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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  Love it!! - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Flagg - January 12 - 10:16 am

  A fun to drive, timelessly styled 2 seater roadster. Nothing else like it on the road, and it turns heads wherever I go.

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  My GTP - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Jason De Smit - January 11 - 10:00 am

  Excellent car, for the price, you really cant ask for anything more. There are a couple of minor things that I dont particularly care for. But the rest of the car definitely makes up for it. Its rather powerful engines makes driving VERY fun and exciting. And it handles very smoothly!

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  Stylish and comfortable! Great punch! - 2005 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Paul J. - January 9 - 10:30 am

  Driving has no longer become such a chore with the Bonneville. Just driving it for the pure joy of taking a ride is back. After owning a Bonneville in the past and my father owning 6 it seems apporiate to come back "home" agian. Proving the Bonneville is a great car and once you get one its very easy to get another one. The Bonneville with the 3800 Series II OHV V6 is plain peppy and is plenty of power for me and I was stepping down from a small block V8 powered GM car the six seemed almost as gusty. Part of that was due to the cars good gearing and performance axle ratio which was another reason I wanted an SLE. But I admit I love the GXP/SLE styling, it will age well!

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  Grand Prix- Welcome Back ! - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Jack - January 9 - 3:23 am

  We shopped around before buying the 2006 Grand Prix. It has met or exceeded all our expectations so far. I bumped my head the 1st time I got in the back seat. We were surprised how roomy and confortable the back seat was after reading mixed reviews and remembering to duck. This our 4th car with the 3.8 litre v6. We would have to say its one of the best engines ever built. We bought the base model and are very happy with the acceleration. Wow what a great car!

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  GM version of the M5 - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By chiefburn - January 8 - 11:26 pm

  Have always had interest in uncommon cars. Wanted a C6 vette (see numbers of these every day) but still have teen at home and needed a back seat. The power along with the not-around- every-corner availability has proven to be a fantastic match. Everywhere I go someone wants to know what it is and does it go as fast as it looks and sounds. It provides the ideal combination of usable pedal to the road power and performance wanted in a new muscle car with the comfort level the 60s cars could only dream of. Even though it requires premium gas, the 21 mpg average mileage is higher than expected.

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  One of the best cars Ive owned - 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
  By holly - January 8 - 10:00 am

  I have been consistently impressed with this Sunfire. It ride very smooth and holds the road confidently. The car isnt the fastest accelerating car, but it cruises exceptionally well on the highway. I have only had one thing go wrong with the car that was not a normal wear issue - the parking brake cable stretched around 40K miles.

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  love my vibe! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Divot - January 8 - 10:00 am

  Great car!!! Fun to drive. I am so happy I chose a Vibe! It is comfortable and has the feel of a sports car. Holds the road beautifully. I highly recommend it!

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  Awesome car! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By mayonnaise - January 6 - 8:56 pm

  Love, love, love this car! Bought used just over a year ago. Gets great gas mileage. Very comfortable seating. Very roomy & lots of space for passengers or to haul cargo.

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  Excellent Value - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Brandon - January 6 - 12:23 pm

  I dont have one single complaint about this car after a little more than a year of owning it. This car is very fun to drive, nice looking, and is very comfortable and spacious for a 2 dr. This is an affordable car that feels like it should be worth a lot more. This is an excellent vehicle to own.

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  Great Car - 2001 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Travis - January 6 - 5:13 am

  I got this car at 72,000 miles in 05 and Ive only had to replace the water- pump. I got 132,000 miles on it and no transmission problems yet. I just wish the rain wouldnt get in the lid of the trunk and the headrests made sense.