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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  Good sedan for the price - 2009 Pontiac G6
  By KHC - January 28 - 11:03 am

  Good look, fun to drive. I bought the car just a few weeks and I really love it. The fitting inside is good. The response is great.

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  so far so good - 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
  By kbarno - January 28 - 7:26 am

  Bought this car with 93,000 miles on it. It now has 102,000 on it my husband drives it 4 hours a day back and forth to work.4 times a week. So far so good. the only problems with it is: a leaky valve cover, and the fuse to the power locks just blew. Nothing big, both easy fixes. and the air conditioner needs charged.

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  This is a good car - 2009 Pontiac G6
  By Mar - January 27 - 10:46 am

  I purchased the 09 G6 as a replacement for my 07 G6 as the 07 was stolen and totaled. If for a minute I didnt loke the 07 model, I never would have purchased the 09. It is a good looking car and fun tho drive. It has enough power with the 3.5 V6 and handles good. I am so mad that GM stopped making Pontiac. I have owned Pontiac for the last 20+ years, and will miss them. I am still a GM guy, I just have to decide where to go next in the GM family. I remember on a 500 mile trip, I got 30.2 MPG and did not go under 55 MPH, spending much of the time at 70MPH and more. I was impressed with that. OnStar and navigation are useful also. I recommend this car to all!

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  Found a Diamond - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Ross Gore - January 27 - 3:23 am

  I had been searching for months on a 4- Door Sedan to buy and had come down to the Ford Taurus and Buick LaCross. Then on day while having my Chrysler Sebring Conv. serviced I happened to see the front end on a G8 in the preowned car area. I walked over and took a look and walked in and said how much. That very day I solved my sedan problem and have really enjoyed the driving experience of the Dark Gray V- 6. I have put 3000 more miles on it and have been avg 27.5 on Hwy and 21 hwy/city. I took it to the mountains to see how it handled the curves and climb and was very much pleased with it. I plan to keep this car until the wheels fall off. If you can find one in great to good shape, buy it.

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  Ill miss this car - 1998 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Karl - January 26 - 11:16 am

  I bought this car with 44,000 miles on it and will be selling it at over 203,000. This car has provided me with safety (through 2 deer accidents), reliability (only one major engine problem- a gasket recall) and comfort (the a/c went but everything else still works fine). The performance was never top notch but it could more than get out of its own way (and past the occasional highway fool). Some rust here and there but I still walk out, stop and admire the way it looks; the lines of the car never get old. Unfortunately, the signs of old age have arrived all at once. Problems with the gas tank and filler and some big maintenance hurdles. Dont know what to buy now. Too bad GM axed Pontiac.

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  Cheap Piece of Junk - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By John - January 25 - 3:03 am

  The nose of this car is cheap plastic. It pulls off whenever the rear of the nose comes in contact with anything on the ground. The interior is also a very cheap plastic along with the siding under the car. Overall poor build quality. This car is not as fast as it should be with this kind of engine in it and the poor gas mileage it gets. It is heavier than most SUVs so power to weight ratio is terrible!

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  Vibe is the perfect anti-SUV - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By maxximumtek - January 25 - 2:00 am

  Before ordering my Vibe, I had a Mini Cooper S on order for a few months before deciding it would simply be too small. So then I gave serious consideration to the Chevy Avalanche as the answer to all my "utility" needs. Then I took a look at the Vibe and found that it did a little of both (small, sporty, but very useful) for way less $$ than the Mini or the enormous Avalanche. With the base Vibe, I routinely get 36mpg on trips, and the seats are some of the most comfortable Ive yet to have in a daily driver. Plus you can haul 8 2"x4"s with the hatch closed!! In all, a good car and a VERY good value!

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  Nothing But trouble - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By Dino501 - January 25 - 2:00 am

  I Love the look of the Aztek. Inside is very comfortable...UNTIL I had to take it in for the recall on the battery discharge problem which I wasnt haveing. The computer blew and I had to wait 2 weeks to get a new one. That was 3 computer systems ago and still have tons of trouble with electrical system and I have replaced all the lights and fuses over and over.Not to mention all the sensors going haywire and not working. Also the AC goes out at least one or two times a summer. Dealership was as nice as they could be but no help. But Pontiac was NO HELP and did nothing about it. Ruined me on Pontiacs and this was my 3rd and last of their products.

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  Nice Reliable transportation - 1998 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Pontiac fan - January 25 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this car based on the positive experience I had with my last Bonneville. I am happy to report that I have put 93K on it & have had to do only routine maintenance :=) I wish it had more cup-holders, and the trunk- spoiler design was better, but overall, I feel I have a good-looking roomy 4 door car that doesnt look like an old ladys car. I use the car like it is my "living room," and it is holding up well. I hope it continues to do so.

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  GMC 3.1L & 3.4L V6 ENGINE/INTAKE MANIFO - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By jmerc - January 25 - 2:00 am

  ENGINE DESIGN FLAW: GMC 3.1L & 3.4L V6 ENGINE/ INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET***** GASKET ALLOWS ANTIFREEZE TO GO INTO OIL CAUSING AT MINIMIUM REPLACEMENT OF GASKET. BUT GOES UNDETECTED CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO ACT LIKE GLUE THROUGH OUT YOUR ENGINE. CAUSES ENGINE FAILURE. THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS DAMAGE!! GMC AWARE OF THIS FLAW. REFUSES TO HELP CUSTOMER WITH COSTS OR WARN OF PROBLEM. check for recalls and complaints. DOT auto safety hotline with U.S. dept. transportation. nhtsa.dot.gov/hotline/ GMC could warn customers and help them avoid costly bills.