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 - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By E Olexa - March 12 - 10:16 pm

  I purchased this car in late June and it has been fantastic! Great gas mileage (50% HWY) @ 28 MPG. I am 6 ft 3 in and I am very comfortable in the Vibe. The 2.4 L engine has plenty of passing power and climbs hills with no problems. I would recommend this car to anyone.

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  G6 power - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By jennifer shipley - March 10 - 12:16 pm

  The pontiac g6 is an awesome car to own. It gets great fuel mileage for the power it has. Excellent family car with all the room it has, yet has a very sporty look.

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  Decent car for the price - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By jason - March 10 - 9:13 am

  I really think for the sticker price this is by far the best performance your going to get from a new car. The 3.8L supercharged puts down a impressive amount of power, IMO it handles better at high speeds then the Mustang Cobra.

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  Great Performer if taken care of properly! - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By gypsybeth81 - March 10 - 7:48 am

  Ive had 1 major and a few minor problems with my coupe. Im currently the second owner and bought it when it had 84,000 miles. Unfortunately the engine blew which was likely the result of poor driving from the previous owner or myself when showing off at times :( Since then it has been replaced with another engine with 30,000 miles less then the previous one, and I must say this has been the best performance car Ive driven! And Ive driven 15 to 20 different cars in my time. Handling is great,has lots of room for a coupe, and has ability for modifications on a smaller budget. Gas is average,but factory tail lights are poorly made and may leak in time. Some interior detail is poorly made.

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  Excellent Car! - 2001 Pontiac Sunfire
  By john_y - March 8 - 5:40 pm

  Got this car at 120,000 and now is at 150,000 and running stronger than ever! Beastly in all weather, I can get through a foot of snow without a problem and with good handling too. Decent gas mileage (24-27 mpg). Only ever need to perform minor repairs (exhaust, shocks, oil changes, spark plugs). Ice cold A/C, and engine warms up quickly on those cold days. When I got it the two lowest fan blower settings didnt work, but easily fixed by replacing blower motor resistor. Roomy trunk, I can fit a Tuba in it with a bit of room to spare. Not the fastest car in the world (could only get it up to 105) but it gets you where you need to go. Comfortable seats for road trips.

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  Ten times around the globe - 2001 Pontiac Bonneville
  By rdthore - March 8 - 2:55 pm

  I have over 220,000 miles on this car and only minor wear and tear repairs to this point. I bought this used with 18,000 miles in 2003 and have driven it in the harshest of ND and MN winters. There isnt a spot of rust anywhere on it. Ive since handed it down to my daughter and have no qualms about her taking it to college. Its big, its safe and with over 200k miles, it still gets almost 30 mpg at 75 mph and 20 in town.

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  One Year Review - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By rayban64 - March 8 - 1:23 pm

  We lived in AZ, were moving to VA and needed something for the winter months that could also move a lot of stuff cross-country. The tires are specially made and when we got a flat in Santa Cruze, NM we were stranded for a few days until a new tire came in. It handles well in the snow but the wiper blades are in a well that easily fill with snow and ice requiring you to get out and clean it on dangerous roads. The materials for the interior are very cheap. The turning radius is horrible. Gas mileage is not what they claim. Overall value though is very good and we enjoy it. The clamps on the rack do not hold at all.

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  2003 GT is my second GP - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By orwoody - March 8 - 2:00 am

  Purchased my 2003 GT and love it. I had a 2000 GTP which I really liked and was forced to trade in on another vehicle. I missed it so much when I was able I went looking for another GP. I went with the GT because of the skyrocketing price of gas.(GTP takes premium) I drive a lot and the 2003 is a great road car and fun to drive when I want to be sporty. Ive had no problems or complaints on either the 2000 or 2003 Ive owned.

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  My Last American Car - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By brett44 - March 8 - 2:00 am

  This is a fun car to drive, but a nightmare to own. I purchaced this ride with 49,000 miles in Aug. 2001 and since replaced: water pump, raditor, driver and pass-rear power window motor, driver power seat motor, radio, pass side wheel bearing assy., blower motor, three fog lamps, two headlamps, alternator, all four rotars/brake pads, and finally a battery. Finally I got everything in working order and one hit in the rear from a F-150 later, its a total. Best thing thats happened to the car since I bought it. Next car will be a Nissan or Honda.

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  G6 - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Ito - March 7 - 1:53 pm

  One thing I noticed about the G6 is that when you go fill up at the gas station, it never seems to fill up all the way on the gauge. If it does, it falls below the "F" with in a few miles. Also, I noticed that the panoramic sunroof does not have a complete seal when closed. While driving I can hear a slight whistle and I was misted with water at the car wash.