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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  needs a lot more driver comforts - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By cobra55 - June 15 - 10:00 am

  center arm rest to low and to far back its more like a foot rest for the back seat passenger

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  Wheres the Silver color - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Vibester - June 15 - 10:00 am

  Our 2004 vibe is great. The 2005 pictures are in the Silver/Satellite color, but from what I can find, that color isnt on the 2005. Anyone else found that. They change the front, raise the price, photograph it in silver and then delete silver as a choice?

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  Vibe - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Gilbert Fuller - June 15 - 10:00 am

  My Vibe has to be the best investment I have ever made in a vehicle. I cannot say enough about this car. I have not had to take it to the dealership for any repairs or adjustments. It just performs beautifully.

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  Most Reliable of any Car.... - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By The Oak - June 15 - 10:00 am

  I must say, this has been the most reliable car Ive ever owned! My Acura TL was the most fun, but even that had minor problems. I also had a Mercedes which had its share of annoying maintenence issues. Ive done nothing but normal maintenence for this Grand Prix; it has been simply flawless! I cant express how impressed I am by the overall quality of this product!

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  Great Car - 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
  By LovePontiacs! - June 15 - 6:03 am

  This was my first car. I drove it for three years before I decided to get an SUV. There were never any problems other than something with the ABS. Tires wore great after all the miles. Held up great. Every time I cleaned it, it looked NEW! Motor was extremely quiet and dependable. Got tons of looks back then!

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  Good Value! I have loved my Torrent! - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Stacedog - June 14 - 1:40 pm

  My Torrent has treated me well! Although, I must say I only drive about 10,000 miles a year. I bought it March 2006 and just had to get new tires about a month ago. I have not had any problems with mine at all up until this week. My check engine light came on? I have not gotten it checked out yet but I really dont think it could be much of anything since I have so few miles. Besides that, I LOVE driving it and really has been a good car, especially for what I paid for it!

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  One of the BEST car on the road today! - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Pontiac GrandPrix - June 14 - 10:20 am

  After totaling my 2003 Ford Explorer Limited V8 I was looking for a family sized sedan that was good on gas considering that I spent $120.00 on gas a week on my Explorer. When I first saw the grandprix I absolutely loved it. The aggressive front end, flared fenders, and its aggressive stance. I purchased it with 125,000 miles and it drove like it had 25,000 miles on it. Performance is on point, handling is precise, BUT fuel economy was extremely poor. I spent almost the same amount of money on gas as i did with my Explorer. I realize that the vehicle saves gas with 89 and above fuel grade than the lower grade 87. It even improved the performance. Overall this is the best car i ever had!

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  Dont Buy - 2008 Pontiac Torrent
  By tk6227 - June 13 - 7:51 pm

  I purchased by Pontiac Torrent in 2011 each year i have had problems. Within the first year the radio went out and the repair is $400. The next year my transmission went out $1500. The next year - when it rains the floors in my back seat get wet and causes and odor. Now i am seeing all these recalls for all these things that are wrong with the car. I called GM and the Dealership on several occassions and they just dont care. i am too far under to even get out of the car into something more reliable.

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  Great car! - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Erik Gonzalez - June 13 - 7:15 pm

  This is an amazing car for two people but not for carrying anything out than the two people.

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  Most Misunderstood Automobile - 2001 Pontiac Firebird
  By Robison - June 13 - 10:00 am

  My 2001 Firebird is my 3rd Firebird. Admitedly a niche automobile, as a 52 year old Engineer, I find the 4th generation to be solid, realiable, and a blast to drive. The 200Hp V6 is plenty strong and though not a Transam, I find the average person doesnt know the difference. GM failed to properly market fun features like T-tops and how well the 4th gen are sealed against water leaks.