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:

• 

  Florida Dads Follow Up Review - 2005 Pontiac Montana
  By Florida Dad2 - September 18 - 12:13 pm

  Weve now had this van for a full year. Generally, were still quite satisfied with the van, its comfort and quality. The leather has held up well, the DVD player is more popular than ever and the AC blows like a January blizzard. However (oops, theres that word...) a few minor things have cropped up in the past year including a powered door that stopped working, brake trouble (not serious )a loose trim piece covering the sliding doors track and a radio that switches stations w/o warning (only happens on one certain frequency ...huh?) All fixed quickly and cheerfully and under warranty, but should these have happened in the first place?

• 

  I like this car! - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By clairissa - September 18 - 10:00 am

  This is the second Pontiac I have owned. First was a Pontiac Grand Am GT 2 door sport coupe. It was a sporty looking vehicle, but definitely not practicel. The G6GT model offers both sportiness with practicality. Definitely a fun car to drive, handles well and gets good gas mileage. Im definitely very happy with my decision.

• 

  Brakes, brakes, brakes - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By bhil1981 - September 18 - 4:30 am

  I bought this car hoping to have something that would last. I was wrong, this car eats brakes. I do not drive hard, the car is all highway miles.The turn signal clicks all the time, the car is airy and the car has had a leak since I bought it and the dealership could not find what was wrong. Im considering a G6 but Im not sure if I should give GM another chance.

• 

  04 GTO experiences - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By GTOfan - September 18 - 12:50 am

  While some dislike the body style as "bland", I found it to be exactly what I wanted - no fake fender vents, no exaggerated body lines. Since the car was only built in high-performance versions, there are no "Barbie-Doll" GTOs out there like the Mustang. If you see a GTO, you know its hot. You dont have to check for a medallion or emblem on the fender. And the "plain" appearance makes it less likely that anyone will be able to identify the car as they watch your taillights disappear over the horizon. :)

• 

  Comfortable Cross Over - 2008 Pontiac Torrent
  By Rob L. - September 17 - 6:06 pm

  This is a very good riding cross over type SUV. It gets very good gas mileage on the highway - about 25 to 26. The controls are pretty good, but the steering and handling on the base model is unacceptably sloppy. If you like this vehicle, get the GXP model which has a different and tighter steering system. The center console could be a lot better and more useful - it lacks storage and the center mounted power window buttons are not intuitive.

• 

  Batmobile, Tank, Grand Prix Coupe - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By midwestboiler - September 17 - 4:49 pm

  This was my first car, and it was a great first car. Unfortuneatly, I was rear ended and ultimately had the car totaled. The time that I had it though, was very enjoyable. First, a V-6 engine allows for this car to be borderline over the top with power, but that didnt bother me. The problem with all of the power was that the car averaged about 18 mpg. The 12 gallon tank also forced me to have to fill up more often than I would have liked. I had leather seats and they were very comfortable. It was very easy to carry 4 passengers in the car. While the doors were huge, it allowed much easier access to the back seat.

• 

  We like it - 2005 Pontiac Aztek
  By Cleo Clark - September 17 - 2:20 am

  Weve previously always had a van because of the convenience in traveling so was reluctant to get the Aztek. Shortly after purchasing, we took an approximate 3500 mile trip. It was great. We especially liked the convenience of back access. We also have luxury feataures of DVD, heated seats, built in ice chest, etc. and especially felt much safer with the Onstar. In fact, used it to get directions and when couldnt find the keys they opened it for us from wherever. So far, we are very pleased with our Aztek.

• 

  Excellent car. - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Mike - September 16 - 10:16 pm

  I wanted a reliable car with good gas mileage, but I am 60 years old with bad knees, so I needed a car tall enough to let me easily get in and out. I know this car was designed for young people, but it meets my needs just fine. I plan to keep it for a long time.

• 

  Im Impressed! - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By M. Hobby - September 15 - 6:23 pm

  Im impressed with my new G6. This is my first Pontiac and I was a little apprehensive in purchasing a first year model. Ive had a few first year vehicles that have caused me nightmares. The feel is above my expectations and more! I love driving my new G6 and the LA traffic isnt so bad with the stereo system. I get a lot of approving looks and have been told that it looks like a BMW or some other over priced vehicle. Thanks Pontiac!

• 

  Horrible - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By google - September 15 - 12:13 pm

  Bought this car with about 130,000 miles on it. The transmission went out at 145 rebuilt that the car has given me nothing but trouble it leaks into the car the transmission is going out again with only 35000 miles on it. have had it mess up on me constantly. would not ever recommend this car unless you just want to blow money