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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  Love it! - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Roxanne - November 26 - 3:10 am

  Bought this car with 62000 on it in 2002 and now it has 138000+. It runs great, only one major repair, front struts, the rest has been basic maintenence. I do agree with a previous writer that the side view mirrors tend to become loose, why, I dont know, but plan on driving it till it drops! I would definitely buy another!

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  Sporty And Functional. - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By James - November 25 - 3:03 pm

  I have owned this car for about 4 months now and I commute 500KMS every 4 days. The Fuel Milage is awsome even at speeds of 120KPH. There is plenty of pep for a little motor. The seats are very comfortable, the interior is very well designed and very functional. I have used this to Haul T.Vs welders windshields, dogs. and much more. It is just so versitile.

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  Vibe_olisous - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By tlm - November 24 - 10:00 am

  Great Car. Fun to drive. Nice pickup. Lots of extras in the car. Lots of room. -- Car isnt too small or too Big -- just right.

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  SO CAL GTP - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By SO CAL GTP - November 24 - 10:00 am

  I recently purchesed my GTP and it is a blast to drive. Punch the gas, hear the supercharger whine and your doing 90 before you know it. The interior and exterior look excellent.

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  Great Car - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Great Car!!! - November 23 - 10:23 pm

  I love this car! I bought it in 1999 and it had 34,000 miles on it. Now it has approx. 113,000 miles on it. No real major problems at all. Some problems with power window motors. It hugs the road real nice and always has power when you need it.

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  Supercharged SSEi midnight blue - 2003 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Amber - November 23 - 5:03 pm

  Love it! I have always had a Bonneville or an Olds Aurora- love big sedans. This is my favorite of all time! My car is beautiful - love the look in and out and that supercharger is wow. Very comfortable ride

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  Pontiac Grand Am GT1 - 2005 Pontiac Grand AM
  By David - November 23 - 2:03 am

  This is the second Grand Am GT, the first was a 99 and was in a $7500 worth of damage accident with a child in the back. It held up perfect! very solid car. I never had any problems. Now I have the 2005 GT1 and am even happier! I have driven with friends in there Hondas and they continue to say "American cars break down and Japanese cars, never" but the truth is, if you do your homework and read reviews, that is not true, they actually need servicing too, and the $$$ they put into it to preform like mine, haha. My car out classes anything next to it except for an Eclipse w/turbo I tried to race and a Corvette. I plan to add to the engine to enhance it more, the handling is perfect. Go Pontiac!

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  A GEM - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By Stoney - November 22 - 6:26 am

  Bought my montana new in 1999. Wow what a Gem. Ive had no major mechanical issues at all other than doing schedule maintance and normal wear. As of today I have 166,000 miles on it and still no signs of major trouble. I will be looking to buy a used (2004) in the near future. I guess regular maintance and care pays off as with anything else.

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  G6 GT just Great - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By bhshop - November 21 - 3:43 am

  Have been driving my G6 GT for 2 weeks now and I simply love it. Ive already put over 600 miles on the car and averaging at least 25mpg. This car looks great, rides great, handles great and just feels real solid. One friend who is anti-american when it comes to cars said after driving mine they would definitely consider buying one. If you were like me and drawn in by the looks, after driving one and seeing it up close, the whole package will not disappoint. I love my new G6.

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  Rock solid - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By DERRECK - November 18 - 11:06 pm

  I recently traded my saturn l300 for the grand prix gt and i am very satisfied. With the excepition of the tight back seat, i have no complaints. The interior is very roomy, but the backseat leg room is less than my old saturn. I got a great lease deal with incentives and my dads employee discount. The supercharged 3800 is smooth and strong and gets good fuel economy. I recomend this vehicle as an alternative to the everyday camry and accord.