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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  Amazing even after 165,000 miles! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By rr - April 21 - 6:20 pm

  Did a lot of research when I bought this car in 2004 new and could not have believed at that time that this would have been as amazing as it has been. My daily driver for a long commute for the past 6 yrs and I still love it! We have only replaced tires, oxygen sensor, AND it still has original brakes. The most amazing car - cant say enough good about it. Love how it drives, love the looks, versatility, everything. It has become a good old friend and I shall keep it until it dies (which may be 450,000 miles+) but I seriously cant imagine a better car and I have a luxury SUV but still love this car!

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  nice ride! - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By GA driver in GA - April 21 - 2:00 am

  only bought the car two weeks ago for $1900 with 98k on it. have had good experiences with pontiacs in the past. previous car was a 90 model w/ 170k on it.pick-up is greaT. HANDLES EXTREMELY WELL. paint is excellent. shifter is kinda funky. 5 speed w/ four cylinder will be a gas saver.150 ponies is good for a GM 4 banger.clunking from drivers side front, probably suspension or cv joints.

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  In a class of its own - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Charles Goin - April 21 - 2:00 am

  Some find the design bland, I find the clean lines to be perfect. Not too busy, and very The interior is fantastic and the seats are the best I have ever sat in and yet hold you firmly. The fit and finish of the interior is by far the best I have seen in a GM product. Suspension is tight, and yet on the highway is smooth as silk. Reminds me of a 8 series BMW, but with a better overall ride. With a fully independant rear end with posi-traction grip and handling are well communicated to the wheels. While the suspension may feel German, the sweet sound and powerband is all American V8. The horsepower is right there, with a ton of torque that will put you in your seat.

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  2004 GTO - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By symir - April 21 - 2:00 am

  I am very happy with my 2004, GTO. Every time I get into my GTO I am just as excited as the first time I drove it. The car is extremly fun to drive, and the power is awesom. The pick up you feel when you accelerate really puts you back in your seat. I have had my GTO up to 145 mph and it drives just as smooth as it does at 65 mph. Though I do not recomend driving that fast. In my opion I would recommend the GTO to anyone who is looking to buy an affordable sports car that does not sacrifice on power or comfort to keep the price down.

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  Great for the money - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By wacdmc - April 21 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car for $20K after rebates. So far, 14,000 miles in 6 months and it hasnt skipped a beat. Fuel mileage is good and varies with driving habits. Power is more than sufficient and it cruises well on the highway. I wouldnt hesitate to recommend this car.

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  LOVE my Montana SV6 - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By brenda - April 20 - 2:26 am

  I am so glad that I went with this minivan compared to others. It looks more like an SUV and I get so many complements on the inside and outside. I would recommend this van to anyone who wants an SUV with out the high insurance and the high price of an SUV.

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  piece of crap - 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
  By unhappy women - April 19 - 2:00 am

  What a pain in the butt!! I guess they were having a bad day on the assembly line when my car was made! Everything that could go wrong did, and has!! First the window motors went out (both of them, and apparently they are hard to get out and change,) then the widows started leaking (not just a little, it pours,)both my seatbelts broke and wouldnt retract, my passenger seat is stuck all the way forward, my alternator went out, my light switch broke so my headlights wouldnt work, and my water pump cracked so I cant drive 2 blocks without it overheating all the way in the red! Oh but thats it, not too much ;(

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  Still room to improve - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By mopar1 - April 19 - 2:00 am

  This van has been great mechanically, but both the heated seats had to be replaced within the first year. The drivers seat quit working again at 45,000 miles. Will cost to much to fix. The General XP2000 self sealing tires rode a little rough and didnt wear very well. My Caprice with a 305 V-8 got the same mpg as the van. Cheap pull handle on rear hatch broke at 40,000.

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  SSEi = Super Special - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By absbill - April 19 - 2:00 am

  This has been a great car for my wife: a real looker, classy, excellent fuel economy considering how powerful the car is. Shes been very happy with it.

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  Grand Am SE2 - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By ppotte - April 19 - 2:00 am

  I am really happy with this car. It has the 6 cylinder engine, and with a fairly light car, it has plenty of pickup and power. It is nice to drive. I like the traction control, it makes me feel quite safe in the rain. Overall, I like the car. I have had a couple of cooling systems problems, which I am told are expected due to the very high temperatures in Phoenix. Otherwise, everything else works just fine.