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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  Big Bad and Beautiful Red Tek - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By Jack Egan - February 23 - 10:00 am

  Ever since the introduction of the Aztek Ive wanted to own one.When my Olds Intrigue died I needed a vehicle fairly quick. I knew I wanted an suv and went looking at all the candidates. I drove an Escape and Blazer and felt claustrophobic along with not being able to stomach the poor gas mileage and poor ride. I then took a ride in a Tek and was hooked. The interior was spacious, the seating comfortable and the 10 speaker system awesome. I immediately went into the dealership and purchased it. Since Ive owned it Ive averaged 22-24 miles per gallon. Ive managed to haul a set of 68" doors inside and close the hatch.

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  best SUV for the money - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By maple garland - February 23 - 10:00 am

  I think the looks of the Aztek are sleek and sexy. The model comes in many different colors and they all look great on the car. The interior seats five passengers and it seats them very cormfortably. The gas mileage is better than most suxs in it class I get 22 mpg averaging. It is very quiet has very little road noise inside the compatrment. It handles very well on the road and it accelerates fairly well. It can handle itself very well in the snow and rain. The cool features is the center console that is also a drink cooler/cd holder. It has a lot of fun accessories like the camping package, and the bike package.

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  Pontiac Montana - 2001 Pontiac Montana
  By dcoffin - February 23 - 10:00 am

  My family and I enjoy driving the Pontiac Montana. I have a small 6 years old girl and she is now able to see out the windows with just a booster seat.

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  2004 GTP Comp G - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By greg328 - February 23 - 10:00 am

  I traded our 99 GTP in on my wifes Tahoe, and really missed driving it. I wasnt impressed with the new GP in the brochure until I saw & drove it. It was a joy to drive and looked much better with the 5 spoke chrome wheels than the 10 spoke in the brochure. I would highly recommend this car to anyone with a family that needs room but still craves a little sport and performance. This car is a perfect fit!

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  One Great Automobile - Is it really a GM?? - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Bill Ziebarth - February 21 - 9:03 am

  Before I picked-up the car, I thought it would be great. After I drove it for just a 100 miles I knew it was great! It gives the "off the line" performance of a 1963 Chevy "409". The handling as good or better than a 1969 Camaro Z28 . And top-end speed that leaves you breathless. I have had trouble with General Motors cars that were built for only those that are beyond middle age. This one is Not. I drove back to Seattle vis Idaho, Nevada, California, & Oregon. The GTO got an average of 24.7 miles to the gallon. Now, that pretty good for a car with 400 HP and the air-conditioning on the entire way. The GTOs interior is just a work of art, all in all its better than a 10

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  True American Muscle!!! - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By RacinGurl - February 19 - 11:03 pm

  Awsome car!!! I owned 4 of these cars, 2 of which i still have. I will own nothing but a Trans Am my entire life. I have both the 30th and 35th anniversarys. the 30th is a Daytona 500 Official Pace car and both have givin me absolutely no problems. Have had to replace back brake lights and front turn signals (maybe 5.00 woth of replacements) The handling is awsome and the speed is amazing. I am a 19 year old female and cars are my life, and this one is the only one that has really cought my eyes. Its a real head turner and a guy getter. Pontiac did an awsome job making this monster. It looks and sounds so mean. A great car for a responsible driver. Way too much power for a new driver car...

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  Practicality - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Chris (Go Wings!) - February 17 - 10:00 am

  Excellent vehicle! Perfectly suits my needs. Recently started a family and commute 190 miles each day. Gas mileage has improved as the miles rack up and the functionality of this vehicle is great! Extremely comfortable, plenty of head and leg room, and lots of cargo space when needed. I purchased a 2 wheel drive with the 5 speed standard. It is fun to drive a stick again and I average about 35.5 mpg. Highly recommended. No problems to date with 24,000 miles. I would opt for slighty more power if it was available

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  Buy this Car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By AHappyGirl - February 15 - 7:46 pm

  This car is exactly what I was looking for... partly sporty, part luxury and an overall great value for the money. I looks beautiful from most angle, and the ride is stiff and smooth. This car handles and feels like a Volvo S60.

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  Solstice ex - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Kokomo - February 15 - 3:56 pm

  I have driven the car since 06-06-06. I like the way it handles ice, cornering, passing, and the feel of the road. I was surprised at the power of the 4 banger, without the super-charger. For the price, it is a great buy. I like the way the top folds down and the cleanness of the design with the top down. I wish there was room for more misc. storage, but this is a small thing. I am planning on driving it to Florida in Dec. this will be a good test of the drivability and gas mileage.

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  Most practical car Ive owned - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By PolarBear - February 15 - 5:10 am

  I love this car because of its reliability and versatility. I frequently lay the seats down to haul loads. My lifetime mpg over 50,000 miles is 34.1 combined. Ive owned a number of Hondas, and they have all used less fuel and had more power. Whoever designed the cruise control was on drugs. Drop below 25 mph and it loses its memory and has to be reset. I dont like the daytime running lights. The oem Continental tires only lasted 15k miles without hard driving. The Michelin Hydroedge replacements really make the car handle better. If GM built all their cars with this kind of quality and practicality, they wouldnt be in financial trouble. Like an suv without the disadvantages.