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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  2001 Aztek things I learned - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By mike - November 7 - 11:53 am

  I bought this car in 2008, with only 63K miles on it for 5K. Needed to put on new AC condenser, which the dealership wanted $1,100. I bought a reconditioned one on ebay for $200, and then a shop installed for $75 Also I problems with steering PULLING hard left, and then hard right, until I noticed that there were two different brand of tires on front. Once I bought two new tires that matched, it drives like a dream. I still get lights that flash on the dash, I keep taking it in, and , two weeks later they come on again.

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  BMW 5 Series Eater - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By MTA - November 7 - 7:36 am

  This car is ridiculous. Everywhere I go, it turns heads. Pontiac listened to all the customer suggestions on the 2008 and on the 20009, got rid of the oil & temperature gauges in the center console, added XM Radio standard and no noises other than the awesome purr of the engine as I upshift past overpriced German imports. The V8 blows doors on everything else in its class while getting surprisingly good gas mileage. If you want to enjoy driving again, go get yourself a 2009 G8 GT.

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  One underrated car - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By digitalquirk - November 6 - 4:46 am

  I was looking for something bigger than my compact car, and a black Grand Am GT Sedan caught my eye, so I thought, why not try it out? I was impressed. It handled very well and had more than enough power. I turned off the traction control and could easily spin the meaty P225/50R16s. Most importantly, it has awesome stopping power. I thought I wanted a stick shift like my last car, but after driving this car its clear that the automatic is a perfect match, so I lost the desire to row my own gears. The cockpit layout is very logical. I was quite impressed with the stereo system. Dont be fooled by the horsepower rating; this car has more than enough power. A great car for real drivers.

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  One of the best cars for the money - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By MKG - November 5 - 8:46 am

  Great car. And the best part of it is that there are not many on the road. You can upgrade it w/ supercharger up to 500hp w/o problems and use it as everyday.

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  Not a winter vehicle - 2007 Pontiac Torrent
  By Heather - November 3 - 1:40 pm

  My Torrent is definately not a winter vehicle. Slips and slides and I get zero traction. Basically, I come to a rolling stop at stop signs, because I know I wont get traction to get going again. The traction control is a joke. I had my Torrent for a month, and the traction control went out. They claimed they fixed it, but it still doesnt work properly. Will be trading for a roomier SUV, this fall. Also, youd think for a smaller SUV, it would get better gas mileage. I can get as bad as 9 mpg, driving in town, and up to 25 on the highway. For how small it is, I would like to see it get way better mileage than that!!

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  3rd gxp it bolts - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By joe - November 1 - 7:16 pm

  it goes like this: to have a v8 gxp with all options its a pleasure to drive anywhere. in city with tap shift you have little to worry about getting off the mark. I find myself driving less than the speed limit!!? just because I want to here the exhaust purr its about time. stereo great as usual with xm but its not for the weak with this size engine you need to know what your driving.

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  One of the best cars yet - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By ashbash8921 - November 1 - 7:13 am

  Have you ever wanted a fun affordable car? Well youve found it. Thats right the Pontiac G6 Convertable is one of the nicest, best cars I have ever owned. I have a Mercedes convertable and a BMW sedan and this beats out the both of them. The overall best thing about this car to me is the amazing gas mileage and looks of it.

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  Great Car - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By GetTheVibe2003 - November 1 - 2:00 am

  I have driven this vehicle over 18,500 miles since I bought in December of 2002 and it has been a pleasure to drive. Comfortable for myself and my passengers. No real problems with it mechanicaly yet. I have just taken it for its usual oil changes.

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  Solid ride - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By tony522 - November 1 - 2:00 am

  Great powertrain. The 3.8 is a rock solid unit with great get up and go torque. Feels like a small 8 out of the hole.

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  my review - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By popsawood - November 1 - 2:00 am

  I believe this is a good car but a lot slower than i expected. Even though it is a standard model with a manual transmission 5-speed, i did not notice it to be any faster than my previous car which was a 1989 pontiac 6000-LE.