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 this Car! - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Karen - August 4 - 7:03 pm

  When its not raining - the top is down on this car. The only complaint I have is the condensation around the A/C vents. It has gotten so bad, it has shorted the hazard flashers. My concern is it will short the great monsoon stereo system. Quick to response & fun to drive. In town gas mileage around 23 mpg.

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  OVERALL GREAT CAR - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By seekwolf - August 3 - 10:53 pm

  I have the sport package with the 3.5 L V6, i bought this car for a decent price @ 29,000 miles. It was a rental car and it hasnt failed me yet. IT has gone on 1200 mile trips getting 30 mpg twice. And it has gone on 800 mile trips twice with no problems what-so-ever. I havent had to do a thing except change the oil every 3-5k. I bought a extended warranty and didnt get to use it. Annoying.

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  99 grand prix - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By lcbsacto - July 30 - 4:49 am

  have had this car for 184,000 miles and has been a great car decent gas milage from a 3.1 v-6 engine

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  Love/hate - 2001 Pontiac Bonneville
  By bonbon - July 29 - 5:43 pm

  I bought my car new, it now has 131k. Very nice styling, very comfortable. I have gotten as high as 36mpg, but typically 20 around town, 30 on the road. Have had the same squeaks and rattles in the front passenger area since the car was new. Dealer could never find them. The ashtray would slide out, and after six times to dealer, fixed it myself. In the past year and a half, I have put in almost $5500 in repairs. My brother owned a Honda Accord with almost 225k, and he put in only $2000 worth of repairs in all that time. Reliability is very very poor, but this car is fun to drive. I am leaving GM after having two Pontiacs that have required excessive repairs.

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  Montana M2K - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By ams - July 28 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my Montana new in 2000. It is feature rich, and definitely the best looking van on the market. Not bad power for a van. Interior quality is fair, lots of plastic. Cupholders are useless, rear hatch handle broke off at 20,000 miles, Power side door sensors are intermittant (door ajar message is displayed frequently), electronic overhead display problems, fuel gauge becomes erratic at 1/4 full, and now I need intake manifold gaskets ($750). Too many negatives for me to buy another one of these vehicles.

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  Great Ride and Value! - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By luvmyaztec - July 28 - 2:00 am

  this may not be the most attractive of all autos, but it is above all others in its price range for comfort, affordabilty and overall preformance. I have took it on vacations with the camping attachment, works great. I can haul all sizes of cargo as the seats conform in many ways to accomidate passengers and purchaces. Always starts, smooth ride, no road sounds.

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  Review by a 16-year-old - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By LuckyShamrock20 - July 28 - 2:00 am

  I turned 16 last May and recieved a 2003 White Sunfire and I love it. Its a sporty car that is not expensive. I think that it is a great car for someone my age.

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  4th Pontiac MiniVan - 2003 Pontiac Montana
  By EEEVan - July 28 - 2:00 am

  This is my 4th Pontiac Mini Van. My first was bought in 1990. Pontaic has continued to remove feature from previous years vechicle model. There are no longer pouches on the back of the front seats for storage and no storage compartment below the front passenger seat. The adjustor for tilt in the front seats is now a lever vs. the more user friendly knob adjuster. Dealership unaware of the fact that Anit-lock brakes are no longer a standard feature with the vechicle.

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  Very disappointed, but relieved - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By JennyB - July 27 - 1:43 am

  I have just hit my two years of owning my 2006 G6 Sedan and I have already put $1000+ into the car. After reading the other reviews, Im so sad to hear that others are having the same troubles. Two months after owning the vehicle, I was told by the dealership during an oil change, that the front struts were leaking and that my steering shaft needed to be lubed due to a clunking sound. A year into owning the car, I have had my brakes, rotors, blinker bulbs and front struts replaced. I am about to have my right front wheel bearing replaced this week. Just a note of advice if you hear a tingy sound while driving with the windows down, it could possibly be a clamp loose on the muffler.

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  Pontiac Sunfire - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Cars4me89 - July 21 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car. Especially because of the Pontiac Wide Trac. Pontiac has a reputation for performance and that was definetly met.