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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  Goat with Gremlins - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Louisville Car Fan - May 23 - 11:53 am

  As the owner of a Porsche and Nissan Z, I was innitially impressed by the quality and performance of the GTO. The power and torque are great, but the gas mileage should and could be much better. Im averaging about 15 miles per gallon mixed driving. Only 20 on the highway. The six speed manual forces you to shift from first to 4th at certain speeds. I find the feature annoying and dangerous. Its very distracting and requires too much effort. I hope no one has an accident. Secondly, my glove box fell off with fewer than 900 miles on the car. Bad sign. Additionally, the defroster does not defog the driver/passenger windows. And the paint is flawed on the front bumper.

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  It was the worst I ever owned - 1998 Pontiac Grand AM
  By wayne - May 23 - 8:20 am

  I now drive a ford zx2, I had a 1998 grand am for bout a month, it had a 3.1 v-6 it was a 2dr. gt. When I test drove it, it was great, it was powerful and handled nicely. After buying it I was impressed with the fuel mileage, but within a month I had to replace the radiator, heater core, alternator, head and intake gaskets, battery and a power window motor. Last Pontiac Ill ever buy.

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  Black 98 SLE - 1998 Pontiac Bonneville
  By windowsxp - May 22 - 7:20 pm

  Good about of power for a full-sized car. Transmission shifts smooth. Rides very smooth and handles pretty good for a big car. The bucket seats are quite comfy.

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  Solid minivan - 2005 Pontiac Montana
  By Chris Bartels - May 22 - 2:50 pm

  We leased this SUV/minivan in June 2005. It is a great family road trip car with plenty of pick-up to pass on the highway. We are getting another vehicle as the use of space is not good for our family. With three kids, half the third row has to be up and this decreases storage. We get 18 MPG overall

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  GREAT COLLEGE CAR - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Mark Pellicane - May 22 - 8:10 am

  why is this car rated for 23mpg??? it all depends on how you drive, i average between 27-32 mpg. my parents bought this car when my sister went to college in 2002, it had 55,000 miles on it. i have since bought it from her and not attend college, the car just rolled over 170,000 miles and still averages between 27-32mpg, very reliable and still runs great, friends in their new cobalts and ford rangers race me and are left in the dust. the 2.4L engine runs great and doesnt burn a drop of oil. ALL parts for this car are very cheap. yeah the window motors stink but this car is 13 years old what do you expect???

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  Sad BUT true :-/ - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By True Voice - May 22 - 6:23 am

  Good gas mileage, handling, acceleration, and sharp looking black. HOWEVER, AFTER 60k miles "GM" has poor quality parts!!....GM customer service WILL NOT help or assist in repairs!!... 3 window motors broke, 2 out of 4 select switches broke for AC fan , transmission slips on cornering! Paint on hood and roof wore off!! Seats are hard. IF enough people complain about this the NEWS will get out over the networks and then our US CAR builders WILL WAKE UP.

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  Sporty/Fun SUV - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Angie - May 21 - 9:23 pm

  I fell in love with the Equinox, UNTIL I drove the Torrent. We traded in the mini-van and I could not be happier. It has plenty of room in the back seat for the kids and the interior is great. I am loving this car. Its fun to drive and it looks sporty and fresh. Great vehicle!

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  You got to be kidding, dont tell anyone - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By 8 "s in the blood - May 20 - 11:20 pm

  This car is a winner, I got it for my wife because she wanted a sports car and I couldnt afford the vette, and she cant drive a stick, so it was this, the black gt, she cant stop driving it long enough for me to go somewhere in it. Awesome. By the way you can get a locking fuel cap, I used my old 96 astro cap it works.

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  Its Still Fun - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Randy King - May 20 - 12:46 pm

  Right from the start I loved the pickup this 6 cylinder car gave me. Ive driven it for seven years and it still has that same pep. Ramping onto highways and accelerating down the road are done with confidence.

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  Vibe 2003 - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Bruce Johnson - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Overall I love this car! No major complaints at all!