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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  GP ROCKS - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By GPTCOMPGKills - August 12 - 10:00 am

  This car is The BEST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED I love this car better then all the others in it class

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  Great, Fun Car! - 2010 Pontiac Vibe
  By nbaatb - August 10 - 11:45 pm

  I bought my 2010 Vibe in 2011 and have been driving it now for a little over a year and I love it! Im surprised as to how much get up it has- zippy is a good word. I love everything about it. I can fit my three large dogs in the back, and the seats are high so they dont like to jump over. There is leg room in the back to actually fit people in. More room then our RAV 4 by far! I get around 25mpg city and 30 hwy. The only thing I dont like is the blind spots. The car has limited visibility and that is the only problem Ive had. I also love the plastic in the "trunk" easy to vacuum up dirt/dog hair. I can lay the seats down throw my bike and dogs in too. LOVE IT!

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  Lovin it! - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Midgt - August 10 - 10:53 pm

  Ive been very impressed with how this car handles & drives! It looks sharp & sporty but retains the comfort & roomy- ness of a family sedan.

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  Great buy - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Ciesielski - August 10 - 5:40 am

  I bought my grand am about a year ago for 4,000 it runs good and drives like a new car. It only has 66k and am happy that it will last

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  165,000 miles and still going strong. - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By madelineo - August 10 - 5:10 am

  I purchased my 2003 Pontiac Vibe when they first came out brand new. I have had no major problems with it. I have done regular oil changes. The only thing I have had to repalce were tires. This cars has been great. It is comfortable and has a sleek look. Continue to get comments on the car. People ask how many miles it has and when I tell them they say that is awesome. I love this car. It has been the best car i ever had.

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  does it really matter anymore - 2009 Pontiac G6
  By mbk - August 9 - 8:16 pm

  I guess Im a little heart broken at the lack of quality materials in the interior of the G6. The leather is so thin, Im almost afraid to touch it. The fact that the sports package included only half electric seats and a horrible handle to move the seats back and forth just floors me. I drove a 99 Olds Intigue GLS with all the bells and whistles, this just doesnt compare. Why did I buy it, Classic exterior look, great engine,good deal for the money,and the fact that GM is GM, and I wanted to stay American with some style.

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  Satisfied G8 owner - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Ray - August 8 - 5:33 pm

  Sorry to see Pontiac fade away when they finally have a fleet of good and exciting vehicles to sell. I hope some of the legacy will be picked up and rebadged under Chevy or Buick. The G8 hit the sweet spot for me.

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  Better than you remember - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Cliff - August 8 - 8:00 am

  My last American car was a 1969 Corvette with a 435 h.p. 427 c.i.d. engine which I bought new. Lots of fun, but everything broke. Since then it has been mostly BMWs, VWs, Porsches etc.. GM made an offer though their GM credit card that I couldnt refuse, so I bought a 2004 GTO, 6-speed. This truely is a modern muscle car, but with no rattles and NO PROBLEMS! The car is quiet, but with just the right rumble of exhaust. It gets up and goes when you want, and excels on the open road with 22-24 mpg at 80 mph. Dont let the looks fool you, this car is better in every way than the 1964 tri-power GTO that I drove back in the good old days.

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  2005 GTO - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By PR - August 8 - 6:46 am

  When looking at new car options I didnt know much about the GTO. I had guessed it was something akin to a Grand Am with a big engine dropped in. Upon test driving it was immediately clear that my preconceptions were completely wrong. More like a BMW 330 with a huge engine... No squeaks or rattles to speak of, tight fitting door and gaps, and of course neck-snapping performance (yes its fast!). The first car Ive ever loved - and you wont know it unless you drive one.

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  So far So good - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By new car owner - August 8 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car with the notion that GM products suck. But I couldnt pass the deal that I could get on this vehicle. I like the car a lot and have had no problems so far. The only concern I do have is on Fuel economy. The sticker says 19/29. So far it has been about 16.5 city and 24 hwy. Not what I was expecting.