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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  a fair grand prix - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By aldinero - March 10 - 2:00 am

  my gt is a good handling somewhat noisy car.doesnt ride very well but the front sears are comfortable.good brakes and good visibility.

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  Twisted Thoughts - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Sonny - March 10 - 2:00 am

  I was always a 2 door sports car kind of guy, but this 4 door Grand Prix SE is very sharp looking to the human eye.Chicks dig the car, and it has alot of room in it.Very comfortable for the long drives.However, I now hear engine noise at 25000 miles, The dealer said the pistons need to be replaced, and this is common in this model of car.Who needs to buy a new car and have this kind of problem right off the bat??? I always have second thought about this car.Talk to the service dept. in Pontiac before buying this car.I never beat on my vehicles, so tthink about it.Thank god for warranty.

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  I LOVE my Grand Am!! - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By rebelgirl423 - March 4 - 10:00 am

  I intentionally went looking for this car. I rented several Grand Ams in the year prior to purchase and just loved them. When I found the one I wanted I grabbed it! I drive ALOT! And have put a lot of miles on this car without ANY problems. I have now managed to put over 97,000 miles on it and have had NO major maintenance to do. I honestly believe that the traction control has saved our lives more than once on winter ice, snow, and rain.

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  Pontiac GRAND AM - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Ethan Atkinson - February 28 - 10:00 am

  Have had no problems relating to the engine, anything else under the hood. The only complaint-the AC, especially important where in Georgia, does not blow very cold when you turn it on high, just harder air. I have taken the car on two long trips and the car was great, and comfortable. The back seats arent the best but they do their job. The only bad thing about this car is its resale value. I regret buying it from a dealership and not a private party. I am now stuck with a car that I owe 10000 on and can only get $5-6000 for trade. I will probably keep it as long as possible though.

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  after a few initial quality problems... - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By BEanVive - February 26 - 5:43 pm

  I really enjoy this car. However, I did have a problem with a leaking sunroof when I first purchased it. After 3 repair attempts, though, I think they fixed it. Also, the paint quality could be better. The paint marks up easily. Overall, the interior is awesome (though the auto-headlights drive me crazy... the turn on in bright sunshine). It is very comfortable for short and long trips. It parks in the tightest spots, and it has good power. I often find myself going 75-80 on the highway, though it feels much slower. Wind and road noise is great for such a small car. Also, the cargo room is amazing for such a small car. Many storage spots, and it is really sharp looking.

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  PROBLEMS - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By RAY - February 26 - 7:13 am

  I love my car but this wk found I needed brakes almost ate the rotars out, the brakes made noise from day one and I was told it was dirt, 389.00 later its the brakes, they also found a noice that is a leak in the exhaust but dont know the spot, I have another GMC wiht 85,000 miles and orgnl brakes so its not the driver, I found my garage is the pits, they no longer take you to work(over 5 miles) they will not give me a lender so I am stuck taking a day off with my warrenty still good,,,

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  Its alright - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Josh - February 24 - 8:50 pm

  this car looks very nice, looks a little like a race car. However I have had problems with this car also, struts make noise when you turn the wheel, outside temperture gauge, fog light switch, And even the passenger leather seat heater burnt a hole in the seat!! And drivers heating element burnt out completely, looks nice but if you plan on owning this car for a long time, dont dream of it. This car is only 3 years old, and I cant imagine whats going to go wrong next in another 3 years.

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  $$$ - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By hunter0562 - February 22 - 1:23 am

  Fun car but everytime I turn around Im putting money into it. Cant keep tires on it and Ive tried different brands. Brakes - reguar maintenance but much more expensive than a regular car. Transmission 1 went out at 84,000. Transmission 2 went out at 120,000 - and I feel the dealer didnt install Transmission 2 correctly (the shift stick was never right) and the dealer didnt do anything for me. Transmission 3 has been great (now at 156,000). Now just had a wheel crack - GM sells them for $700!I found one for $450. Great fun to drive but be aware of high performance car costs.

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  Car will come out of gear w/out keys - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By no_more_pontiacs - February 20 - 8:43 pm

  My car is able to be taken out of gear without the keys in the ignition or by pressing the brake pedal. My car was knocked out of gear 2 days ago and rolled into the street. After contacting GM, they tell me this is normal. Took to local GM dealership and they could not believe it. Still GM is saying its normal and the Shift Lock Control System, which is a safety feature, is only active when the key is in the ignition. Some safety feature if it doesnt work when the keys ARE NOT in the ignition. This just started happening and they are telling me its normal and there is nothing they can do. SO BEWARE that you car may come out of gear if bumped! Its normal.

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  Great Car - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Gene - Massachusetts - February 20 - 5:23 am

  Having been in a Grand Prix GTP I got used to the power of the supercharged 3800. This car is equally impressive and maintains 26+ MPG highway if I behave. Good traction ... 60K miles on original tires. Leaking spoiler (3 times to dealer)a nagging issue with no other quality issues. Brakes replaces after 24K and I am not hard on them. Dealer said its normal for this car. Good stlying, comfortable on highway and a blast on side roads. Looks like Pontiac is moving to smaller sized cars so being a big guy this may be my last Pontiac unless they change their focus. High end stereo and all the goodies make this a fun car to own. Great tire wear ! Some balance issues as tire wear though.