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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  What a Blast - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By revdobber - January 11 - 2:00 am

  This is the most fun Ive had driving a car in years. It amazes me the pick up this car has. You dont have to worry about getting on the interstate or passing another car. It handles like a expensive sports car and you cant beat the gas mileage. If you want to buy a great car youve found it.

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  We love our Montana Mini Van - 2003 Pontiac Montana
  By grisswalds - January 10 - 9:23 am

  We bought our Montana minivan new in 2003. It is now 2013 and were putting it up for sale. It has 260,000 miles on it and has been the best reliable vehicle weve ever bought. The only thing we had to replace was two hub assemblies and the alternator just went out last week. 260,000 miles on the same alternator.. Unheard of.. Just crazy. Weve been from New York to Texas to Florida and all parts in between. Its been a great family car. Thank you GM for making a reliable vehicle. Its been a great ride:)

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  Great Car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By E. Jarolen - January 10 - 6:50 am

  Sleek exterior design. The car looks as well as it performs. Acceleration is brisk, performance and ride quality is outstanding. The interior was designed for comfort and convenience to instruments and controls. A pleasure to drive and an excellent compromise between a sporty hi-performance car and and a unit with consideration to fuel efficiency.

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  Love It - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By peachez1964 - January 8 - 10:55 pm

  Have had my 2006 for eight years. She has over 240,000 miles and Ive only done basic maintenance. A comfortable ride which is important with a two hour commute each day. Great performance and gas mileage! Ive started looking for another vehicle and plan to pass this one to the kids. I wish the Grand Prixs were still being produced!

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  Happy to have this car - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Marty - January 7 - 8:06 pm

  I bought this as a 2007 leftover in April 2008, at a huge savings. I got the Emerald Green, which I have not seen another of and love it. It was peppy when I first got it and is getting even better as I put more miles on it and the mileage is getting better too. The interior is very comfortable and functional as well. Seats are padded well and hold you in place well. The dash is easy to read and controls easy to reach and use. As far at the exterior is concerned, what can I say, I always thought Pontiac made a great looking car with very few exceptions (Aztek). I got remote start, sun and sound package and just want to say, I am very happy with this purchase.

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  Best preloved car I ever bought - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By ryan427 - January 7 - 12:53 pm

  I bought my 2000 GTP with 96000 miles on it. It was a one owner in mint condition. the previous owner had to put a transmission in at 77,000 miles, but had no other issues. Apparently, there was a problem with some of the trannys in these cars. Replacing the battery is a real bear. Dash rattles a bit over bumps. I am watching a possible leaky valve cover gasket. Aside from that, this car rocks. Performance, fuel economy and looks are all outstanding. I lucked out and found this model with every single feature offered. It was a $29,000 car in 2000. Added Mobil 1 to the engine and trans and, a K&N filter and am now experiencing 30 mpg on the highway.

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  Great Car For The Price - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By Jeff - January 6 - 11:10 pm

  I purchased this car due to its american styling and toyota engineering a great combination, along with 30+mpg. I found that a the heart of the vibe is the toyota corolla engine/transmission as well as some other carry overs from toyota and is better looking than the matrix. So far ive been very pleased with the handling/ride quality and how quiet it is on the freeway and lots of pep at freeway speeds. The dash is laid out nice and the styling circular designs are a plus. Plenty of backseat space for my 3 year old and really like how the middle and passenger seats fold flat and have protective covering on the backside. Very pleased and i like this alliance of GM/Toyota Toyota at a GM price.

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  GTO - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Jess - January 5 - 12:06 pm

  This is the best car I have ever owned. It is super fast but costs only a fraction of many other muscle cars (i.e.: Cobra Mustang, Corvette, Viper). The gas mileage isnt as bad as I had originally expected. This is a fun, fast, reliable car that you can easily get used for under $27k or new for under $35k.

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  2004 Bonneville - 2004 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Dimity - January 5 - 2:00 am

  Great car, bought it after testdriving many others and this one beat everything even close to it in price and size.

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  Excellent - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Lowery2000 - January 5 - 2:00 am

  this car is excellent.