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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  Good Car for College - 2001 Pontiac Sunfire
  By SarasSunfire - July 20 - 10:00 am

  Its no Honda Civic, but it gets good gas milage and is real roomy.

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  Love this car - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By MJ2 - July 19 - 10:33 pm

  I have had Pontiacs since I got my license (ok, forget the 69 Dodge Dart), but have also been loong at BMWs and Acuras. This is by far the best bang for the buck. Every time that I have gone in for service (nothing wrong) or a car wash, the car receives compliments galore. Get over the import hype, and you see a vehicle that is (hopefully) the new beginning of the American auto industry. Worth every penny.

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  2004 GTO - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Matt - July 19 - 2:26 am

  Forget about all of the naysayers that expected a retro looking car like the Mustang. This car fits the bill just fine. It is fast, handles decent, and is bigger on the inside than it looks. Trunk space is my only issue because the fuel tank occupies half of it, but mine isnt a daily driver so it isnt a big deal. The car rocks and is almost everything I could ask for in a new car purchase.

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  Needs improvement - 1999 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Bware - July 18 - 3:53 pm

  My wife bought this car before we met. It gets good gas mileage for a car of its size and I like the way it drives. However, she has had a lot of problems with it. There has been 3 recalls for her car. The security light used to come on and the car wouldnt start. The check gauges light comes on and off and the suspension is poor. Ive had major repair done to her car twice in the past two years. Neither of us will buy another one due to the poor quality of the one we now have.

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  pontiac - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By paul - July 18 - 1:06 pm

  wonderful, I am most comfortable in the seats, I do wish for more side bolster support

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  I love my Vibe!! - 2007 Pontiac Vibe
  By Brenda, Minneapolis - July 18 - 12:46 pm

  If you are in the market for a used 2007 Vibe, you can sleep at night knowing youve made a wise choice. Ive bought mine new almost 3 years ago, and have 41,900 miles today. Ive never had a single mechanical issue, this is the most reliable car I have ever owned. It is a GREAT all- purpose vehicle; the roomy interior offers a HUGE amount of headroom and is great for long road trips (my son is 65" and is very comfortable driving this car). The fold-down seats and hard-coated cargo area make hauling luggage, sports equipment, etc. a breeze. Its sporty, stylish, and the integrated roof-rack is sweet!! PLUS the 36 mpg (hwy) rocks. I will keep this car forever!!!

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  Nice minivan for the money - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By mike - July 18 - 4:20 am

  Bought as new, built in Nov 2005, I bought it in may of 2008, sold to me as new, it is good so far.

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  Fast, comfortable and good value - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Sami H - July 15 - 9:16 am

  I just bought my 2005 GTP a week ago and I couldnt be happier! The car is fast, and surprisingly quiet - road noise is lower than in BMW330i I was test driving. With the ton of GM year- end rebates, this car is a bargain! NOTE: there seems to be a rebate on leather interior - free! I found it after checking out the list of rebates the dealer had on his computer; thats free leather until 3/1/05! Ask the dealer. I chose to take the GTP without the CompG - after test driving both, the non-CompG version seemed just as fast and nearly as responsive while having a very smooth ride. Monsoon stereo sucks - bass is muddy and undefined, power lacking; will be replaced. But overall, a great car!

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  What fun!! - 2004 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Jamarco - July 15 - 2:00 am

  Ride is tight and quiet. This car is sporty with luxury added in. It is fun to drive, I cant wait for the next curve or to take off from a stop. The interior is a pleasure to sit in. The red lit dash is a big plus. GM has outdone itself on this model.

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  no problems till now - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By kbrooks136 - July 14 - 10:26 am

  Up til today i have not had no problems with my grand am i do regular oil changes and maintains but i love my grandam... would take nothing for it right now.