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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  great car - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By jhh - February 8 - 4:56 am

  owned over a year now. had a few bugs to get worked out. r&r a/c conditioner twice, rf wheel hub asbly, paint on one of the rims was peeling,r&r steering wheel crome, door light asbly passenger door, all covered buy warranty. very pleased. i drive the car 2 or 3 times a week. mostly hwy. ave 24 mpg if i keep under 65, it realy likes 75 and 80 mph but then i only get about 18 mpg. i have had 97 trans am and a 00 trans am , just cant compare. the power is so much better in the gto. fit and finish, quality of metireals. it rides better and more room for passengers .

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  Grrrrrrrreat! G8 GT - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Randy - February 7 - 6:43 pm

  Without a doubt this is the best car Ive ever had and Pontiac has ever produced. The horsepower and torque are perfect. I like to drive spirited and the car handles perfectly. The factory tires dont hold in wet road conditions but that will be rectified with new ones. I get 18mpg city and 24.5 hyw. Ive had no rattles, or any maintenance issues other than the usual oil changes and such. I had the factory stripes put on mine and let me tell you the flat black on red will turn many heads. The gas mileage definately went down when I put them on (just kiding). I am not sorry for buying this car, to my regret it will outlast Pontiac. To sum it up, its fun to drive youll love it, buy one.

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  Best bang for your buck! - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Wade Heavington - February 7 - 10:00 am

  This car is very powerful, quiet and comfortable. The fit and finish is better than most GM cars I have seen.Four 6ft tall adults can find comfort in this car. you can also add a rear facing car seat in back. Try either of these with a mustang.You will be sorry.I have the six speed Great gas mileage for a V8 with 350hp. Ive been getting 22 all around.My driving has a good mix of city and interstate.

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  Love my GTP - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By nolaCreoGirl - February 7 - 10:00 am

  Great car and very fun to drive. I have the new supercharged engine and I tell ya its great for those pick up moments.Very reliable no problems with her yet.

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  owner - 2005 Pontiac Aztek
  By kathey sisemore - February 4 - 9:40 am

  I love the handling and the versatility and the over all performance of the Aztek. The only thing is I have had a lot of problems with the car locking in park due to the(bitsy) part of the braking system and the block ( brain with the fuses) being loose and then melting. My family and myself was stranded in Mississippi for a day and a half because of the block. Now the wires have melted, unknown reason. I would keep the car except I have driven a rental more than I have driven mine. So I am trading my Aztek for another Aztek. Just to see if i got a lemon the first time. My whole family loves the Aztek. Correct the problems of the Aztek and I will buy more of them in the future.

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  My New Baby - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By sweetsie619 - February 2 - 1:23 pm

  This is the best car i will ever own and it is so fast. the handling is just amazing. And the are so many customizations that look great on the car. Rims, hood, spoiler, all of it looks great.

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  Great Car! - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Fbtainted - February 1 - 9:13 pm

  I love this car! Its as if this car were designed just for me. It is super fun to drive. Mileage is great. Style is awesome. Engine is powerful. Very quiet and smooth in every day driving. Very comfortable and roomy too.

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  Fun, crowed pleaser car. - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Solstice - February 1 - 1:43 pm

  This is a fun car to drive and gets plenty of attention on the road. Top is a bite of a challenge to fit in trunk when new. Glad to hear they have a better engine option now. The car looks like it can go.... but is slow with the base engine.

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  Wonderful - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Eldin - January 30 - 7:53 am

  Just when I was thinking about switching to an import I walked into a Pontiac dealership in Grand Rapids, MI. The customer service was great and I drove out with my brand new 2004 GP GT2. I absolutely love the car. Only thing i would note is that fuel efficiency is awsome. There were times where I could do up to 400 miles per tank on HWY. Car handles awesome even in recent winter storms that we had in Michigan. Only thing I would change about it is the interior design where to my taste the designer did not pay much attention to the details. Yes wheel is nice and so is the control board, but I believe when a car costs you 25K enterior should be not good but astonishing. Still a HOT ROD.

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  Goat - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By BOB - January 29 - 4:56 pm

  Great performance; handling on par with european cars; acceleration fierce; excellent interior fit and finish