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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  SSEI - 1997 Pontiac Bonneville
  By SNOWMAN - May 20 - 10:00 am

  FUEL GUAGE NEEDED REPLACING. ALWAYS SHOWED FULL UNTIL IT WAS FINALLY EMPTY. PERFORMANCE IS OUTSTANDING. FUEL ECONOMY IS FANTASTIC FOR THE POWER RATIO. VERY STAISFIED.

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  not as happy as I thought - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By momsryde - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned my Montana for 2 years - bought it as a pre-owned (rental) w/28K on it. I have mixed feelings on the van. Have had a few service trips for minor inconveniences. Never knew about the LONG list of recalls and problems until I searched online. Wind noise is terrible. Drivers side sliding door has had problems. My cheap rear hatch handle fell off b/4 40k miles, proof that duck tape doesnt cure all. Definitely the best looking "mom- mobile" out there, but not the best quality.

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  i love my ugly suv - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By keg627 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  We just bought our Aztec in June, and we had looked at the buick rendevous. After driving the Buick, and getting into the Aztec, there was no question in my mind. I LOVED IT..my husband I thought would hate it, the looks anyways. He felt the same way. So, dont knock it til you try it. It is wonderful..roomy,fun to drive, versatile, the interior is awesome. COming from a former minivan driver, this is as sporty as a mom of two can get. I love it.

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  2003 PONTIAC AZTEK - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By TREETOP106 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  WE JUST RECENTLY BOUGHT OUR NEW AZTEK AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY WITH IT. WHEN WE DECIDE TO TRADE IN OUR OTHER CAR WE WILL BE BUYING AN0THER AZTEK.

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  My 2 month lemon - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By Lisa Riggs - May 20 - 12:33 am

  I just purchased my 2009 Vibe on 9/29/08 with recommendations from many people. I loved the car up until 11/18/08 when the car wouldnt start. as of today 12/14/08 the car is in the shop for the 4th time not starting. I have a 4 yr old son and Im afraid to go out of town with this car. I purchased a brand new car so I wouldnt have any of these problems. Im hoping they can fix the car this time otherwise, this is a lemon. Ive heard so many good things about the Vibe and then this happens. Im very disappointed and will be expecting a full refund if it doesnt get fixed this time.

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  2008 grand prix gxp - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By DUANE - May 19 - 10:00 am

  2008 grand prix is the best car I ever owned, absolutely love driving it. To bad Pontiac is gone, maybe it will return one day. Love the looks and power of this car. The designer should be proud. "American power and muscle, with great looks"

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  Dont make a mistake, I DID - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By kuhny - May 19 - 10:00 am

  I bought this 2006 g6 brand new. Now I wish I wouldnt have. from day one with the dealership. the first 2 weeks I have a popping in front end, rack and pinion replaced, 3 months later a/c quits working (compressor), within 1 week radio quit working and cd stuck in player, while they had it belt broke, 6-7 months later a/c compressor & belt again, also tensioner pulley found to be bad while in shop, another bad radio and heat/ac vent broke, had sun visor mirror break 3 times, and now have 15,000 miles on it and transmission making sounds/shifting hard. at 20,000 miles had 2 sensors go out. finally at 64,000 miles transmission and thermostat out. what a fun car to drive, but a serious money pit.

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  Put all import van in shame - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By good Quality - May 18 - 2:13 pm

  Best Value comes in great quality. This SUV look alike van does not have the "soccer mom" image. Roomy interior and lots of cargo space. Enough power for highway and uphill driving. Fuel economy is better than Mazda MPV. Montana SV6 runs on economical unleaded gas vs Nissan Quest uses only EXPESNIVE premium unleaded gas.

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  G6 GT Coupe - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Tom M - May 17 - 3:06 pm

  First full day of ownership and I am thrilled. Put 400+ miles on it thru Chicago, Great Lakes lake effect snow and smooth newly paved roads in Indiana and enjoyed every minute. Responsive, great acceleration for merging, handles Chicagos horrendous perpetual construction with ease and great mileage (27.6) so far.Love this car- and it looks great too.

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  Wow - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By GoaTlOver - May 16 - 11:06 pm

  After spending 6 years in Italy, I was looking forward to buying a new Mustang. Boy, am I glad that I found a GTO still sitting on the new car lot in early 2007. This is an absolutely outstanding vehicle. The 6.0 and 6 speed tranny are a blast to use on a daily basis and they still get respectable mileage. I really cant believe that GM could not sell more of these. Thats ok though, I got mine brand new and saved about $5000 off of the sticker price.