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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  Sweet Ride - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By geoff edwards - August 14 - 10:00 am

  This car is amazing!!!

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  Awesome car - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By carman - August 14 - 8:53 am

  Excited to drive again. Look for reasons to go to the store. This car reminds me of how exciting it was to get into your first car.

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  What a Feeling! - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Debbie - August 13 - 5:10 am

  I shopped around for a new car for a year, and had always considered the G6 sedan until I had the salesman showed me the convertible. All it took was looking at that sporty coupe turn into a great looking convertible with the push of a button and I knew what would be in my driveway! I love having two cars in one!! When the tops up, you cant even tell its a convertible, inside or out. It looks great going down the road, and then I put the top down and you know that everyone is looking at it, whether they want to or not.

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  Fun car not reliable daily driver - 2001 Pontiac Firebird
  By 01 firebird - August 12 - 10:00 am

  This car is fun to drive with like a sports car but with the v6 you dont have to worry about gas. The only problem with this car that I have had so far are strange electrical issues (ex. The headlights flip up and down when using the power locks with the remote?) also has electrical problems after being stored. Still a great convertible for Florida weather

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  I Love My Aztek - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By jodibeth - August 12 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Aztek now for 10 months. I absolutely love it. I went from driving a 1992 Toyota Corolla to the Aztek. Huge change! Indeed a great one though. My husband and son have no problems with not enough room like I did with the previous car. Ive not had to replace anything on it but the brakes and tires. It had 92000 miles on it when I bought it. Great gas mileage for an SUV. Awesome stereo system!

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  I love mine! - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By turboerik - August 12 - 10:00 am

  I inherited a 1999 Grand Am SE in 2004. I love mine! I have had only maintenance issues with mine. I love the weight of the wheel, the confident feeling of the suspension and the instrument layout. Ive had it now for 6 years and Im seriously considering getting another. The gas mileage is good, I get anywhere from 25 to 26 miles per gallon. I have always loved the Pontiacs red instrument cluster. I wish there was a larger engine option, but then the mileage would suffer. I have lowered the suspension and put Nitrous Oxide in it. I also put an after market hood on it. It looks aggressive without too personalized. Maybe mine was built on a Wednesday-because its great!

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  Happy Times (lease is over) - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By Bye Bye GM - August 12 - 10:00 am

  We bought this van new in 2006 primarily thinking it was a good value and was nicely equipped for the price.It was fun to drive, but had several issues that left us stranded with our child on many occasions.The vehicle was always dealer serviced, often for recall and warranty repairs. We had trouble with the power door (broken cable), broken DVD player, rear wiper motor, front steering shaft, front suspension components, premature brake wear, even the keyless entry fob and remote start had issues. Battery cables and battery also needed to be replaced for the vehicle to start. Bottom line, you get what you pay for. This van cost me more to drive even with extended warranty than my other car.

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  Dependable, Fun, & Handy ! - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By hockey_jen10 - August 12 - 10:00 am

  My 2006 GP is 4 years old now, though Ive only owned it for a year. Its been a great car. Ive had absolutely no mechanical or body issues, and its been very dependable. The interior is typically-sporty as only Pontiac can do, but the ride is also very comfy for a sporty car. The body color is a blueish/green that changes to purple, and it gets attention. The most impressive thing is the back seats folding down, giving me plenty of room to haul. I actually packed (12) 8-foot long shelf pieces, plus closet poles and (8) furring strips into one trip. I guess I dont need a pickup truck after all. Overall, very happy.

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  Pay me now or pay me later - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By exriguy - August 12 - 10:00 am

  At 60k we have replaced various parts related to the transmission, brakes, power steering, CD changer etc. Key fob batteries stopped working within 6 months. Every now and again it simply refuses to start altogether and dealer cant duplicate the problem. We will replace the car as a "fix." We also have strut noises and rattles. Bottom line is that you will the pay the same in the long run as if you bought a Honda Accord by the time you factor in repairs and depreciation. You may get it for much less now, but in the long run you will pay the same and be miserable along the way.

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  A very nice surprise! - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Adam McEntee - August 12 - 9:56 am

  Great daily drive. Didnt even know Pontiac had a small suv, went to get an Envoy. Very nice ride most people think it is an import suv. Real nice ride, very agile.