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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  Awesome Ride - 2005 Pontiac Aztek
  By Jeff Kelsey - August 11 - 2:23 pm

  This has been a great car. I haul lots of scuba gear and it has no problem holding it all. I can also take 3 adults with me with plenty of room and comfort. It really moves on the road too. Very snappy response to get around slow movers fast and safely. Handles like a dream on corners and on the open road. I love it. Plus, its ugly and nobody will steal it.

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  Still Loving It!! - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Carrie T - August 11 - 2:20 pm

  I bought my Vibe new in 2003 and was concerned that I might have problems as it was the first model year. Im going on 4 years now, not a single problem and I still LOVE it! Its practical (room for just about everyone and everything) and gets phenomenal gas mileage (35-36 mpg on average). Its fun to drive and I still have enough money after filling the tank to do lots of shopping: tiny gas tank = less money to fill! I would recommend this big, little car to anyone whos budget conscious but wants a cool, spunky, dependable car.

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  fun and economical - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By cindy - August 11 - 12:53 pm

  I bought my Vibe used with 28,000 miles on it. Ive had it for 4 years and have not had any service issues. Did have the window bolts replaced for the recall (and my windows had started making a terrible noise). This vehicle has carried lots of cargo from roofing shingles to 10 trees. I also have hauled lots of kids in the back seat with no complaints. The car cleans up well and still looks good. I will most likely consider another one when the time comes to replace it. I drive about 80 miles a day so the 30 mpg is important to me. Its also pretty fun to drive, more fun than my Camry or Explorer

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  Never again - 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport
  By Tired of GM - August 11 - 6:16 am

  This is the 2nd Montana I have owned and it has been a headache from the start. Examples are, brakes locked up making vehicle undrivable, replaced fuel injectors, replaced load leveler shocks and pump twice, power windows on both sides stopped working. Power side door wont stay closed, auto locks do not operate on side doors, lights on steering wheel quit working, outside temp readout says 20 degrees in the summer, intake manifold leaks, tailgate latch no longer works. After contacting Pontiac about all the problems I have had they told me I didnt qualify for a loyal customer discount on my next purchase even though this was my 6th Pontiac purchased. The quality of this car is a joke.

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  Cant Wait To Get Rid Of This Car - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Carla - August 9 - 8:26 am

  Ive had major problems with this car: "Theft deterrent system" went down, making the car think I was trying to steal it, and stranded me on a cold December night. Ignition coil and spark plug crapped out, leaving me stranded again, as the car was basically running on just two cylinders. Its going into the shop tonight for replacement of the catalytic converter, which is plugging up. Drivers side keyless entry doesnt work. Well, the electronics work, but the lock wont unengage. I have to open it with the key, and it turns really hard; will probably break off in the lock someday. In short ... I despise this car. Thank heaven its still under warranty.

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  Nice Car - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Karen D - August 9 - 7:33 am

  this car drives nice and handles great. I love all the features it has and easy to work.

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  Cant wait to get rid of it! - 1998 Pontiac Grand AM
  By ImpyTink - August 8 - 6:20 am

  Ive had problems with this car since I had it for only six months. Its always at the mechanics. I hate this car and I cant wait to lose it. I finally have a job that maybe I can lose it soon. Not reliable. Has left me stranded many times. I pray for it to get stolen.

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  Good Vibe - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By vlbeatty - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Im pleased with my purchase. I only have one complaint and that is that the exhaust smells like rotten eggs. I have taken it to several dealerships and they keep telling me there is nothing wrong with the catalytic converter, but it sure smells like a problem to me.

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  Nice alternative to small SUVs - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By mikem120 - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Only have 2004 Vibe FWD for a month, but it is nice (fun?) to drive. High seating gives you SUV feel and the rear hatch area is excellent. Hoping for reliability of a Toyota with better styling. Mine is a base model with ABS, moon roof and all the other bells and whistles. Has nice pickup and fuel economy even with passengers, but ride is jittery on bumpy roads.

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  nice gtp - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By silver01 - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car new in feb of 98. It has been the most reliable car I have ever owned. It gets about 22 MPG. It corners well and has great acceleration. Also, there is plenty of low end torque with the push rod 3.8 fed by the blower.