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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  Such a Shame - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Forever Young - May 7 - 9:00 am

  It is such a shame that this car is so awful, I love this car, but it is a rolling junk heap. It looks great, and it is a good thing that the monsoon stereo is awesome, b/c it drowns out alot of the popping and cracking the car makes, from the dash to the, rear end to the steering column, to the sunroof, oh my at the noises!!! I am so disappointed, I need to trade it in, but I cant b/c I am so upside down in the payment. Dealerships and GM do nothing to resolve issues. I really love the car but it has so many problems, gas smell inside, stalling out, back firing, everything rattles, brakes, rotors, you name it. I have always driven Chevys and love them, I will never own another Pontiac!!

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  Never own one again - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Tara - May 5 - 7:33 pm

  I am a 17 yr. old female and bought my 2002 off the showroom floor. The biggest mistake I have ever made was buying that car. Yes it looks nice and will get on it but I will never buy a Pontiac again. After the first 1,000 miles it does not run the same. My horn has the tendency to go off without me pushing it. There are all kinds of sounds coming from the panels. I work at a Ford dealership and I have never seen a vehicle cheaper built than Pontiacs. I will be switching back to ford this year.

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  Good Car- Very good Price - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By TinMan - May 5 - 5:30 am

  Overall, I have been pleased with the GTP. I have owned the supercharged engine before and its a primary reason why I bought this car. It is very strong at 260 hp- although I have not gunned it too much yet- still new. The car definitely looks cool in black- almost batman -like. I get all kinds of looks from people. Lots of features plus a good, sporty look got me into this car. I also got the GM employee price minus my GM card rebate which came out to be around 25K for a totally loaded 2005 GTP. Pretty good deal for what you get. Definitely not a boring-looking Accord or a Camry..

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  Review - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By Jackson - May 5 - 3:00 am

  This is a fun car to drive. It handles well and the gas mileage is great.

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  Fun & Great Toy - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By newragtopowner - May 3 - 5:46 pm

  What a fun car to drive! I dont understand how the "expert" reviewers can rate the Sky higher than the Solstice. They are virtually the same car. This is a roadster & therefore should not be considered a roomy car. It would be great if the top were powered instead of manual but its not difficult to put up & down. I would stop the car to put up & down anyway.

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  Pontiac G8 Gt - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Irish - May 3 - 1:13 am

  Have had a problem with the parking brake not releasing has been to the dealer 2 times for this problem, was told there is nothing wrong.They said they replaced it I still have the problem. Their suggestion was my wife pulled it too tight, It was only pulled tight enough to hold the car on a hill. this is probably a design flaw that Gm either is not aware of or not willing to repair.

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  Great Fun Car - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By pwalsh - May 2 - 5:50 pm

  I just leased a GXP and Im very impressed. I just finished graduate school and got a good job so I could finally afford a nice car. I looked at the Charger a lot and was almost set on it when a friend persuaded me to test drive a GXP based on what he had read about it online. I took his advice and ended up getting one just weeks later. Everything everyone has already written here is true. I leased because I want to wait to see about the reborn Camaro and Challenger in a few years. But regardless this is a sweet car. Im 23 and I love driving it. It feels and looks like a sports car despite its sedan heritage. Loud, fast V8...good old American muscle. Whats not to love?

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  Love It! - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By joflier9202 - May 2 - 12:23 pm

  Driven my Aztek for 2 years, and its been a great experience. It drives better than my moms sports car and is the most comfortable for the long trips! Have had no problems. Lots of people think theyre ugly, but hey, dont knock it until you drive it! It won over my heart!

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  I love this car! - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By SuperVibeGT - May 2 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned my Vibe for about a year now and Im still as excited about it as the day I bought it. It has served me beyond my expectations. The Vibe makes hauling things back and forth to and from college easy. Also, theres plenty of room for several friends and sporting equipment. The unique engine with the 6-speed manual transmission makes it unsuspectingly sporty, which really appeals to me. Braking is great, handling is good. Safety ratings and fuel economy are great bonuses with this car.

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  Good Car....for a few years - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Tony2000GT - May 2 - 10:00 am

  My Grand Prix was great the first 4 years with the exception of trim coming off around the windows or other minor things. Just recently I have been having bigger problems. Door panels are low quality with connectors that break very easily (plastic!). Even more frustrating is the window regulator that failed. The dealership wants $450 to fix - ridiculous! They are poorly designed and can be expected to go bad in time...so beware and dont use your electric windows.