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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  Love this car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By PG - January 10 - 5:46 am

  I have been considering my a new car for several months. I was leaning towards another mazda, or Honda product however after GM began offering the additonal rebate incentives i decided on base G6 GT. I really am impressed with the styling of the G6. Very roomy interior and the exterior lines are smooth and simple. Ride is exactly what I expected in a car within this price range. I have been driving this car for 2 months and i really enjoy the experience.

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  Great car, very reliable - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By deabomb - January 7 - 5:46 pm

  I have a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix SE that I bought in February 2003 with 24000 miles on it. Almost 12 years later with just under 110,000 miles on it, she is still going strong. The only major problem I had with it in 2008 was the known issue of the intake manifold gasket leaking and blowing coolant out. It cost me $700 to fix the damage. Other than that snafu, it hasnt given me any trouble. I love this car. Hubby wants me to trade it in for something newer with more bells and whistles, but I cant part with it. It has been a solid, reliable car for me and I hope I can get another 100,000 miles out of it.

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  Amys Torrent - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Amy Lee - January 7 - 5:20 am

  My husband and I purchased our first SUV this past summer, and I chose the Pontiac Torrent. I love this SUV. There is so much room. I have a 62" husband and a 61" 17 yr old son. This is the reason why I chose the Torrent, the room, great gas mileage, and a reasonable price.

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  sunfire - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By mrsjspicer - January 7 - 2:00 am

  I really like this car.When we bought it they had it specially customed. It has decals all along the sides, a body kit, ground effects, and custom rims. I love the lighting in it, especally the lights under the rear view mirror, I love how it looks sporty but is not considered a sports car under insurance.

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  my first but not my last bonneville - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By rshaw - January 7 - 2:00 am

  bought in 2003 with 17000 miles; great car; need time to understand all the bells & whistles. got extended warranty thrown in by the dealer; good thing, it didnt cost me a dime to have rear window motor replaced. would definitely buy another.

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  Becoming irritated with my G-5 - 2008 Pontiac G5
  By Shelby - January 6 - 9:33 pm

  I bought my G-5 last July as sort of an impulse buy, part of the "new me" I wish I would have done more research on this vehicle. I also wish I would have known that Pontiac was going under and that right now i can buy my car for as cheap as $10,000! Anyways, I drive my car 90 miles round trip to school and its never left me on the side of road. In the year ive had it though, its been to the shop twice for annoying squeeks. One is in the rear brakes (they said nothing was wrong), and the sunroof squeeks. Also, when i make a turn the car twist and pops the sunroof out of the roof. The crome on the door handles peeled off. The warranty for Pontiac is nice, but not bringing it in for repairs.

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  GTO exceeds the mark - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By bfargin - January 6 - 4:33 pm

  Well, after owning this fine automobile for several months I thought I would share my feelings. Wow, what a car. The build quality is excellent, it feels more like a european luxury car than a typical GM econobox. I realize it costs close to 30K but I still think you are getting tons of quality for the money. I like the interior better than I like the new MB E350 or CLK350. Handling is great for the size and weight involved. After all it is a performance luxury coupe and not a bareboned racecar and yet still puts up great skidpad numbers. For the money you wont find better performance in a new car. For right at 30K dollars you get a 400 hp engine that will pin you to the seat back.

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  Vroom - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Cheri - January 6 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE this car. I might have to stick with the Grand Prix because I doubt I will ever be able to go back to normal cars again. The ride is super smooth, interior spacious, and dont get me started on the POWER. This car has made my nightmare commute bearable.

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  Interesting & Fun - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By Paul Johnston - January 6 - 12:00 am

  When I first saw the uniqueness of this car, I fell in love. I did much research in the net and prowled dealerships before making the final decision. I have loved it from the first test drive to the present. With its slide out tray in the rear, makes loading and unloading a breeze. Love the tailgate seat, the air shocks are a God send and the compressor is very useful when in remote places. When driving on long trips, quite pleased with the mileage on the highway. Once I even got 40 Can. miles per gallon, not estimated but calculated. Did have to get the computer replaced but felt that it was something I did. No other major repairs so far to date. Loved its stability on the highway.

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  My Fire Review - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Jason - January 5 - 8:13 am

  Its a nice smooth shifting 5 speed. It does have some get up and go and many after market parts for the tuner world. Biggest complaint is the dark cloud that I get and all my ecotec motor friends get on first startup especially really cold ones