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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  Family Loves It,Familyman Very Happy - 2002 Pontiac Montana
  By Familyman5 - February 18 - 2:00 am

  This van is a pleasure to own and drive.I went with the cloth interior this time,it is much more comfortable in varying tempatures(winter/summer) than the leather we had in last van.My three daugthers no longer scream too cold/hot.The eight passenger seating is ideal and so easily converted to different situations.The Versatrak AWD makes for safe secure handling in all weather,I wont purchase a vehicle without AWD agin.Pulls our 186" Crestliner sportfish boat with ease.

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  Great car - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By bigmatt87 - February 17 - 9:55 am

  so theres a lot of stuff that goes wrong with this car. coolant elbow under alternator goes bad, blower motor only works on 5, and some other little quirks. but thats not where i want to go with this review. This is a SOLID CAR. i beat the crap out of my car for 8 years. from 118k to 212k miles i drive it hard. always changed the oil. the only thing that happened is 3rd gear stopped working. and honestly im surprised it lasted as long as it did with all the burnouts and snow doughnuts i did.

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  not worth your money - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By downsthgagirl - February 17 - 12:16 am

  Purchased brand new and started having problems/safety issues from day one. Mechanical, steering, wiring, brakes, rotors, engine, and throttle body has gone out. Contacted gm customer service and not getting any help. Car to dangerous for me and my son to be in but now one wants to help me.

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  Just what I needed. - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Timothy R. - February 15 - 1:33 am

  This car is perfect for the situation I faced in 2005. I got transferred to a new job 120 miles (round trip) from home. I knew my GMC pickup truck would not be affordable to drive that distance. So, I decided to buy the Vibe. It was just what I needed. I dont get the optimum gas mileage because I carpool with two other people. This extra weight does cut my mpg down to 27-28 mpg. Everyone who rides in the Vibe likes the ride. I plan to drive this vehicle until it gets too expensive to buy replacement parts. I think I am in a majority, I see more and more people driving Vibes every day.

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  Reliable, Fun, American Owned Co. - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Mick - February 14 - 6:06 pm

  This was my first new car, I traded in my 1999 Mazda Protege on it. I absolutely love it. I keep it clean and get comments all the time on how sharp it is. I have the CompG package (highly recommended) that stiffens up the rides. I have no regrets on this purchase. American owned company, the way to buy. The Heads Up Display is so nice. Talk about a safety feature, I can change the radio, CDs, cruise, all seeing it on my windshield, so I never take my eyes off the road. All these control buttons are located on the steering wheel. The HUD also displays direction and temp. The supercharger rocks! I will take this motor over a 260 HP motor w/out a supercharger any day. Hang tight!!

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  Satisfaction Guarantee - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By Best in its Class - February 14 - 4:36 pm

  Excellent mileage and lots of leg room. Drive it daily to work on the Hwy, very responsive engine. Actual mileage is about 8.2L/100km Hwy & city combine. City alone is about 13.4L/100km. This is very good for a van. The van is huge, lots of compartment and storage space, however, it drives like a car.

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  Bad fuel economy - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Scott - February 13 - 8:20 pm

  Nice car but can, t seem to get more than 250 km on a tank of fuel ( city driving in cold winter ) maybe summer will be better. Even took it in to get looked at and apparently there is nothing wrong. Once again bad fuel economy. Bought a lemon.

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  Love this car - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By awhite - February 13 - 10:00 am

  I love my 2003 Grand Prix Gt. It is a lot of fun to drive and it is roomy and still sporty at the same time.

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  Its on the inside that counts - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By tomyo18 - February 13 - 10:00 am

  Get past the looks and get in the vehicle. (Actually, the more you look at the Tek, the better it looks) If Pontaic had done a decent job in marketing the Aztek, it would have been a big success. But they listened to the critics who never opened the doors, and caved. Once you drive it, its addicting. The way it handles, what it can do, the pricing; theres not a better buy out on the market toady. Do yourself a favor: DRIVE IT. Youll buy it.

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  Didnt like it - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By ariesrose - February 12 - 4:03 pm

  we bought the Vibe used with 23,000 miles on it.when the tranny went in my van. big size difference. i liked the fact that it sat up high, but there wasnt much passenger room. had little nickle and dime things go wrong with it everytime i turned around. went through breaks often, the power windows died on thedrivers side open in a rain storm. the trim around the front passenger side door was a rusted mess ( yes rusted at 35,000 miles. the seals on th doors stuck and the seatbelts were constantly locking tight on you. the drivers belt would release but everybody else had to constantly rebuckle. yes it had an electric plug in it but for what? not enough power to it.