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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  2nd Grand Prix First GTP - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Phil - August 21 - 10:16 am

  This vehicle has all the power and sporty style a driver requires. The front seats are very comfortable. The controls are very easy to use but plain. The rear seat certainly could have more leg room considering how deep the trunk is in this vehicle. The truck is almost too large. The superchager certainly moves this vehicle and without premium gas. I have owned a 2002 Grand Prix GT and have NO repairs or warranty work. The sporty style is what I wanted and still remains true in the 2005. The interior is plain and cheatly made, the overhead garage door compartment has been broken and is currently held together with tape. I do not plan on paying $50+ to replace it. Inc. Interior Qual

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  Great Car!!!!! - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By tracylm - August 18 - 2:00 am

  They thought of so many things for this car. It is very comfortable, lots of space.

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  Love It! - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By CreatorofChaos - August 18 - 2:00 am

  I love my new Aztec. Its so much fun to drive. The drive is completely smooth, extremely spacious and just awesome.I came from driving a ranger so this is a great mini luxury vehicle for me. I have plenty of room for passengers as well as all their stuff they want to load. Its not too big and not too small. Like I said, I love it!

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  I Love My Pontiac Montana - 2004 Pontiac Montana
  By Millie - August 18 - 2:00 am

  This Van rides like a cadillac and is easy to control.I like the idea of not having to turn on the lights or worry about shutting them off.I am glad that I bought this van I even Like it better than the Ford Windstar Which I also liked But this one beat ford out.

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  G6 Rules - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By link2him@aol.com - August 17 - 4:13 pm

  A really fun car to drive. Handles superbly. Very responsive. Outstanding leg room. I have three kids, 6, 8, and 10. My wife and I took a ride looking at new houses. Her seat was back far enough that her legs were straight and the kids had more leg room than in my Envoy.

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  LOVE my Aztek! - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By ladymage - August 16 - 10:00 am

  Any snide remarks end as soon as I take people for a ride. The ride is smooth, the seats are comfortable even on long rides, with plenty of room (inc. the back seat). The inside has wonderful layout - everything clear and in reach. All the gadgets are great in use. Cargo space is good (love the sliding tray), sound system is solid (extra controls on wheel a +)and handling is great. Fun to drive, easy to handle, reliable, and the best thing next to a pickup for hauling stuff (rear seats easy to fold or remove). Very versatile and all around solid vehicle on the highway or a dirt road. ...And its easy to find in a parking lot ;)

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  Great car - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By me1010101 - August 16 - 10:00 am

  I love my GT1, it looks great, drives great. But there is one thing wrong why put the cup holders so close to the stick and radio?

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  Most bang for the buck - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By F. Pusl - August 16 - 10:00 am

  Pontiac Excitement is just a buzzword until one gets to own and drive a Pontiac Grand Prix. I bought a 1998 GT for its distinctive and muscular styling. I was immediately surprised with its performance, which led mo to trade in on a 2001 GTP. This cars performance is simply awesome. The horsepower is definitely under rated. I took it to the west coast and loved the smoothness, comfort, handling and power, especially in the mountains, getting an average of 28 miles per gallon. Talk about reliability, in four years of driving the Grand Prixs I never had to take either car back to the dealer. for repair or adjustment.

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  Fast and Versatile - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By guy - August 15 - 2:30 am

  So its a low-lifes dream car, so what? It has many assets: Much cheaper than the Volvo S60R I was also looking at, expressive appearance, dark cherry red exterior, cool rims, black leather interior, smooth ride, lots of cargo space, and rumbling 303hp V8 that runs on 4 cylinders for 28 mpg when cruising. And fun to drive, with great acceleration, control and braking. On downside, w/ my ht, drivers seat must be tilted back so I dont hit roof. Also, headrest is fixed parallel w/seat back, so its too far back to be of use even if seat werent tilted. Was car designed for Neanderthals, or should I drive with a racing helmet? I just slouch along, but somehow it works for me.

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  Nice Compact Car - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By Jason - August 15 - 1:16 am

  Coming from a 2004 Malibu V6, the fuel economy on this car is a welcome change. For the engine size, this thing puts out a lot of power. Occasionally, I am left wanting during passing maneuvers, but for the most part, no complaints. The engine does get a little loud when the RPMs get up there, but it is never unwelcome. Interior-wise, the car is very comfortable and all the controls are well placed. Gauges are bright and easy to read and the car handles superbly. I would not hesitate to buy another one of these great little cars.