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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  G6 GTP really rocks!!! - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By QUARTlow - December 31 - 9:36 am

  I didnt expect to be able to buy this much car, and at such a good price. I am in heaven!

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  Exterior is a rival for imports - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By JED GT6er - December 27 - 1:40 pm

  Love the interior options and exterior design. Car drives smoothly and accelerates quickly. Tires are a bit dicey--seem to slip at the least bit of rain, ice, snow. I would suggest a better gripping tire for this model. Get tons of queries and looks from passers by. The car is an eye catcher! The sporty feel and handling are excellent.

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  pleasantly surprised - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By danny boy - December 27 - 10:16 am

  The hardtop,convertible sold me on the car as well as the looks of the car.Driving the car I found it to be very "tight".I could not hear any squeaks as I went over bumps.The steering wheel is a little"tight" but once you realize this it is easy to overcome when turning the wheel.I like the car and the style. Im glad I purchased it.

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  Bang for the buck - 1997 Pontiac Firebird
  By Brooklyn - December 26 - 6:13 am

  Few cars match the extrerior styling of this car. It looks almost more expensive then it is. It is fun to drive providing strong acceleration even in the v6 form. The v6 is both strong and economical giving almost 30mpg on the highway. The 3800 series II is a popular engine found on many gm cars and is also reliable

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  I would buy it again - 2005 Pontiac Montana
  By Trisa - December 25 - 11:53 pm

  I use it like a work horse and it performs amicably. I works well for the family and all the stress children can place on a vehicle. The Montana Vision has made long trips tolerable with the kids.

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  hell yeah - 1997 Pontiac Firebird
  By crucial929 - December 25 - 10:00 am

  love this car .....

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  I love my GT - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By chicagogt - December 24 - 7:23 pm

  Ive had my GT for a little over a year without any problems. The gray metallic paint, coupe styling, spoiler and 17" brushed aluminum wheels get lots of compliments. Its fun to drive and I appreciate the maneuverability in city driving. City mileage is just fair, but I just returned from a road trip and got a little over 36 mpg on the highway. A little too much wind noise on the highway - but less than in my co-workers 2007 Camry! I was very pleased with this car when gas was $2 a gallon - I"m thrilled with it at $4.50 a gallon!

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  Love my car - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Samantha - December 24 - 4:23 am

  My GP is my "first" car. I learned to drive in SUVs and trucks, and I usually hate cars b/c they feel so small, but my GP is very roomy, one of the few cars that my dad, who is 6"5, can fit in pretty comfortably. My car handles absolutely great, very sensitive to whatever the driver does. I live in a very hilly and curvy area and the car does the roads great. Although 5 people fit in my car just fine, it isnt really a "family" car.

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  My first REAL car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By HxaX - December 23 - 11:00 pm

  If youre looking for a great performance, fully loaded car for around $10,000, this is your car. Im only 20 years old and purchased this car a few weeks ago and so far it has driven great! I love all the features.. the huge sunroof is great to show off. The performance of the car STOCK is very smooth and very fast. And the stereo system is one to keep stock. Most guys my age are looking for cars like this, its too bad there paying around 20k - 30k for them. I paid $10k for this fully loaded beauty! The one downside is the gas mileage. I get around 17 - 19 mpg city and 18 - 22 highway.. Which isnt too bad considering Im on 20 inch tires. But its worth it for this ride!

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  Almost bought a toyota!!! - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By GREAT SUV!!! - December 22 - 1:30 am

  We just bought our Torrent this week so weve only had it for 5 days, but already loving it and every day finding more things to love about it. And to think, we ALMOST bought a Toyota...until we wandered into the pontiac dealership and saw this vehicle, took a test drive, and the rest as they say is history! Great looking SUV, great riding SUV, creature comforts everywhere! Absolutely love the "extra" room under the console, especially handy for placing your purse so you dont have to have it next to your feet like in other vehicles. Love the window buttons -- totally different than any other vehicle out there. Looking forward to many more miles -- right now we have 67! Thanks GM!!!