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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  I Love My Torrent - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By kim - March 4 - 2:00 am

  At first, I was not looking to buy another vehicle. One of my best friends sell cars and I went to see her and I saw the Torrent on the showroom floor. Originally, I was looking at the Envoy but I felt it was a little big. The Torrent really caught my eye and I fell in love with it when I saw it. I knew I had to drive it off the lot and thats just what I did. I took the one off the showroom floor. It rides very good and easy to see over the wheel. The sound system is great.

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  New model, great experience - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Melroy Horn - March 3 - 8:53 pm

  This is a new mid size line that we found to be excellent for driving in the city and on freeways. There is more than adequate room and comfort for each passenger and everything for the individual driver is adjustable for his/her comfort, ability to see speedometer and gauges, and pedal reach. Very economical to drive with the assistance of a drivers information center, we are getting 24mpg in city conditions. It handles very well on any road condition we have experienced to date. This car is very well designed and there is no loss of head room in the back seat with the normal sun roof. We are very pleased with the G6 GT.

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  2005 Vibe - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By lauraandval - March 1 - 7:03 pm

  Bought this a year ago for gas mileage. I am a mom with two small children and a husband that stands 64", and we go everywhere together in this. Very roomy. Husband can get in and out easily. Child seats fit. And I can fit $500 worth of groceries in cargo area. I drove a big SUV and loved it, but hated gas mileage. Now I save the SUV for vacations, and make my car payment with the money I save. I am a stay at home mom who is never at home. I put 30,000 miles on my Vibe last year, and I dont know how I would have been able to afford the gas if I was driving the SUV. We love this car.

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  Reliable, a pleasure to drive - 2007 Pontiac Vibe
  By theswedish - February 28 - 1:43 pm

  The drive feels tight and controlled. The handling is superb, it loves a twisty road. The power is smooth and good on demand. It is a very easy car to drive. Radio a lot better than my new Civics.

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  2004 Ponitac Montana - 2004 Pontiac Montana
  By Kayla C. - February 27 - 10:00 am

  This car was purchased new in 2004. It currently has 172,000 miles on the odometer and it still runs great. I have kept the oil changed every 3,000 miles and Dealer recommended services performed. The only problems I have had with the car is the wheel bearings had to be replaced and the air conditioner has problems cooling as it should.

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  excellent performing car - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By mary thomas - February 27 - 6:26 am

  I love this new car. You ratings are way too low. I cant understand why it isnt rated higher. I researched all of the imorts before I purchased the G6. With the exception of the Mazda 6, there was nothing close to the G6.

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  Torrent - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By w31kn1 - February 26 - 1:30 pm

  I fell in love with the Torrent the moment I saw it. I found it to be fun to drive and comfortable. While to took so getting use to with the window controls and such, the vehicle was an excellent choice on my part. Power and transmition were no problems.

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  Fantastic value for the money - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By scotth3886 - February 25 - 11:03 am

  As I said in my title fantastic value for the dollar. Feels very much like my friends 2008 BMW 550 for less than half the money and is actually a little faster. Great road car with great seats. The back seat is probably more comfortable than the front, and it has 7 series room back there. Gas mileage isnt so fantastic, but it deteriorates little with speed and it is more economical around town than my V6 Saturn Aura. I bought the car in Ohio and made a major road trip bringing it back out to Cali for the winter. I couldnt ask for a better vacation car. A mid 13 second, 170 mph, 22 mpg+ large, four door sports sedan for $31k. I cant complain much about that.

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  Great car - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By steven90 - February 24 - 6:05 pm

  I own a 01 grand am se 3.4L and a 04 grand am gt ram air 3.4L 95k miles. the 01 has 185,000 miles and still runs like brand new. never any problems. just replaced normal maintenance stuff like struts, front hub bearings. other then that no probs whatsoever. brakes lasted just over 3yrs before needed replaced. i tow a trailer also with the 01 sometimes. has original trans also. both are great cars.

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  G5 GT - Great Car - 2009 Pontiac G5
  By razer - February 23 - 5:43 am

  Just purchased the GT 2009, its a fun car to drive, lots of leg room in front, and if there isnÂ’t enough leg room in the back for other people, then they can take the bus, or consider themselves lucky to get a free ride. I used to drive the Saturn 2006 Ion Red Line with 205 Hp, the GT only has 155 Hp, there is a difference in power but I noticed a bigger difference in gas prices when I fell up at the pumps. In the standard 5 speed model, in 5th gear, the engine revs very low which helps in reduced engine noise. For the appearance inside, I like it, everything is in front of you, seats are firm, armrest with storage.