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:

• 

  my 2001 bonneville sle - 2001 Pontiac Bonneville
  By w. jones - March 13 - 10:00 am

  At almost 20,000 miles has never been back to dealer for any reason,great car

• 

  Minivan for the Entire Family - 2002 Pontiac Montana
  By Shuttle Bus - March 13 - 10:00 am

  This minivan handles as well on the road as most cars. Ive had the Montana less than a month, but I have nothing but praise for it so far. As a mother who once swore shed never drive a minivan, I have been pleasantly suprised by the comfort and handling of this vehicle. The MontanaVision DVD system is an absolute must... totally worth the money. I have never had such such peace in the car!

• 

  Firebird - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By ashely - March 13 - 2:00 am

  I havent enjoyed owning my car at all. Winter driving has been absolute hell and i believe it should be illegal to drive Firebirds in the snow!!!

• 

  Trans Am WS6 - 2000 Pontiac Firebird
  By ramairwarrior - March 13 - 2:00 am

  The LS1 WS6 Trans Am will get your adrenaline pumping as soon as you sit behind the wheel and turn the key. The Vette Based Aluminum Block V8 will do 0- 60 in 5.1 seconds, break loose into 2nd, and chirp into 3rd consistantly out of the box with no mods. Mustangs dont stand a chance. Interior wise, they could have tried to make it stand out from the other pontiacs. The guages and radios really dont differ from the bonneville or grand prix. However, the Prado leather seating is very comfortable and easy on the back. I would defienaty put the T-Top shades on for hot summer weather. All in all this is the hottest looking vehicle out.

• 

  First Impressions... - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Big Papa - March 13 - 2:00 am

  1) Great engine performance, and economic to boot. 2) Comfortable for 300+ pounder 3) Garage door opener still does not work. 4) Undetermine noise sounds like servo or motor 5) Less trunk more rear leg room 6) Selected vehicle color not same delivered vehicle.

• 

  Still the best bang for the buck - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By X-Caliber - March 13 - 2:00 am

  Amazing acceleration from the 345hp/350lb-ft LS1 engine lets the V8 equipped Firebirds (and Camaros) solidly take top honors for factory performance for the money. 0-60 in just over 5 seconds in the slowest form for mid $20k is unbelievable. Interior and exterior design is amazing, with the only commonly voiced complaint being that the doors are to long and heavy. Build quality is typical domestic fare, with plenty of plastic bits and cheap looks - But everything fits tight and is easy to reach/operate from the drivers seat.

• 

  Love-d It! - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By Cathy - March 12 - 11:56 pm

  Bought it new and liked its uniqueness. Yellow is easy to spot in the Wal-Mart parking lot! Very comfy for tall people and all seats recline for long trips. Interior is durable,everything in the right place. Most room for a mid-size SUV--I put several large trees and numerous plants in this thing! If they made them again, Id buy one. Mine was 2WD and handled very well in snow/ice. The only reason I dont have one now is because a tornado destroyed it! had over 144K and ran great.

• 

  Fun enough, but not impressed - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By AmandaJo88 - March 12 - 4:50 pm

  I bought this car 3/2008 used with 29000 miles but I am starting to worry about problems. My trip odometers reset on their own and a few months ago I noticed rotten egg smell and it started to guzzle gas like no tomorrow (I have to get gas 2x/week when I used to 1x/wk). Burning smell/rotten egg smell with hard acceleration. Sunroof squeaks and interior side panel rattles. However, I do enjoy driving fast and keeping up with all the other "racers" out on the road. But the longer I drive, the slower the car seems to accelerate. Overall its a nice fun car to drive, but doesnt seem as reliable as it should be.

• 

  great fun - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By EDM - March 12 - 4:53 am

  Read reviews before purchasing. The GT model has the extra horsepower to get up to highway speeds in a hurry. The six speed takes some getting used to, but it is fun to drive.

• 

  Perfectly Impractical - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Atlantiswaites - March 12 - 2:00 am

  This car is great for someone who just plain likes to drive. This is not for someone who wants a super smooth Cadillac ride, but wants to have a little bitty car, with a lot of performance. Even though the editors review of the car talked about lack of performance with the base Solstice, I like it. I know I would have a lot of issues with grip on the road if I had that GXP (thanks to my lead foot) so I actually like this one. GREAT to drive.