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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  TRANSAM A CAR TO BE PROUD OF - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By firebatbird - July 17 - 10:00 am

  I bought my car from new in 1999 and what a great car it is, i had it shipped over to where i live in england and love it to bits. I cant understand why GM stopped production of such a beutiful looking car, and boy does it go it is very fast and the LS1 is one hell of an engine.

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  great car - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By jason vargas - July 17 - 10:00 am

  my car is the ram air trans am. and is powered by a powerdyne supercharger running 7psi. also exhaust and k&n air filter. i put it on the dyno and got it tuned. the car was pushin 500 horse and 425 horse at the rear. i smoke corvettes with it and the stock ram air looks like its not even moving. i still also beat the Z-06 too

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  2.2-L4 ENGINE and MANUAL TRANNY!! - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By bill 731 - July 15 - 7:26 pm

  Great car so far,only 600 miles on it so I can give no opinion on reliability.This Ecotec 2.2-L4 engine is so smooth you would think it was a six Cly.And the 5 speed manual Trans.is a perfect mate,we got 35 MPG on only the 2nd fill up.

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  My Goat - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By dyjack - July 12 - 10:00 am

  So far I like the car. It is very well put together. Im not crazy about the styling of the rear of the car. The interior is comfortable, with lots of leg room, and well put together. It has much more power then you can use and get wonderful gas mileage for a car with that much power. So far, it has averaged 19.2 for all our driving. It handles very well and ride is a little harsh but no more then expected for this kind of car.

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  Corvette with a back seat! - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By 69blue - July 12 - 10:00 am

  Great Car! A bit boring on the outside. But I still get people rolling down their windows and asking me what I think, as they smile at it. It is almost as much fun as my 1969 SS Chevelle. This car performance wise what the Firebird should have been, long ago.

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  Nice Little Car - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By ehamilton - July 12 - 10:00 am

  Overall the Vibe is a great buy. I have had no problems with the car since I bought it. It is a very reliable and fun car to drive. I would definately recommend it to others.

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  pontiac grand am 2004 - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By father owns 2 - July 12 - 10:00 am

  rough ride - noisy cloth seats of poor quality we also own a 2001 gt1 grand am. seems to be built better and rides better

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  2004 GRAND AM GT - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By JESSICA - July 12 - 10:00 am

  I am very satisfied with my 2004 Grand Am GT. Its fast for a vehicle in its class, and most importantly fun to drive. It sucks its share of gas, though, not that efficient in fuel economy, and the only other con is the doors. They are pretty hefty and often swing back too easily to hit my body as Im getting "up and out" of my car.

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  Good for the money.. - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Leo - July 11 - 10:43 am

  I bought my car with 102k at 2005 and its still running strong till today with 165k in 2009 when i first got it i noticed the temp always stays high,there was a clench in the shifts and my oil place change place advised me to sell it whenever i get a chance..the car used to stop while running and the shifts was pretty rough..my mechanic changed the throttle sensor ($50 part)..and the car never gave me any problems sence..smooth shifts fun ride I only does my oil change on time and my annual tune up in time . Changing the brakes, rotors, the battery, the CD player and couple of fuses were all the work I did in 4 years.

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  Bonny Behind the Best - but still good - 2004 Pontiac Bonneville
  By TWatson - July 11 - 10:30 am

  First off - I fit the profile in the 2002 review article: Im a sales pro and this is my company car. So, given that this is a free car for me, Im happy with it. It has a very comfortable and predictable ride (which is useful in snow/ice). I know what Im getting from the Bonny - its just what Im NOT getting that I miss. What Im not getting is what Pontiac pretends to have different than the rest of GM ... namely performance. The Bonnys no dog; but with such a mean- sounding exhaust and the potential for American muscle, this Bonny should have more power behind it. Add more power and a more aggressively designed new one for all classes (not just GXP) & Ill be happy to drive another one!