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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  Great wheels - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By marvel90 - July 31 - 7:53 pm

  The Monsoon Sound system is much better than the Bose in the Infiniti I traded. Never had a car before that got "lookers" when I was at the gas station! Only flaw-the instrument panel gauges do not have illumination during the day, great at night!

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  Kick Ass - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By Blue02TA - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Very fast car, quick to start, quick to stop

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  I love this car! - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By magnusmigling - July 30 - 8:10 am

  This is great car. It is the perfect size and has all the features I want in a car. Moving stuff around has become so much easier with the fold flat seats. And, the sporty look to it, turns many heads.

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  Black Beauty Pontiac G6 - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By WEandJB - July 28 - 10:33 pm

  This automobile is not only classy looking, it is fun to drive and has a very peppy 3.5L engine that will run with the best of them. It is the closest thing you can get to a Cadillac without actually having to pay the price of a Cadillac.

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  I like my Aztek - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By AAA Aztek - July 26 - 11:16 am

  I just got it but i love it. I had a Blazer before and this unique SUV blows it away.

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  You best be "Holden" on for this ride - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Gary - July 25 - 5:56 pm

  Ok, all humor aside, this is a great car. Its fast, nimble, quiet, does what it does better than anyone else, for half the price, and I cant believe how many people ask me about it. This is quite an experience, sort of like dancing with the hottest person at the dance, and knowing youre definitely being envied. Its a very great car, which goes a long way to show that GM does it right, too bad most people dont realize just how well they do it. I love this car, its easy to drive, simple in execution and delivery. What an AMAZING machine!

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  The Car You Should Get - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Smosy - July 24 - 11:43 pm

  This is the car you want. The 0-60 is the same as the new Charger police cars, and the handling is unbelievable. The 6- speed manu-matic is so smooth, you dont even feel the shifts for normal driving, and when you want to gun it, the shift remains smooth (try downshifting - vrooom) The leather seats are extremely comfortable, and the seat heaters come in handy. With the remote start, I never have to get into a hot car in the summer, or a cold car in the winter, big plus.

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  4door GTP - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Ira - July 22 - 8:53 pm

  Impressed with engine performance and quietness of engine and vehicle. Handling and steering effort have a nice balance. Interior done well Recommend change chrome trim on instrument cluster to a titanium metal look as sunlight can reflect. Also, needs more aggressive spoiler. Seats are very comfortable and supportive. Electronic rear view mirror a plus. Monsoon sound system is excellent sound quality. A real blast to drive.

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  A Winner in my Book! - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By Snowbird - July 22 - 4:36 pm

  I purchased this vehicle used and was delighted with it. Not only was the ride comfortable (2 trips to Florida from New Jersey in 2 years) but the fuel economy was great for a 6 cylinder engine (27 mpg on the FL trips). Plenty of room. My only complaints were the air conditioning (it rarely ever got cool enough) and the middle seat removal latches. Both were difficult to operate and one actually broke. Other than that, it was a great car. Seat belt restraints and air bag saved my life in a recent accident that totalled the vehicle.

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  First cr - 1999 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Bill88nc - July 22 - 3:13 pm

  This was my first car and it is great. I am a Ford fan but this Pontiac is awesome its powerful looks good and is a nice first car.