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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  Great for My First Car - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By HarborMatt - October 28 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car to have. It has the power where it needs it. Its only a 2.4L I4. It can go quick when i need it. Burning out is easy. Just turn off the ETS and you can have some fun. The Stock System in the Pontiac....just great. I only have a tape deck so I use a Tape Adapter with my CD Player and it pumps out even more bass then just the radio. The gauges are sweet at night...the red background. The only problem that I have had is the Heater didnt work but thats no big....just went to the dealer and got it replaced in like 10-15 minutes. The Gas Mileage stinks (15-17 m.p.g. City) but you can get some aftermarket parts to help with that.

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  Very good vehicle overall - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Scott Allen - October 28 - 2:00 am

  This car has been very good thus far. The engine is strong and will move the car well when pushed. The steering and suspension are tight, although the car will float at times over major undulations in the pavement. The only downside to having a motor with this much torque is that it does have a degree of torque steer. That and a few squeeks and rattles (that only appear on rough pavement) are the only real issues that I have with the car. Other than that, this car has been very good.

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  Most bang for the Buck! - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By tjherber2 - October 28 - 2:00 am

  I shopped this vehicle and compared against the Nissian products and prices. It was an easy decision to pick the GP when GM is offering great incentives. Rebate, GM card points, dealer discount. When all said and done I saved 29.6% off MSRP. The GP isnt as refined as the Altima but at less then 18K this car offers the most "bang for the buck!" This is a small price to pay to sacrifice refinement which is over rated any way.

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  Not Half Bad - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By GM man - October 25 - 2:00 am

  I was forced to buy this car as the result of a divorce. Other than that bad taste fact the car has performed very well. Purchased new in 2004 and now has 97K on it. Have replaced battery, brakes, tires, front wheel bearing and the turn signal switch. Not to shabby if you ask me. Have had a couple of interior pieces break in the last year but its cosmetic and easy to replace. My son has inherited the car now and loves it. Do your scheduled maintenance and most cars will serve you well. I wont buy new again because I hate taking the hit when I want to change cars. Buying used you have to be careful and have a mechanic you trust check it before you buy it. Maintenance records great.

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  97 Pontiac Grand Am GT Sedan - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By 97 GT - October 22 - 10:16 pm

  Bought this car in 2005 for my wife. The first 2 years it was in the shop 3 times for the water pump, brake fluid leak, and complete tune-up. Since 2008 i have been driving the car and my wife got the upgrade. Since i have been driving it the a/c compressor went out, the driver side mirror fell off (thank heaven for super glue 2 years and still holding), mirror control switch fell into the door, and the exhaust is leaking. My wife biggest complaint is the lack of braking power, meaning you have to push really hard not a big deal for me though. My only complaint is the lack luster V-6, very sluggish under acceleration unless hard on throttle. Overall we are pleased with the car 19 city 28 hwy

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  slower but excellent value - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Bob - October 22 - 3:30 pm

  Our Vibe is a great value... storage, comfort, independent suspension creates competent ride and handling. All Wheel drive has proven itself in snow and wet weather. Unfortunate lack of torque and power, one time snow/ice packed into wheels and created a terrible wheel balancing problem. Any other compaints might include squeaky brakes when wet. Otherwise, a very dependable and long term quality car.

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  I Love my Ram Air Trans Am! - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By BigJim - October 21 - 3:06 pm

  My Trans Am has been a very low maintenance car. The power is terrific and the mileage is very good considering the power. I have had only very minor problems with this car and it is almost 8 years old and I DRIVE it!

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  Steering Problem - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Darla - October 21 - 3:30 am

  I would like to thank everyone that wrote about their G6. I purchased mine in February of this year, used. After a few days, I started to complain about the steering. My car was very had to steer like it did not have power steering and there was a clunking noise. Two dealerships told me nothing was wrong. Finally I went back. I had to have the steering pump and intermediate drive replaced. The dealer wanted to charge me, but I brought up the information that I had learned reading the reviews here and that I had taken my car in when it was under warranty with the same problem. In the end they did warranty the repairs.

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  problems problems - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By bstrang84 - October 21 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 1999 Pontiac Grand Am SE 4 door in July of 2001. It was great until New Years Eve 2001. The next time we stopped, thank God it was in a parking lot, the car stalled and would not start anymore. We had to replace the alternator. Since then we have had to replace it two more times. I am afraid we will probably have to replace it again. With this car you never know. Also we have a leak somewhere in the radiator. The antifreeze keeps leaking out within 10 hours of filling it. Living in Michigan in the middle of winter with no heat is not a good thing. I always dreamed of owning this car. I never thought it would be a nightmare.

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  Lot of Car for the Money - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By RoadGuy - October 21 - 2:00 am

  I test drove both the GT1 and GT2 Grand Prix, but not the GTP. This offers a lot of power, a solid body structure and a firm, taut, sporty ride. However, there is a lot of FWD torque steer, and the car lack the directional stability that makes highway driving so effortless in the better imports. Very comfortable in front with power seats, but rear is too tight for kids over 12 yrs. Exterior styling and build are impressive,but tacky plastic dash, and ugly cloth seats on pre 1/1/04 production are a let down inside. Leather seats, free until 3/31/04 on GT2, dramatically "upscale" the interior and are the way to go.