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:

• 

  great car - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By thomas carapelho - September 22 - 1:36 am

  i love this car. it handles like a luxury car and the v6 engine has plenty of power to get up and go. i have 15,000 miles on it and havent had any complaints except for the dimmer switch wich could have been placed in a more conspicuous place on the dash.

• 

  Typical Mid-80s GM Product - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By LibertyNickel - September 21 - 12:10 pm

  I knew what I was getting into when I bought this 97 GT Sedan, but the price was right. Typical things have gone wrong, but the car has never left me on the side of the road. Heater fan now only works on high, traction control went out (big deal), passengers side base amp is dead (hard to replace) and Ive just observed a coolant leak near the water pump, but I fear its most likely the intake manifold. Clearcoat is peeling off the spoiler. BUT... it still runs great, its comfortable, fast, and handles great. Doesnt use any oil, brakes are fantastic, a/c will put frost on your nose, and the back seat holds all three of my granddaughters. I love the delayed- locking feature, too.

• 

  Never Again - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By Never Again - September 21 - 6:26 am

  Waterstained seats. rust-stained exterior paint. crappy tires, shocks replaced, brakes replace, load sensor blown, transmission shot all under 55K miles. I have brought this back to the dealer so many times it is ridiculous! I bought a new car/van so I wouldnt have mechanic bills - and, the bills keep mounting. There is no excuse for the lousy fabric they use for interiors; they know its an issue and no one cares. ALL DONE BUYING GM PRODUCTS. NEVER AGAIN!!

• 

  Not a bad first car these days, but research first - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Keith - September 21 - 3:40 am

  First let me say that this car isnt bad. Its a very comfortable car, and mine came with bucket seats which are very cozy. The sound system is great, mine came from the dealership with Bose speakers that are very crisp and clear. However, the interior/entertainment is not where my issues are. I am constantly having to replace/repair something on this car. In the 3 years Ive had it, Ive replaced the front tie rod, the exhaust, the thermostat, the rotors twice, the brakes 3 times, among others. This car is starting to not be worth the trouble. Not to mention the very mediocre gas mileage compared to newer cars. I drive very conservatively (partially due to the fear of breaking something else) and the most MPG Ive ever gotten out of this car was 26 miles and that was 100% highway driving for 280 miles. Its a very comfortable car, but like my other Grand Prix that I had before this one, its a money pit after a while. Make sure to do your research.

• 

  Firebird review - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By tbonacci - September 20 - 10:26 pm

  The only problem i have encountered is a faulty head light motor, the motor that raises the concealed headlight. It rumbles whenever the alarm is armed or headlights are lowered, it only last 7 seconds. Changing out he light motor requires a dealership and cost 252.00. Other than that the car is virtually perfect. The positioning of the cataylitic converted is problematic for the passenger, but since i dont sit there it doesnt bother me that much.

• 

  Glad to see it gone! - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Inwisconsin - September 20 - 9:50 pm

  I have to say I am glad I got rid of my Torrent. The gas mileage was truly the clincher of me getting rid of the vehicle. The window sticker is not even close to what the true gas mileage is. Had the vehicle for one year, NEVER got over 17 on the HWY, and about 13 in the city! Had many minor problems but annoying after awhile to take in for this and that, and a day without the vehicle, thank god they have courtesy transportation. Right before it was traded in, I had put in 89 octane gas and my engine light came on, I was told by the dealership NOTHING BUT cheap gas as it was a small combustion engine? Very odd issues, but glad its gone!

• 

  Hard to find! - 1997 Pontiac Firebird
  By 97WS.6 - September 20 - 10:00 am

  I was a part of the import craze, and had big plans for my little 4 banger. Then I ran into a mechanic that laughed at me for building a 4 cylinder motor. He then took me for a ride in his 1996 Trans Am. I then realized that torque is my friend. If you like torque, this is the car for you! The feeling of having sticky tires break loose on a hot day at your own will is something that isnt accomplished by the sub-par Ford counterparts. I love the car in every way, and will take it for a cruise just for fun. These cars look great and perform to match it straight from the factory.

• 

  AWESOME - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By StealthXtreme - September 20 - 10:00 am

  This car has been one of the best sedans Ive ever driven. And working at GM Ive driven quite a few, since I get a new vehicle every three months. This has outperformed my sons friends in their 3000GTs ( SLs of course ) and their sporty little ricers. Awesome torque and power, especially when upgraded like ours is. Yes, only 12,500 mileage.

• 

  I have NEVER been so disappointed! - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Valerie - September 20 - 10:00 am

  This was my very first brand new car. I started having problems within the first year and and it has been one thing after another. Thank God I bought the extended warranty. As of right now I have been waiting three weeks for the dealership that I have been using to get my car in to have the power steering pump replaced and to fix a hub problem on the right front. The Pontiac dealership is not the same one that I bought the car from,although I was assured that would not be a problem. Because of all the problems with this vehicle, I will probably never buy another GM product.

• 

  Wouldnt Do It Again (continued) - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By Father of 5 - September 20 - 3:13 am

  I made the decision to never buy a GM vehicle again in 2005. In that same year, my other vehicle was hit and we used the insurance money to buy a used 1992 Acura Vigor. That vehicle now has 250K miles on it and is just now starting to wear out. In the five years I’ve owned it, I’ve put 130K miles on it and never had to do anything but routine maintenance. In my view, it’s too bad that bankruptcy didn’t end in GM’s total elimination from the market. I’ve driven their cars for 25+ years, waiting for them to improve the quality of their product to something acceptable and it hasn’t happened. The cars they made back then had nothing but electrical problems and the same is still true