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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  Better than Toyota and Honda (american ) - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By borges - April 24 - 8:50 pm

  Good car excellent drive response, fully loaded, leather, power seats, heated seat and instrumental panel well designed

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  Great Car - 1997 Pontiac Firebird
  By Chadwick - April 24 - 10:00 am

  This car is awesome. Its sleek design and stylish looks combined with the raw power of the engine make this car one of my favorites.

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  On fire - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Bell23 - April 24 - 10:00 am

  We fell in love with three things the new model had. Once is the same dual overhead cam Ecotek engine that gives more than 30mpg every tank, even if you drive as if it is a Cendar Point ride on wheels. The second was the new, 2- years ago, 4-speed automatic. We learned you could pull it behind a motor home, it had enhanced traction control for winter fun, and the overdrive gear ratio of .66 matched the 5-speed manual for that gas mileage edge. The last thing is the new look. GM stopped making the 4-door Sunfire and upgraded the look dramatically. The front has the swooping headlights and the aggressive Trans-am look.

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  Impressive American Sedan - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By GP fan - April 24 - 12:13 am

  Ive put 11k Miles on this vehicle and am pleased with its quality. Its straight line performance is great for a sedan. Its steering is a bit vague, but thats compared to my compact Mazda. My 4cyl Mazda only got 2mpgs better with half the horsepower. The dashboard is a bit bland in all black, so I recently bought a Sherwood dash kit to accent it. The only other gripe I have is the door handles. They are to small and slippery for such heavy doors. If you enjoy modifying your vehicle, there are several sellers of aftermarket parts for this car. Overall, I really enjoy driving this car. I get nice comments about its looks. I am really glad I bought American.

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  2004 Grand Prix GT2 - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Nikki - April 23 - 1:16 pm

  I have noticed that my doors tend to sound odd when opening or closing. Worse in the cold. Its a creaking noise. Also, I know its pretty standard now a days but the white film thats all over the windows from running air or defrost. Its almost impossible to get off.

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  Ridiculously good for the money - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Tim - April 23 - 11:53 am

  This car blows away some cars in the same class that cost $20,000 more. This car could easily sell for way more and would still be a good deal. For a two door roadster this car is by far the best looking styling I have seen in years. It makes other two door cars look girly in comparison.

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  Its been great... - 2005 Pontiac Montana
  By P. Montana - April 23 - 2:56 am

  Our first close to new vehicle... it is perfect for all of our needs. I would like to have had it in an all wheel drive. It is very comfortable to drive. Our first preference would have been the Toyota Sienna, but this fit our budget better. Highly recommended.

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  Great Car! - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Ron - April 21 - 1:43 am

  Got this car for my wife last week. Crimson Red. Had to write. Fast, responsive, nice features, great looks. Her last 2 cars were a Jaguar and a Gran Prix. We like the G6 the best. This car is fun, makes you want to drive it!

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  2004 Sunfire - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Robert - April 20 - 11:13 am

  Ive owned my sunfire for just over a year with no problems. It handles nice, good gas mileage, plenty of power, and its stylish.

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  Fast, Comfortable, Reliable. - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By ultraworld - April 19 - 9:58 pm

  I have owned my 05 GTO since new, It has a 6 spd man trans & 30k miles on it. I have changed the exhaust system, added a CAI and stereo. The car has not cost me a dime other than gas & oil changes. It has never been to the dealer for a repair, not once. I have had a bit of trouble making back tires last, its so much fun to drive. On the highway, its a pleasure to drive. Its very smooth and quiet, it gets 24mpg on the highway and about 15mpg in the city. I average about 17mpg in mostly city driving. These are the most comfortable seats I have ever sat in, they are both 8 way power adj. w/man lumbar adj. Theres a lot of rear seat room too, but its difficult to get in/out of.