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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  grand prix gt - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By burgsports - May 15 - 7:16 am

  great car

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  Brilliant car that came too late - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By fuhteng - May 15 - 4:46 am

  I did my research about the sport sedan segment, and while originally looking at the BMW 335i and the G35/37, the G8 GT captivated me. It is bigger, much cheaper, and nearly as much fun. It was just what I was looking for. Owning it has been a delight. I have never had any problems with the car, and the car does everything I expect from a sports sedan, and does them all well. It is not a luxury car like the BMW and the G, but it is not supposed to be. The G8 GT is what Pontiac should have been all along.

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  I like it - 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Dinky - May 15 - 2:00 am

  We just bought a used 95 Grand Am, weve owned it for about a month and I have already taken it on two trips (over 5k miles) and the car has ran wonderfully. Only minor problems i.e. blown fuses and short in blinkers - went out in Atlanta so that was a pain, but lived through it. Overall a great car, with wonderful seats!

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  Great bird - 2000 Pontiac Firebird
  By JRMUNC - May 13 - 10:00 am

  Car drives great handles like a dream.Great looks inside and out.Sound system is wonderful.T-tops slide in and out with ease.

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  Vibe - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Saree - May 13 - 10:00 am

  This was the very first NEW car I ever bought. I love it still. It is so fun and comfortable to drive. I often drive from the Southern US to Southern Ontario Canada and I have never had a problem with the car itself. This car has served as a mode of transportation, a hotel room, a way to move house, there is so much room!

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  Pretty good first car! - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By hannie88_07 - May 13 - 7:56 am

  I was looking for a car in the range of 3000-4500 dollars for my first car and this one my dad said would be awesome! And it is!

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  All Go-Bland Show - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By OldSarge - May 13 - 1:50 am

  I bought my 2005 GTO in March 06 . It had sat on the dealers lot since the previous July. I got it for invoice plus $3500 cash back, plus $600 more than my trade in was worth. I had the intake, entire exhaust, sway bars, and shocks swapped out for high performance replacements, plus had the ECM modified to take out the 140mph governor. What a car!!! It will melt its rear tires!! Great seats, excellent forward view. Of course, very fast. I had previously owned a beefed up 69 Road Runner (during the early 70s), and a supercharged 94 Camaro Z28 (during the 90s). This car beats them both, hands down. Im glad it didnt sell well. The dummies dont know what they missed.

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  Biggest Bang for Your Buck - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By scott hall - May 12 - 3:20 am

  This is one of the fastest cars i have ever drove. It rides and handles like a dream. The is only for drivers that have been driving for a while not for a teenager. It has plenty of room front and back and the back seat is very comfy...so give the GTO a drive..and you will buy it...and make sure you drive the 6-speed :o)

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  Performance bargain - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Firstinlastout - May 11 - 8:50 am

  Ive had my GTO for 10 months now. Super reliable, not a problem at all. I do a lot of driving with it and have taken it all the way up to the mountains of North Carolina from Miami and back. Not one issue except for a burned out brake light. The power is amazing. The suspension is taught and sporty but not as razor like as I would like. The trade-off though is a super comfortable ride. If GM could have put some bigger anti-sway bars and stiffened up the springs/shocks/struts just a tad bit...I would be in heaven. Overall, I am very impressed with the GTO inside and out. Sound system is a little weak and there are no dedicated doorlock buttons, but overall I love this car !

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  A Reliable Machine - 1998 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Wes - May 9 - 5:23 pm

  Very few, very minimal issues. Drives better 3 years later than it did when I bought it. 2 thumbs up.