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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  6 years and 100,000 miles - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By David256 - September 19 - 5:30 am

  I bought my 06 Solstice in 2008, when it had about 15K miles. Upon delivery the top fastening hook was damaged, and the rear end was bad (differential too noisy to be OK). The water pump has a small leak, too. A dealership replaced the rear end as a warrantied item, and I fixed the top. Nearly 85K miles later, the water pump seal was finally passing enough coolant to warrant replacing the pump. I got the car out of the shop Saturday, and today marked 100K miles on the odometer. Overall this car has been a very good car, very satisfying to drive, and has never stranded me.

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  AWESOME CAR - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By wabashvalleyboy - September 18 - 10:46 am

  What can I say about my 2004 Pontiac GP. It is a dream. I have purchased mainly Chrysler products most of my life. I trade very frequently from anywhere to 6 months to every 2 years. This is a wonderful car to drive. The braking system is great, almost hit a 10 point buck but the brakes stopped me in time. Passing semis is a dream - this car goes from 55 to 90 before you get half-way around them. Then you say bye bye leaving them in your dust. So I would have to say this car is a dream to drive.

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  hmmm - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By bobbobob - September 18 - 10:00 am

  still cant get over the exterior styling, my son wanted one, my explored has better acceleration than it, and is not as "out of the box"

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  So far, so good! - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By CougarVibe - September 18 - 4:40 am

  With the rediculous rise in gas prices and the incentives available from GM (Employee Discount/$1K Cash/$1K "Conquest"), I was more than happy to buy my Vibe and get rid of my Explorer. Besides very good gas mileage, I bought this vehicle because of its AWD ability and Toyota drive-train. The exterior is much better looking than the Matrix, the car is very functional thanks to the storage room and 5-doors, and it definitely has a stylish character. The interior layout is good, with only a few complaints (center armrest is too short, CC is located in awkward place, no power drivers seat). Overall, Im very happy considering I got an AWD for the FWD MSRP!

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  G in G6 stands for "Gorgeous" - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By thdave - September 17 - 8:23 pm

  Nice car. Very supportive seats, generous interior space. My previous cars engine was smoother (V6 Camry- 92), yet I prefer this more powerful engine with its nicely tuned exhaust. It has a solid road feel for such a spacious sedan. Ive only owned this a short while, but it appears to be a very well made car. Im very pleased.

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  The G8 GT has a flaw - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Rod - September 17 - 11:50 am

  I still love my G8 GT but I did find a flaw. Minor $62 flaw. I am a auto mechanic and do things like my own oil change. When it comes to the G8 that oil change consist of 9 quarts of Mobil 1, and a AC Delco oil filter. Thank God for Costco who has the best price on Mobil 1, and Auto Zone for their price on Oil and filter. I have figured that $62 every 5K is very acceptable for what this super sedan gives back in return in performance and just fun to drive. Now that gas is below $3 a gallon it is even better cause can afford the premium stuff and you can feel the difference in performance of the 6.0.

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  Hell freezes over - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Andy - September 17 - 7:23 am

  My family and friends still cant believe I bought a Pontiac. Up until a few weeks ago I would have never believed it myself. Two weeks ago I traded my 2000 MB SLK 230 Kompressor for a G6 GTP coupe. With a new baby on the way I needed something with a back seat so my quest for a new car began. Ive previously owned a 98 Honda Prelude,95 300Z,04 Elantra, as well as some trucks and other cars that my wife had. Make no mistake this is no sports car! It is though an extremely sporty looking car inside and out. In fact, I would say the best looking coupe under $30k. Handling was much better than expected but not as good as some competition. Ride was very smooth and better then others.

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  Great Little Workhorse - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By Jim - September 16 - 5:30 pm

  76,000 miles and more than a few scratches and it still elicits positive remarks on its looks. The Pontiac is more attractive than the Toyota version. It can haul so much. Mine is a working vehicle. Very well designed for this. Love the permanent tie-downs, wish there were more. moveable tie-downs not as well designed as they might be, but I use them. I like it in white, but wish it had black bumpers to not show the scratches so much. Great car!

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  Loving my Goat - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By GTOTomP - September 15 - 8:56 pm

  I bought my GTO a few months ago and I love it. I have been a hardcore Camaro guy for some years now and I am happy with my change. It runs great and the interior layout is perfect for my taste. For the enthusiast who enjoys working on their own car the GTO has plenty of room under the hood to work. Great car!!!

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  My Vibe - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Andy - September 15 - 4:06 pm

  This car is probably the best Ive ever had (#10 or so). The only thing that I dont like about it is the pressure on your ears when driving over 45 mph and there is a back window open. This pressure is annoying and worsens as you speed up. Other than this minor annoyance, the car is very reliable, good looking and fully loaded.