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 the car - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By bill - September 30 - 10:43 pm

  The cars great, except for the headlight doors. I had an earlier model and it had the same problem.

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  This car is GREAT! - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Brad - September 29 - 4:06 pm

  I really like my new G6. I also own a 02 Grand Am GT. I still like the Grand Am but the G6 rides smoother, handles better, has more power, is more comfortable, and just seems to have a higher level of build quality. Im a manufacturing engineer and I look for all the little mistakes people make when they bolt, weld or snap parts together - so far I cant pick out any issues on my G6. My drive to and from work just got a lot better.

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  08 G6 Convertible - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By Couger - September 29 - 1:50 am

  Overall, a great car. In the handling departement, it competes well with Japanese models. It doesnt compete with the German cars, but its a lot less expensive, and sportier looking to boot. Anyone looking for a convertable would do well to consider the G-6. The seats are comforable and well designed. The lack of a power recline feature on the power seats can be overlooked. The height of the arm rests are perfect. So far, we havnt had any probles with this car. This car looks and feels great. Some one else mentioned last year that college girls love this car. Its true. Just trust me on this. If youre a single 20 or 30 something guy and can afford it, buy this car.

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  I love it! - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Kirby87 - September 28 - 7:50 pm

  I may have just bought it, but it had 100,000 miles on it and was in pretty much imaculate condition. (except the PCV hose had been broken and was ducht taped) The over all handling of the vehicle makes me squeek in excitement every time I climb in it. I fell in love with it the moment I test drove it. The only good part about it was that the previous owners took great care of it and kept up on the mantenance. the only things I see is wrong, is that the coolant smells funny, the volume controls on the dash dont work properly, and the drivers side window squeeks when I roll it up, and the pcv valve being broken off

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  Fun to drive - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By Kelly - September 28 - 8:56 am

  The car is fun and fast, a real head turner especially in red. Have only had the car for 2 months and so far the car is what i expected of it.

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  My first car - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By red/line - September 28 - 4:50 am

  When the salesman pulled the white 2005 Sunfire up, at first I was upset. He told me take it for a spin, and when you come back, tell me what you thought. Lucky for me the dealership was right next to the freeway. I got the car up to 55, and floored it. All it took was the time to downshift, and hit the powerband(instantly), and I was doing 70, going into 3rd gear which never ends. I love the performance of this car. The styling is cool as well, it stands out from the crowd. The interior is cool, but kinda cramped, but im just over 62" so it would be.

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  Cool Car - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Jim in MS - September 27 - 9:50 pm

  The car is very fast (6.0 is great), handles great, and is very hard to find. Dealer looked for weeks before we found a GT that would do. It still was not the color we wanted (we got red wanted gray, but car does turn heads) nor did it have the performance package, but it does have the sunroof and leather. Great seats, great steering, really really fast. Dealer only discounted $500 off the sticker, but still good value for so much car.

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  This Car is a Nightmare - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By dmh - September 27 - 9:36 pm

  Ive owned this car for two years and it was great at first. Now The passenger side window wont roll up the back window wont roll down, but it falls down. My headlights have started flashing on and off so I cant drive at night. My windshield wipers work intermittently. And my Traction, Anti-Lock, and Brake light all have come on at the same time. My warranty has run out. I took the car to an auto electric shop and he said I would need all four window regulators which are over 300.00 dollars a piece. Thats just the beginning. Anybody want to buy a car?

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  Awesome - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Terri - September 27 - 4:00 pm

  I have had my car since mid August and love the way it handles. Have not seen any others on the road so far! Got the Electric Blue...great color. Has great pickup..have to watch your speed since you can be going 80 before you know it! Smooth ride, great leg room in the back seat, good size truck. I added the upgraded 17" cast aluminum chrome wheels, along with the adjustable pedals and the remote start. Getting 26 mpg in city driving so far! No problems to date! Great sound system. Glad I bought the G6 instead of the Toyota Solara. Better pricing and almost the same styling

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  Very Good Car - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By CJ - September 27 - 4:16 am

  I enjoy driving this car. I used to own a 95 Sunfire. The timing chain on that one snapped at 198,000 miles. I ended up just buying a new one. After having the new Sunfire for over a year, I enjoy this one more than my old one. I wasnt happy with the newer styling, but it has grown on me. I drive the car about 100 miles a day, and I have not had any problems with it, except for having to replace two of the tires already and the windshield(Im not good with windshields, I had to replace the windshield four times in my old Sunfire). Very good for cruising, especially in the summer with the sunroof and windows open.