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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  Montana SV6 3.9 L GREAT VAN! - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By Mom, Dad & 2 teens - August 31 - 9:06 pm

  The 3.9 L engine is real peppy. I had a 2000 Montana with a 3.4 L engine that had the Dexcool leak problem. Still it lasted me 138,000 miles before being totaled in an accident. Had to have my Montana Van back, so I chose the SV6. Teens love the DVD & wireless headphones. I love the remote start. This Van offers a lot of features for a good price.

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  Grand Prix SE a good family car - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By WaBa - August 31 - 10:00 am

  We have had the car over two years. It handles extremely well, plenty of power (3.8) 6 cylinder. Very roomy inside,an all around good family car.

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  OK, but not great - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By ferrisfan - August 31 - 10:00 am

  Overall, a good car that suffers from typical GM problems. The alternator went out at 30k, and there is a noticable grinding noise in the bushings when hitting bumps. The engine has plenty of power from a dead stop. Sometimes when trying to pass at highway speeds, there is a lag in the availability of the supercharger. Installing Goodyear Aquatread 3 tires has really improved handling/cornering!

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  86k miles and still feels brand new! - 1997 Pontiac Bonneville
  By kandoll - August 31 - 10:00 am

  We purchased our Bonnie used with approx. 60k miles. Im impressed with the interior integrity (GMs biggest weakness). We dont have any rattles, squeaks or leaks, and everything still works great. It has plenty of power, even though its not supercharged. I drive fast and am pleased that it rides nice on curvy, hilly, bumpy backroads. It does okay with regular fuel except sometimes the check engine light comes on, mid-grade fuel is the cure.

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  Rest in Peace? - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By 2005/427 - August 31 - 10:00 am

  Hopefully it will be brought back as a leaner more refined machine. GM needs to look at the sales success of the Mustang and give the consumer what they want. They want fun value packaged performance cars with styling elements from the original 1967, 1968 and 1969 cars. Think of it, a Mustang shaped car with a more upright seating position with a 5.7 V-8 engine. These cars should be about balanced fun and performance. This is something Ford has figured out. Rest in peace? I hope not.

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  Grand AM - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By kellymarie - August 31 - 10:00 am

  I have had a lot of fun with my 2001 Grand AM GT1! It drives great and looks sharp.

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  Great car, lacks options. - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Todd J. - August 31 - 10:00 am

  As a 26 year old male, this car is a perfect fit. I bought a 2002 GT for the great looks, great power, Great space, and fantastic cornering. However, even at the high end options there are options missing that I would like to see (see below) I will definately buy another Grand Prix in the future, the new body looks interesting...

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  Had the car since summer - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Boomster - August 30 - 5:06 am

  Havent had any issues with the car at all. It drives like a dream, and its just as fun to drive as a Corvette. Hugs the road and you feel like you have total control. Probably why its won so many professional drifting events in the past. Nothing like the top being down. Great stereo system if you have the Monsoon upgrade. The subwoofer really shakes the passenger, lol Great pick up and go for the regular trim style. Would love to drive the GXP to see the difference. But it should make most people happy with its power. I can definitely pass most cars with ease if I need to.

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  First "NEW" Car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Andrew - August 30 - 2:13 am

  This was the first NEW (Brand New) car that I had ever purchased. I normally will pick up a car that has a year or so on it to save a few bucks - But No Regrets! This car is a ton of fun to drive and handles incredibly well on the road. In fact, I am in Wyoming, and the Winter driving was as good as the Spring. The traction control is awesome! The only problem that I have run into is with the Indexing Windows. Problem being, they freeze in Wyoming and I am afraid I am going to break a window to open the door. The solution, Remote Start! Wish I would have gone for the GTP and Climate Control, but other than that, no regrets!

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  Great Sports-Family Car - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Jen - August 29 - 11:00 am

  My first car was a Pontiac, so I am partial to the brand. I LOVE this car! It is stylish, sporty and fun to drive. I get great gas mileage and have a lot of room in the front, either riding or driving. The back is roomy, unless you put the front seats back. It cramps little legs. We have two booster seats in the back and if you want to fit a third person, you have to remove one of the seats to be comfortable.