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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  Solid Car - 1998 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Ben - March 5 - 3:10 am

  I purchased this vehicle last year. It has 237,000 miles on it and still drives great. I have put over 20,000 miles on it. Just needed oil changes and tires so far. There is a small whining noise under the hood, and the paint on top of hood peeling. But for the high mileage, still has plenty of V6 power and very comfortable.

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  Great Car - Fun to Drive - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By talia5307 - March 4 - 11:23 am

  I bought my Aztek almost 7 years ago and have never regretted it. It now has 98000 miles on it and has only ever needed minor repairs (brakes, etc). I love that nothing else on the road looks like it, this is not your cookie cutter car for your cookie cutter neighborhood. The ride is smooth, quiet and comfortable and the car handles well in my northern Illinois winters even with just FWD. My only complaints are that the back seats dont fold flat, but not many 2002 vehicles do. Also, the bottom of the back window is totally flat, which leaves it almost always dirty.

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  The Legend Lives and Doesnt Disappoint! - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By Bret Salsbery - March 4 - 11:20 am

  I have owned my new 2006 GTO for a week now and I can honestly say it is the the most fun car to drive that Ive ever had. The acceleration is unbelievable for a four seat coupe. I am one of the few I guess that actually likes the exterior design. Lets face it, the original GTOs were not exactly ground breaking in exterior design, but who cared? You buy a GTO for one reason, performance!! Luckily, though, this car offers so much more! The interior is awesome and comfortable. The stereo is very nice. The programmable dash is great as well. The day after I bought mine I had performance mufflers installed and they just make this thing roar!!!! Do yourself a favor, get a GTO!!!!!!

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  From Firebird to Vibe - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Neptune Blue - March 4 - 10:00 am

  I drove the entire market under 20K, except the Vibe. Somehow, I was not convinced because my former car (1997 Pontiac Firebird) out preformed the otheres. I listened to a friend about the Vibe. I test drove it and was impressed. Considering I drove most of the other cars on the market, the Vibe had the most power at will, presumed Toyota quality, and the typical impressive Pontiac body stylings. While my new car is not my Firebird, she sure as hell is better than some of the other pieces of crap on the market.

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  Not Worth It! - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Jon Leibowitz - March 4 - 10:00 am

  Consider the Sunfire and similar Chevrolet Cavalier basic transportation only--both are crude, unpleasant, and outdated. The Sunfire sedan has been discontinued, and the coupe received a face lift for 2003. The Sunfires only virtue is its secure handling. ABS is no longer standard. The ride is stiff, uncomfortable, and lacking in control. The four-cylinder engine is buzzy. The thinly padded front seats lack support and are fatiguing on long journeys. The rear seat is badly shaped and cramped, and accessing it takes athletic skill. Interior fit and finish are subpar. Poor side-crash-test results are another minus. Im gonna get a nice new Celica.

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  Great car if youre taking it easy - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Ceeblur - March 4 - 10:00 am

  ME and my car have a love hate relationship. I love the layout of it, the features, and the speed, but I hate the gas mileage you get on it, and also the shortness of brake life. I have heard that you get better gas mileage if you use synthetic oil. Gas mileage is fine as long as you dont hotrod it like I do.

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  dont buy this junk - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By bobs - March 4 - 10:00 am

  doors will rust under door jams like mine already are.Also many outher problems.

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  not bad - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By brutusbaxter - March 4 - 10:00 am

  fun to drive, accelerates and handles very well. satellite radio good option.

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  Great car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By rockchick - March 3 - 9:48 am

  Ive had my G6 for about 3 years with about 32,00 miles on it. I have about 99,000 miles on it now. Ive had a few minor issues but nothing major and nothing compared to the issues described in a lot of the reviews. I love my car, it drives great, handles great and sounds amazing!

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  Not Impressed - 2005 Pontiac Grand AM
  By NotImpressed - March 3 - 9:20 am

  I traded in a 03 Saturn for my Grand Am. I was in tears a month after my trade. The car inside is smaller than my little Saturn, the doors curve so it is hard to fit things in the back seat that you cant fit in the trunk because the opening to the trunk is too small. The seats are not the most comfortable for road trips. It is a lot of plastic on the inside and just make me think of a cheap Matchbox car the more I have to drive it. The starter sticks more often than not and after purchasing the vehicle, I found out that this is a very common problem for the Grand Ams.