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:

• 

  gt - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By homie - January 29 - 10:00 am

  its a good car for the price

• 

  Great Car - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By turtlboy - January 29 - 10:00 am

  I just sold my 1999 GA SE and bought a 2002 GA GT. I was very happy with my 1999 model, so happy that I decided to buy another one! I went for the GT model this time, wow! Go for the GT, it doesnt cost much more and well worth it. I love the bigger engine, the tighter suspension, the Goodyear Eagles, and the monsooon stereo!

• 

  My 2005 Pontiac Vibe - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Sondra Coble - January 29 - 2:10 am

  I love my 2005 Pontiac Vibe. It has lots of get up and go when I need it like coming from a exit ramp onto a highway. It handles really well and I just love driving it. I have 8 grandchildren and it is especially nice when I have small grandkids in the back. It has the child safety locks as well as window locks. I have piece of mind knowing they can not open a window or door while Im driving down the road. It is also very spacious and roomy in the back seat. I was amazed when I finally rode back there. Im 53 years old and its one of the best investments I have ever made.

• 

  Great vehicle - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By justinsissy1 - January 28 - 10:16 pm

  This is absolutely the funnest car i have ever owned. i just bought the car for $2700. It has 122,000 miles and is very good condition for the price i paid. Took it to the drag strip and run 15.3 1/4 mile and the car is BONE STOCK. absolutely nothing done to it but a tune up.(just plugs and wires, and oil change). I absolutely love this car. Very very good power to price ratio. I did have to put a right, rear wheel bearing in but i think that is just because the last owner run it a little hard.

• 

  5 Years Strong - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Chris - January 25 - 7:30 pm

  I have run this car in all conditions (snow, sleet, high heat, many rough dirt roads, hard driving, easy driving) and its responded to the challenge. The 3400 V6 is more than adequate for a car of this size and weight and it and the tranny are such that you get nice punch and grip as you take off. I have 120K, but can go to 200K easy IMO. Normal problems did originally get to me also (lower intake manifold gasket (1x @ $150), tire grinding noise (all 4 tires w/ Warranty), blower resistor (1x @ $20), left and right wheel hub assembly (1x each @ $130 each), IAT wiring wiring issue causing hard shift into drive and park (1x @ $90) and EGR valve (1x @ $90). Battery finally just failed at 12

• 

  #41 of 888 - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By twort - January 25 - 1:26 pm

  I have had my g8 for a week now. I like it a lot. I am averaging 16 mpg but is all city driving. I have put 200 miles on it with out a problem. Car is much more comfortable then my camaro z28 and feels quicker too but have not given it a work out yet. Have to wait till I get some more miles. The one thing I wish it had is displaying a the title of a song when listening to the radio. My wifes 03 Grand am does this and it is a nice feature. I cant tell when the active fuel management kicks in. It would be nice to have some kind of indication on the dash if you are in 4 or 8 mode. Handling is great with little body roll in sharp corners and tons of room. This is a great value car

• 

  A real delight to drive..... - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Philip Hannah - January 25 - 10:53 am

  Overall experience has been exceptional except for some normal replacement parts.etc Brakes,tires,battery, headlights......

• 

  good first car - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By RanLeBlanc - January 25 - 12:56 am

  Have the car for 2 years and no problems. Not as good on gas as I expected.

• 

  New G5 - Great car ! - 2009 Pontiac G5
  By Indiana G5 Owner - January 24 - 8:46 pm

  Just purchased new 2009 G5 with automatic transmission, which was priced $4k lower than similar equiped 2009 Honda Civic. Consumer Reports rated the G5 reliability equal to the Honda Civic except for "body integrity and/or finish" and has a better reliability rating than most American built cars. Also has a better factory warranty than Honda or Toyota. Although time will tell if this G5 will be as reliable as my other car; i.e. Honda. So far, enjoying the creature comforts, sound system and the "GREAT" gas mileage - 39+ mpg! Im happy the car received so-so ratings, keeps the price down and affortable in these tough times.

• 

  Love my new ride! - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By emericksm - January 24 - 10:00 am

  This is a very nice vehicle.