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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  ranting aztek - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By pugs - July 22 - 10:00 am

  overall vechile is nice.

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  Sunfire Goddess - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By SilverWands - July 22 - 10:00 am

  The exterior appeals to me in a sportscar kind of way. Plenty of power for a 4 cylinder and great gas mileage.

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  get up and go - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By lyro - July 22 - 10:00 am

  I really like my Vibe but for one thing when you are pulling out in traffic it does not have alot of power to get you going once you get going its great

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  Untitled - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By trinka - July 22 - 10:00 am

  I love this car. Great gas mileage, roomy, well designed interior. Right from seat as well as full back seat fold down flat for transportation of surfcoard, etc.

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  i like it - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By kmafra - July 22 - 10:00 am

  alway drove big cars;; happy with Vibe ;; been driving it 2 yrs. now

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  Great Car - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By tammy656 - July 22 - 10:00 am

  I had been researching cars for a few months.....I kept going back to the Vibe!! I test drove a few other suvs and wagons, buth this one had exactly what I wanted; affordable, sunroof, good gas mileage, 4 doors and plenty of room!! Well I was hooked and my kids loved it to. My Kids loved the stereo and the moonroof. So I decided to buy the Vibe. Well I got all that I wanted and more. I have 3 kids and they are comfortable sitting in the back and We have plenty of room for groceries and what ever else we need, I get 300 miles to a tank of gas, moonroof is awesome, drives great in rain...which we had alot of so far this year, what else could I want.

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  My GP GT - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By zana - July 22 - 10:00 am

  Have had problems with the shocks, brakes. Winshield wipers squeak no matter how much rain/water is on them. Has no pick up. Very comfortable though, a great family car.

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  Excellent Choice - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Wine and Spirits Guy - July 22 - 10:00 am

  I drive quite a bit for my job. I have found in only a few weeks that the grand prix was a great choice. The gas mileage is right on the sticker. The space in the truck is more than you think. The vehicle rides great in the city or on the highway. WIth regards to comfort, I am very pleased. I am a big guy, 65 and 290 lbs. I would highly recommend this vehicle to anyone. Thank you.

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  2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GT - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By sendog2013 - July 21 - 1:05 pm

  I was pretty lucky when my fiancée discovered my car on Kijiji! A private dealer had gotten my ride from a dealership where it has been traded in for a new car. The last owners basically used the car to drive to the store and church when it wasnt garaged most of its life! With only 114,000 kms and mint inside and very good outside it was pretty much brand new! Anyway, on to my review! A blast to drive, fast and handles awesome! I use it mostly for the highway as Im traveling between provinces for work and moving. Glides perfectly at high speeds and before you know it youre doing 140 without watching your speed.

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  G8 Has It All - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By whoosierdaddy - July 21 - 12:50 am

  Have put 1000 miles on it. Car feels very solid but nimble. This is the only car I could find that has great handling plus a great ride at a low price--every other car make you pick any 2 of those. Averaging 18mpg in city/suburban driving, havent done a long highway trip yet. V8 was fun but V6 has all the power I need.