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:

• 

  Lots of looks - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Larry Carson - March 5 - 8:03 pm

  I bought my GXP in Octber of 2005. I love this car. I get a lot of looks and finger pointing. My wife said it makes me look and act younger. Very fun car to drive.

• 

  Silver Bullet - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Dredee - March 5 - 2:00 am

  Hey. This car is great. Bought used and wondering how they messed up the cruise, but it gets great gas mileage for a six, like 345 miles to a 12 gallon tank, plus is just all out comfortable. I will get an 04 next year before they change it to the G6.

• 

  Lovin my Vibe - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Russ McDonough - March 5 - 2:00 am

  I have owned my 2003 Vibe since July of this year. I have had nothing but kudos for this automobile. Its comfortable (I have back problems 7 disc surgeries) the seating fits me exceptionally well I am 6 ft tall, 224 lbs with a large build. My wife and i took the Vibe to New Hampshire this year and we got 31.5 mpg on the highway and 29 mpg around North Conway. The car is a dream to drive, it handles well, and most of all its an absolute BLAST to drive. Cant say enough good things about it.

• 

  My 2007 G6 convertible - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By MaryAnnMiller - March 4 - 12:23 pm

  I got my 2007 convertible sept 9th and so far i just love it . my husband loves it also . it is a pleasure to drive we only got to ride with the top down on the day we got it , its rained everyday since !!!It looks and drives like no other car we have ever owned . the only thing that we have found so far that anoys us is the windows rubbing on the rubber mouldings . my husband put some silicone on them and it stopped . we love the interior its so rich looking..

• 

  pontiac bonneville - 1999 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Kirk Shank - March 4 - 10:00 am

  over all great car

• 

  Great Bonneville - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By ctlackey - March 4 - 10:00 am

  My Bonneville has been a excellent running car for the past 46000 miles of driving. Average 28 mph driving at highway speeds of 75 miles per hour. I am 6 5" tall and weigh in at 240 lbs. and find this car very comfortable driving it up to 16 hours at a time on trips across country. Original tires still show little tread wear. Every component of the car has operated flawlessly since delivery. When car was first test driven, I reported defective seat belt sensor which was replaced before delivery. I could not be more satisfied with this automobile. Would buy another without hesitation.

• 

  Excellent car at an excellent price - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Vince - March 1 - 6:50 pm

  I was a very content foreign car owner until I purchased the Grand Prix GT1. The few American cars I had never seemed to peak my interest. Until I saw the Grand Prix. Not only does it have the feel and the ride of a high end luxury car, it grips the road like no other car in its class. The roomy interior and sporty exterior make this car an excellent car at an excellent price!

• 

  Best inexpensive car ever owned - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By JOHN HAWKINS - March 1 - 12:03 pm

  I have driven this car for over 30,000 miles with not one problem...And it keeps going...I use only synthetic oil and change it every 7,000 miles...

• 

  G6 GTP 6 speed manual - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Dave - February 28 - 3:26 am

  I just purchased a GTP Coupe w/a manual trany. Love the car and the ride, not too crazy about the way the transmission shifts as its a little notchy. The car looks like a Accord and Solaria mated and the off spring took steroids. Im getting approx 23 mph in mixed driving. I just figured out the sweet spot for mileage is between 1500 and 2000 rpm. 2000 rpm in 6th gear will get you 70 mph and 30++ mpg (red line is 6300 rpm). The front seats have a lot headroom even with a sunroof, the headroom in the back is tight (Im 6) for me but the wife fits fine.

• 

  my gtp - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By chris5 - February 27 - 2:00 am

  i have owned my gtp for a year and a half now, and i have been extremely happy with my car so far.