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 to Drive - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Darth Vader - December 5 - 2:00 am

  I had a 1995 Bonneville SE previously that I traded in for this car. I love the Bonnevilles for there size, performance, comfort, styling and just the simple fact that its FUN to drive.

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  Sports car - great price! - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Andrew Olexson - December 1 - 9:13 am

  In 3 weeks driven 1600 miles, fuel savings have made car payment, 30 mpg. Sunfire acceleration and handling are great.

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  I Love my G6` - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Scottie - November 30 - 2:30 am

  I leased a 2005 G6 just because I drove it when I needed to look for a better car, and once I drove it I loved it. I am 66" tall and it has more room and comfort than my old Caddy. It has great peep, good gas mileage, great room for 4 big people and rides like a dream it will be on of the biggest hits for Pontiac in the years to come

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  GTP4ME - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By GTP4ME - November 29 - 10:00 am

  I was set on the Infinity G35. I owned a 98 GTP. I just wanted to see a GTP 2004 before I made the choice. I didnt like the look that much but I decided to drive it. The drive sold me. The tap shifts seperated the car from any other. The low end power was enough to spin the 17" tires for 30 ft even with traction control. The electronics displays are excellent. The Monsoon stereo was equal to any bose. On Star sweetened the deal. The design of the trunk and the fold down rear seats make the car very versatile and not matched by its competition. The fold flat front seat makes you wonder why this is not standard on all cars.

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  New Red..... looking good - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By turgeon - November 29 - 10:00 am

  I love the way the vehicle handles especially on turns with the Magnasteer. The 200 HP really gives you a needed boost when you get on the highway yet the vehicle still gets commendable gas mileage. I definitely like the comfort and feel.

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  Its a toyota with GM pricing - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By weatherman3 - November 29 - 3:10 am

  this car works because its a toyota, the design is all japanese and thats a great thing. luckily, pontiac actually improved over the matrix styling and mines really hot. I have the base auto salsa with the sports package and 17 inch alloys. the extra spoilers on the back are unique and really add to the body kit. i also have the moon and tunes pkg with abs and black interior. the vehicle is really sporty looking and handles well with the big wheels. the best part of this deal was the gm employee pricing plus i haggled an additional 1300 off that, which deducted about 5000 off msrp. got great financing too.

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  Driving Experience - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Review - November 28 - 12:46 am

  I have looked around for a new vehicle, and this Pontiac has it all, the power, of the V8 and the great looks, I bought the Black one, I think that is the only color it looks good in, the ride is great, it could use more room in the back seat, the trunk space has alot of room, if you are looking for a new car, take a look at the Pontiac GXP,AND MOST OF ALL take it for a test ride, you wont be disappointed, this car has alot for the price.

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  Great Car - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Love Pontiac - November 27 - 3:50 am

  Had the car a few months now, and Ive loved every minute of it. Great engine and powertrain, Ive had no problems from it (almost at 100,000 miles). Handling is good, so are the brakes. I average about 20 mpg, and can go 2 weeks on one tank! Very fast (especially for a v6) will beat any v6 and many v8 muscle cars you run into. The interior is a little cheap, but love the boost gauge, hud, and the seats. Oh, and did I say its fast! Overall a great car!

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  I have 2 Vibes - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By Old Sarge - November 27 - 12:56 am

  Fun and easy to drive. It’s real easy to get excited about this car. It gets great rating all around. Some times I take for granted how good a car it is until I have to drive something else. I don’t know why some “experts” say it’s underpowered. With 4 passengers and luggage it may have a little trouble getting uphill, but other than that its 130 or so horses has plenty of giddyup. The experts also say the steering wheel is too far to reach. I have short arms, it’s not a problem.

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  I love this car!!! - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Cameron - November 26 - 9:26 pm

  The title says it all. This car is awesome! I get compliments on it all the time, and Ive had it less than a month. Coming from a Nissan Maxima, I considered purchasing the Infiniti G35 as well as the BMW 3 series as well, and neither comes close in terms of bang for buck. What took you so long, Pontiac???