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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  Go Buy a G8 NOW - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Greg T - June 17 - 7:23 pm

  This car handles and rides incredibly. I love everything about it except the following: tilt wheel has a lever which means to move the wheel out of your way, you must move the lever and then relock every time; FM reception is fair; gas filler door is a push from the outside design. It should be a inside release or have a finger opening. The interior materials are way softer than my buddys 530i; his door handles dig into your knees and hurt. Trunk and seats are huge. Great effort, great car. Buy one now!

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  The Review - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By JonJon - June 17 - 8:16 am

  The car is fun to drive

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  2006 Pontiac Torrent - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Kelly Rowe - June 16 - 1:43 pm

  Great SUV. Fun on trips, excellent leg room front and year--more than any we looked at. We got 27 mpg on trips and about 24-25 city miles. There are a couple of items we wished it had, like the grap bars above all the windows and a different design for the center console. CD holder in awkward place and the drink holds are rather flimsey, storage pockets in rear would be nice. Other than that, its a great SUV for traveling and the fact that the back seat moves forward and backward eight inches really is a plus for this. Very comfortable car to drive and ride in--plenty of room. The windshield design is great for sight seeing and the aerodynamics is good as well. Very little road noise

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  Nice Ride - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Scott - June 15 - 5:10 pm

  This car rides smooth and engine is high performing. Its easy to do much higher than speed limit due to how smooth ride is. Handles very well. Sporty feel while still able to bring the kids along with four doors. I checked on Nissan Altima but no head room for a 62" person. I had a 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix GT for 7 years before I bought this car. I was not impressed with new Grand Prix models and the engines offered. Was very impressed that I could get the 224 HP engine in the G6. I get compliments on the look of car all the time. Real sharp with the nice alloy 17 inch rims. Only wish this version had the manual shift option like the GTP. Sporty car with plenty of style.

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  Review of my Pontiac Vibe - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By IndianaMe - June 15 - 10:00 am

  Absolutely love it! Very economical & fun to drive. Has great acceleration & power for 4 cylinder automobile. Always had pontiacs & even though this vehicle is partial Toyota wouldnt hesitate buying it, again. Was prior all USA made buyer.

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  04 Vibe, 1.8 ltr,4 cyl, auto. - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By phillygal1964 - June 15 - 10:00 am

  Cars appearance small and deceiving. Must view from inside out. Spacious/lots of compartments/storage. Have cargo mat/nets in your deal. Shadow color hardly shows road dirt. Stay clear from Monotone. Road particles can easily chip the paint. Sporty lit dashboard electronics. Sporty steering wheel. You can rest your left foot on a foot rest while driving. Car sluggish at first until in second gear. No highway passing woes. Great gas mileage 29 city mpg and 34 highway mpg. Overall, great car for the money with a SUV feel.

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  We love it - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Hburns - June 15 - 10:00 am

  We recently went on vacation and had this car as our rental car. We liked it so much that when our week of rental was over we were bummed out so we came home and bought it. We have only had it for a month but so far so good. Love the Onstar and Xm radio. Very fast too! My husband wishes they had a 2 for 1 special because he cant get it from me!

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  I love it! - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Klatu - June 14 - 7:20 am

  I have 3 Pontiac Grand Prix sedans, 2000, 2003, both silver, and now the black 2007 GT Special Edition. This one is the best for performance, handling, and comfort (well, they all are good in my opinion). The car can really go when it is needed; like merging onto the highway to avoid the speeding trucks, or when you need to pass someone quickly. All of the controls are easy to see and adjust while driving. The Monsoon system has great sound whether using CDs, XM or normal radio. When I first got it there was a harsh sound through the speakers at times from the normal AM radio, but it went away within a few weeks. This really a fun car to drive; a real classic.

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  Watch your wallet - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By marauder - June 13 - 11:40 pm

  We have replaced the following since purchasing new in 1999: head gasket at 75K followed by 3.4L V6 engine at 125K. Intake manifold gasket failure is the likely culprit. Not through yet. Engine trouble light continues to display with replacement engine. CD player quit working at 30K. Pontiac Customer Service offered no goodwill assistance. Total cost of major repairs so far = $6K. Driving excitement = zero.

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  Love My Tek - 2005 Pontiac Aztek
  By Ric - June 13 - 7:18 am

  No BS here......I bought my Aztek new in 2005 and currently have 428,000 miles on the original engine and trans. Ive replaced hub assemblies often but have it down to a science. I am having a problem with a clunking noise in the front end right now AFTER changing the ball joints, tie rods, struts and CV joints/half shafts. Im thinking its time for control arm bushings to get rid of it. This has been the most reliable car I can and will ever own, its only left me stranded once when the alternator went out......not bad for 428K and 11 years of daily driving.