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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  transam the legend lives - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By c. hall - September 1 - 10:00 am

  Had problems with paintwork on both sides of roof pillar,all ok now,30,000 on clock and all is ok.

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  Nice Car - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By hmiwb3 - September 1 - 10:00 am

  Great little commuter car. Comfortable, manuverable and easy on gasoline. Love the looks, the good performance, easy shifting, and the space for odds and ends.

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  My new toy - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By jimmy - August 30 - 2:56 pm

  I purchaced a 2006 g6 GT in november of 2005 when they came out. I couldnt take not having the power i used to have in my grand prix GTP so i traded in the GT for the G6 GTP. It has been an eye-catching black sports coupe. i love everything about it!!

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  Best car ever owned - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By tom - August 30 - 10:00 am

  I bought this 97 grand am in fort hood, tx back in 2005, mind you car already 8 years old. Make a long story short 13 years later and 182,000 miles the only thing I have majorly replaced was the cooling intake and flex pipe by manifold. I see a lot of complaints about this car, make a long story short reason this car is at 182,000 and still going change oil right at 3000 miles. Injector cleaner every other fill up, plugs done at every 5000 miles and etc. Once again best car I ever had

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  A Great Little Car that GM Killed - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By Michigan Man - August 30 - 10:00 am

  A great vehicle that unfortunately fell due to the fate of GM. Purchased 2 years ago and no issues at all - always follow the scheduled maintenance and visit a GM dealer. I would purchase a Vibe as my next vehicle if it still existed.

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  As good as Honda Pilot or Rav4 - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Jay - August 28 - 6:23 pm

  Very nice fit and finish and exceptional features for money. Handles freeway and in-town driving very well smooths out the bumps in Southern California freeways. Comfortable seats (couldnt believe they were in a GM product), very good ergonomics and a loud sound system to boot. Bravo GM, you have a repeat customer in me and won my wife away from buying another Toyota.

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  A real sweet ride - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By vespagl - August 26 - 9:53 am

  This car is all about fun and styling. It handles wonderfully on the twisties and is a real head turner. It is certainly not a practical everyday vehicle, but in my case it is my weekend toy. I have had Miatas, and this car is so much more satisfying to own and drive. (Probably because it looks so darned special, as opposed to the Miatas somewhat mundane styling). I wanted a vehicle that closely gives the feel of those classic 1960s British sports cars (light, nimble, modest power plant), and the Solstice delivers in spades.

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  Toyota Quality Coupled With Pontiac Cool - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By bruce bellin - August 26 - 2:00 am

  Mustang got me through "male menopause." Vibe has the sporty looks and is as much fun to drive with far better quality & practicality. Was going for Vibe Gt until saw in manual it requires premium fuel -for an economy car? Six foor two and is plenty comfortable. Narrow rear wheel wells allow alot to be carried flat. With snow tires,fine in snow. 2004 guages in white & orange better than 2003s all orange ones. I give it a solid recommendation.

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  Great Bang for the Buck - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Brent - August 24 - 9:53 pm

  Fun car to drive and still turns heads four years later. Excellent power and handling for such a large car. Exceptionally reliable. In 70,000 miles, have only changed front brakes and a set of tires (oh - forgot about the water pump). Still gets 30 mpg on the road with a driver, three adult passengers and luggage.

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  It doesnt get any more fun - 2001 Pontiac Firebird
  By William - August 23 - 2:50 am

  Ive owned a V6 camaro, a Z28, and now this Trans Am, and it is by far MUCH faster and has a lot more power than the Z28. Its got plenty of power, yet can be refined enough for city driving. Not to mention this is just a beautiful car. The leather in the car is top notch, my only complaints are with the traction control system. It does work, but its not very effective performance-wise. It decelerates the engine for too long of a time and does not enhance performance, unlike the 350Z that I sell whose traction control system is beyond par. Otherwise, this car has more power than any other car you can buy for this amount of money. Period. And the great looks, dependability, 4.5 out of 5 star