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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  Once in a while - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By Patrick - November 18 - 6:33 am

  Background: This purchase was a new 2003 Vibe in 2002. This is a long term veiw of the car. Do you know the feeling when you buy I knew car? When you love your new car? I did. I loved this car, and still do, as much as the day I drove it off the lot. It held speed at 80 across the western US on a recent 4000 mile round trip and got 34 MPG while doing it. This was with automatic Tranny too. The power train is from the Corolla, tranny also, but the interior space is like a large sedan. You never feel cramped. The test drive will show how it feels and that is the way it will feel 3 years later. I liked the Vibe so much, I bought one for my wife last December. See Favorite Feature below.

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  Best Pontiac yet! - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Pontiac_man - November 18 - 4:16 am

  I did not purchased the GT model because I didnt see the need for the upgraded transmission. If you like doing a lot of shifting then go for the GT model and plan on spending additional 3K. I purchased the one with the panoramic roof and love it. The editoral says the back seat roof clearance is too low but I sat in the back and didnt noticed that much less room for my head. If your over 6 feet tall then, yes youre going to be bumping your head. The interior is very well laid out. Driver controls are all in a good easy to reach. The tilt steering and telescoping column is a welcome feature. The back seat has a lot of leg room. The trunk is larger than my Pontiac GM GT.

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  Fun and Fast - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Bruce M - November 16 - 6:33 pm

  Great car all around so far. Plenty of power with decent mileage. Six speed is a lot of fun; the only way to go. Havent owned long enough to gauge reliabiltiy, but to date very good with 9000 miles. Stereo is good with fair equalizer features (would like to do more manual adjusting). Front seat motors are very slow so backseat entry is a pain. Trunk is small but dont really use it anyway. Front seats are excellent.

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  Aching cheeks - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Houston - November 13 - 2:53 am

  Awesome just awesome, my cheeks are aching with smiling so much; power comes on stream when requested. Handling is so precise it compares to a Porsche I used to own. Practical, no, but who cares, looks, comments and questions from kids to grannies. Even in the traffic here in Houston I have been questioned while stopped. I read someone saying the seats were small, I am 250 and 6 ft. (and 56 years old) and slide in and out with no problem.

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  What a Machine - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By robertkcal - November 12 - 2:00 am

  No matter what the magazines say, this car was worth every penny! Ive gotten alot of positive comments on its looks, and the enterior is really nice. And of course the power is the icing on the cake. The things I look for when purchasing a car are: Looks, power, good radio, and quality. This car has them all. With only 18,000 built a year, for 3 years, Im totally happy that I have mine now.

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  LOVE THIS CAR - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By EBBAL - November 10 - 10:00 am

  FUN TO DRIVE, GOOD ECCELLERATION,RIDES GREAT, HANDLES WELL, NICE CAR, I WOULD BUY ANOTHER. I LOVE THIS CAR

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  Fun car - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By H101 - November 10 - 10:00 am

  Great value for the dollar. We traded a Grand Am with 54K miles that had never been in the shop except for oil changes (and a little bit of body work). We have only a few hundred miles on the new car, but it sure seems solid, quick and gets 30 mpg... not bad for the way I drive :)

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  Amazing Pontiac - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By TxNessie84 - November 9 - 10:30 am

  This is one amazing car and one of the best bargains in cars anywhere. This car will outperform a lot of cars costing a lot more money. Everyone who sees it and rides in it loves it and thinks it cost a lot more than it did.

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  Super Fun Reliable car - 2000 Pontiac Sunfire
  By nairb848 - November 8 - 11:40 pm

  I bought my 2000 pontiac sunfire gt convertible about a month ago and i love it. I am 6"2 and i fit in is no problem. It is far more comfortible than I would have thought. No mechanical problems and the convertible top works perfectly. When the top is up there is no noise and man is it fast! With a little 2.4 liter powering this thing I would have never guessed it but this thing can move. This is the kind of car I can see having for years and giving it to my kids.

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  Cool Little Car - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Harold Wainwright - November 8 - 10:33 pm

  The biggest temptation to buy was the price and the fuel mileage. All the other features were a bonus. My Vibe goes out of his way to do for me what I ask, and more.