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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  My Review - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By Merry Christmas - August 8 - 2:00 am

  I have been only driving it for a month I like it very much handles very well excellent in the snow.

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  WOW - What fun! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Quebec - August 8 - 2:00 am

  The Vibe is fun. It really handles well and cabin is a comfortable as a chair in ones living room. It has plenty of speed whenever you need it and dash is just too cool! There is a lot of space, a lot of speed, a lot of comfort and a lot fun in this car!

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  best car ive ever driven - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By teresa domby - August 8 - 2:00 am

  this car is unbelievable no matter what the wheather or the road conditions you feel like your driving on air and the stereo is great tons of room for anything

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  BEST OVERALL VALUE - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By nummiace - August 8 - 2:00 am

  I first saw this vehichle nearly two years ago at my place of employment. I didnt like the way it looked. But I was forced to work with thousands of these cars over several months.(Yes, I build them.) I slowly became very fond of the appearance, and I couldnt believe that this AWD car got 30 MPG! I know I may sound biased, but I dont think that there is a better value in this price range. It is essentially a Corolla drive-train in a flashier, roomier package; a great combination of reliability and functionality. I am also well over 6 feet tall and have plenty of room for myself, wife and two car seats.

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  Sleeper - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By cef82 - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Great car for the price. Initial purchase was to have a commuter vehicle, but this car is so much more. Ride and comfort are fine. Good gas mileage, avg 30 to 32 mpg. Acceleration could be better, but if you keep the rpms up the car does fine. Cruising at highway speeds and passing is not a problem. The Vibe suits my needs right now, and I really like it.

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  My Pontiac - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Shabang - August 8 - 2:00 am

  This has been a dependable and fun to drive car. The standard 3.1 - 175HP is a strong motor with good pickup. I didnt have any problems with the car until 62,000 when the transmission went. It cost $2650 to replace. It was out of warranty but luckily it was a company car and they payed the bill. I purchased the car from the company and my wife is driving it now. We recently replace an EGR valve for $175 but had no other problems. I would recommend the car even though it had the transmission issue.

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  Love it, Love it........ - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Knave - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Extremely fun to drive and comfortable up front. Great for taking the wife out for weekend runs. Kids love it as long as theyre riding shotgun, lol. The car gets plenty of looks on the street. Handles great.

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  numerous problems - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Paul - August 7 - 10:46 pm

  bought this car new, now has 76K. Have replaced front hub, needing 2nd rear wheel speed sensor, and heads-up display is out. This car has left me stranded on the road 3 times with electrical or fuel problems that they cannot find, always in hot weather, stop and go, driving. Acts like something going thermal. Left me sitting in Nashville for a weekend the first time. Now the front end is falling apart. It will probably be gone soon! This is my 3rd. new GM and by far the highest cost to maintain. Have a 90 Baretta with 240K that has needed less!

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  My 05 Bonny - 2005 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Mr Phil - August 7 - 12:50 pm

  Very nice power and ride. The seats are a little uncomfortable for the luxury side, but they are sporty. Minor rattles were easily fixed but should not have been found on a car in this price and alleged quality range. Would buy another one if I had to do it over again.

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  Absolute Junk! - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By billybob - August 7 - 10:00 am

  This car has been a lemon from the start. List of repairs... 1) 5 trips to the shop for leaking water when it rains. Problem continues. 2) Driver side window quit working. 3) Electric driver seat control quit working. 4) Gas gauge sending unit went out. 5) Service engine soon light came on at 23,000 miles.