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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  Hate to Sell - LOVED THIS CAR - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By vibe06 - November 15 - 10:00 am

  Best car ever owned. Unable to drive anymore - health issues. This VIBE is without a doubt everything anyone wants in a car: good mileage, sporty, hauls a great deal, safe, comfortable and simply put you cant kill it. Particularly great for college kids.

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  Awesome - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Nicolas Olano - November 14 - 8:43 am

  For overall convenience, economy and satisfaction, there is no better car on the road. Oh, and buy standard shift.

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  Love my GT - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By PrplgrandamGT - November 11 - 10:00 am

  I have a purple Grand Am GT right now and have owned it for a year. Except for having to replace the driverside window (which I guess is pretty common in Grand Ams), I have had a great experience with it. In fact, I love it so much that Im checking into buying a 2003 Grand Am GT.

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  loved it - 2008 Pontiac Torrent
  By lvetzal - November 11 - 2:10 am

  This by far was my favorite car I have owned. I too was recently in a serious collision on a busy highway and walked away without a scratch only because of the vehicle I was driving. It had tons of room handled like a dream and gas wasnt so bad either! The only problem I had was the front wheel bearings went in my first 6 months of owning. But were replaced by my warranty no problem. I would highly recommend this vehicle.

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  Awesome!! - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Matt - November 10 - 5:06 am

  Its a responsible family mans sports car. Powerful, great handling, room for 5 comfortably.

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  Great car! - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By stefanie42 - November 8 - 5:12 pm

  I inherited my 99 Grand Am from my grandmother when I was 16 (in 2005). It had 117,000 miles on it and had no problems at all. Shortly after getting it, the window on the driver side refused to roll up. The volume control for the radio was faulty. Those were the only things that ever happened to it. I never got them fixed, and was fine. Went to college for a year without it. Sat for 2 years w/o driving. Replaced coolant system, fuel pump, and battery and it was back to running great! The side mirrors fell off (easy fix-it-yourself). Have to junk yard it because I got rear-ended. Im sad to see it go. Considering getting another. Excellent car. I definitely recommend it!

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  Sharp Car! - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Bethany H. - November 8 - 1:43 pm

  I just bought my new 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GT coupe yesterday and I am in love! ;-) This is not the first Grand Prix Ive had though and every time, they have been very reliable, a blast to drive, the factory sound system alone is great, and of course, what a beautiful car! To anyone who is looking into getting a Grand Prix, I would definitely suggest it.

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  Exceeds My Expectations - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Danny - November 6 - 12:56 pm

  This car exceeds all of the expectations I had for a new car. Fun to drive, good on gas and a definite head-turner on the road. The only drawback I have found is the dark interior which gets very hot in the warm months. The XM Radio is a decided plus.

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  So far, so good - 2008 Pontiac Torrent
  By Steve A. - November 6 - 6:40 am

  Four months, 7,000 miles (about 70/30 highway/local) 22.7 mpg, same as my 02 Santa Fe 4cyl, but much peppier and roomier. This SUV is fun to drive, has enough horsepower to carry 4 good size (and then some) people without dragging its feet, and handles very well. Even though it has lots of room inside, its not a huge land barge like the Escalade. My friend bought a Ford Explorer and his 15 mpg is killing him. Ive always had good luck with Pontiacs, and this looks like another winner.

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  Wow - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By TALL PAUL - November 5 - 11:10 am

  Not since my 1968 GTO & 1970 muscle cars has driving an affordably priced vehicle been so much fun. Only enhancement wish would be if it were available as a convertible. Stereo speakers/amplifiers could use an upgrade but otherwise this car is so comfortable, even for a tall & big guy that the only other dream wish would be to drive my new "muscle car" on Germanys Autoban.