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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  Sweet family of GAs - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By pimpedoutpontiac - February 24 - 2:00 am

  We owned a 97 ga gt that was rolled and it saved my brother and aa few friends lives. He now has a 98 se. I have a 95 se 5spd that i love and will never get rid of. I am goin to get a newer ga soon and still have my 95 too. My mom got a 2002 GA GT this year and it is awsome i have more fun driving it then i do in my car.

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  04 GTO - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Kyle - February 24 - 1:03 am

  Excellent fit and finish. Fun performance from an understated package. Great low end torque with smooth, quick trips to 6000 rpms. Simple air, heat & audio controls. Super stereo.

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  04 grand prix gt2 - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Lisa - February 23 - 11:33 am

  Mine had 30,000 miles when I bought. now 78,000. No problems, except do have trouble with 1 turn signal, running light. Very dependable. Would leave going anywhere in it. This is the 3rd grand prix Ive owned. Love this one. Back seats sit a little low. Very spacious trunk. Ive raised 3 kids w/ these cars. Good size, for family. Has great get up & go, when needed. Comfortable ride. Good gas mileage, for a family car. 27 miles to gallon, in town, when driven right.

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  Disappointment - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Lora - February 21 - 9:53 pm

  I bought my car new, and have had nothing but problems. I consider myself an above average driver, as I put a lot of care into my cars. However, in the 3 years that I have had it I have replaced the following: CD player, front windshield, cruise control, steering column, head unit (#2 cylinder was misfiring), and now I have to replace the converter. Whats next? I am never buying Pontiac again!!

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  Bad brakes and bad Breaks from Pontiac! - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By General Lee GXP - February 21 - 2:03 pm

  Please know that I am a Loyal GM owner! Unfortunately, even with the high performance and fun driving factor, I will Never own another Pontiac and I have owned Numerous Pontiacs over the past 40 years. With fewer than 11K-miles, Pontiac had to replace the throttle-body which left me stranded on the freeway for 2 hours. With fewer than 13K-miles, I had to pay out of pocket for front brake pads And Disc Rotors; almost $700! I had to replace those Awful Bridgestone tires on front with Kumhos at the same time as the brake fix! I drove it from coast to coast right after the Disc replacement and it started scoring the front rotors Again! Neither the dealers involved not Pontiac was of any help!

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  G6 GTP - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By dmo4cwo - February 20 - 11:33 pm

  Approx 3k miles as of Aug 2006. At 300 miles, had oil leak. Dealer replaced rear engine seal. Multiple paint issues. Black paint did not cover primer and was very transparent on deck lid. Paint is very thin on this vehicle. Being in the auto repair business, I know what to look for and honestly feel GM could have done a better refinishing job on this vehicle.

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  Twos a charme - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Rick - February 20 - 10:13 pm

  Just got a GT coupe to replace an 05 GT sedan witch was totaled in an accident with 10,000 miles on it. Walked away without a scratch. Saw 30 mpg highway, 21+ around town.Loved that car, so I went out and got the coupe. Only have it a week but love it. Very responsive and fun to drive. It looks great too.

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  Good Old Pontiac! - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By prdsubrbndrvr - February 20 - 10:00 pm

  My parents are the original owners since new! I drive the Grand Prix whenever I come home because I love it, nice break from my Suburban! The Grand Prix has 114,000 miles on it and still resembles a newer car. The 3.8L engine is undestructable and has never failed us! Just usual oil changes, and minimal problems. My dad will run this car until it can go no longer, which should not be anytime soon.

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  Great Economical SUV - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By Ttoro - February 18 - 2:00 am

  Low maintenance SUV, very confortable and very well thought.

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  Best bang for the buck - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By TantricRogue - February 18 - 2:00 am

  I love this car! I live in southern California and love to cruise the Pacific Coast Highway with my convertible down!I have pulled up to a stoplight and have girls I dont even know jump into my car. This car has never needed more than typical maintenance. Its an Urban Rollercoaster. There is nothing better than to pull up to some raced out Honda, put down my top, blast "Born in The U.S.A." by Bruce Springstien, rev my engine and blow the other son of a b!@ch away... EVERY time.