks and rattles in the RSX). Exterior F & F is close, but not quite there. Im getting 31MPG in mixed suburban driving and 34MPG @85mph on the highway. My RSX got 33/36mpg. I have a hell of a lot more room and an AT. G6 Radio reception BLOWS away the Acura as does the sound quality (both have six speaker systems). The G6 handles well, but not as tight as the RSX, which was actually “work” to drive. G6 steering is a touch vague against the RSX.

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  My Solstice - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Shelia - September 19 - 5:50 pm

  I have driven Pontiac for over 15 years. I think the Solstice is one of the sexy car they made. She smooth, she hugs the curves, and I love the way drive and all the looks I get from men as well as women when I put up or stop at a red light. I like fast sexy cars, at first I was a little hesitant about the speed being that it was 4 cyl, but after her for a spin around the block, I realize the speed she had and I love this car. The way she looks and the way she drive.

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  PGT - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Sus - September 19 - 3:10 pm

  I bought this car after my 97 Pontiac was totalled. I was absolutely in love with the look of this car and had always wanted it, so I was pretty excited to get it. The outside still looks sporty, but I have had some major problems with the body. First, I live in MN and while parking I hit a snowbank and the front bottom of the bumper broke off. Cheaply piece of plastic! Then I had someone hit me and coulnt open my passenger side door, finally the paneling broke off on a drive home on the interstate. Maybe I just have bad car luck. As for the maintenance I havent, luckily, had to replace anything major. It is almost at 140,000 and I just recently replaced my serpentine belt and tensioner.

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  Fun Car for 2nd Childhood - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Michigan Bob - September 19 - 2:33 pm

  My wife and I are retired and traded in our Chrysler 300 to purchase this Fun (2nd) car. So far it is everything we hoped it would be. It has great acceleration, handling and braking. We feel safe because of the Stability Control System and the side impact air bags. The 8 speaker Monsoon system sounds great with controls on the steering wheel. We love the fact that its a hard top in the winter. Everyone we see wants one including our daughter who is out looking for one now. It draws looks everywhere we go especially when putting the top up or down. We are getting 3 miles per gallon over what the sticker said and the price was under 30K. Cant beat it.

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  ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Lorie - September 18 - 12:33 pm

  My husband and I started looking at this car before it was available. We finally got to purchase it in Nov. Dealerships in our area didnt receive until then. I will tell you this! IT WAS WELL WORTH THE WAIT!!! We have almost 4000 miles on it already and I still want to just go everywhere and anywhere, just to drive it.