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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  Fun little car - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By Alyson - April 30 - 10:30 am

  This is a great little car. I like that the inside is significantly larger than the outside appears. It is quite peppy and comfortable. I typically drive between 500 and 1000 miles/week, and I love the gas mileage I average (31-33mpg). I bought mine with all of the bells and whistles that Pontiac offers - upgraded sound system, roof, leather, etc, but would like to see seat warmers and electric seats.

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  Truly is driving excitement. - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By tony n. - April 30 - 12:03 am

  This is my third Pontiac. i owned a 1996 Bonneville and a 1999 Grand Prix. By far the 2007 blows them away. With just the base model the performance is awesome and the ride could not be better. You will know in minutes of driving one that you are in a solid and reliable automobile. I could not be happier.

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  Love my Vibe! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By nettied - April 27 - 10:00 am

  Have had my Vibe for a little over a year. It has been nothing but fun, fun, fun. Ive driven it everywhere from the mountains to the beaches and no problems. Great cruiser, plenty of space, fits an eight foot ladder and a 6 foot teenager. When you see another Vibe on the road, owners wave at each other. Get the stereo package - a must for traveling. Fits in compact parking spaces - great for city parking and driving. Dont hesitate - highly recommended!

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  Grand Prix Excellence - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Harenb - April 27 - 10:00 am

  I just love this car! Next to my 1976 Trans Am, it is the most fun to drive car I have owned in my 40 year driving history. It is responsive and handles like a dream.

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  G6 GTP 3.9L Coupe 2006 - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Sharon - April 25 - 2:33 am

  I ordered the car to my prefrences and received it July 15th 05. The handling is superb! Has plenty of power with the 3.9L engine. I have all the up-grades which Im very glad I chose. The ride is a little hard but the performance makes up for it. Im hoping for a little better gas mileage. Right now I get 20.5 per gal. The style of the car turns heads all the time. There is not much room for passengers in the rear, but thats not a concern of mine. This is a 1 person car for me. I put 50,000 miles a year on a car and need a dependable one. Ive found this in Pontiac.

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  A Great Car! - 1998 Pontiac Firebird
  By pontiacgirl - April 24 - 10:00 am

  I bought my car Firebird brand new in 1998, and it has been such a reliable car. The only thing Ive had to replace are the spark plug wires, and that was after 60,000 miles. The look is beautiful, the interior is comfortable, and it drives amazingly!

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  It is a number 60 in the first year of production - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Rich - April 21 - 12:21 am

  Love the style, very reliable handles great. Stero wonderful the looks of this car is priceless, and I feel like a millionaire driving the car in the Hamptons. People stop to say that I have a beautiful car. I really love it. Never a problem right now I have 8800 miles. Very low. But I intend to use it much more this summer.

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  =) - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Blair - April 20 - 9:56 pm

  i think the car is great you just need to take car of it and not beat it up! i have hed it for 46,000 miles and it runs like brand new and still looks great.. and knock on wood has never been in the shop for anything but rutien oil changes

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  FIRST SUV - 2005 Pontiac Aztek
  By CCDE - April 20 - 10:00 am

  MY HUSBAND HAS BACK TOUBLE AND IT IS SO MUCH BETTER FOR HIM TO GET IN THIS VEHICLE, WE ARE NOT SITTING IN THE CAR 10 MINUTES BEFORE WE CAN WALK INTO A STORE AND HE HAS NOT HAD TO PREMEDICATE BEFORE WE GO ON CAR RIDES.....MY 13YEAR OLD ANC FIT HIS SIZE 13 FEET IN THE BACK SEAT AND I DON T HAVE TO FEEL HSI KNEES IN MY BACK ANYMORE

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  Nice - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By fp6715 - April 20 - 10:00 am

  This is my second Grand Prix. I love the GTP it has the extra power I need. I would have liked to seen a bigger glove box and the rear view mirror should have the glare reducer with temp and direction.