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:

• 

  Shame its gone... - 2000 Pontiac Firebird
  By nemeses - February 27 - 2:00 am

  Purchased vehicle used in 2003. Still looks and drives great with 48,000 miles. Only issue I have with the vehicle is the weak rear differential. Went out once and is going out again.

• 

  I love it - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By bojo - February 27 - 2:00 am

  This has been a great car for me and my family...roomy..comfortable...and fast

• 

  Wow - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By paul5671 - February 27 - 2:00 am

  A thrill to drive, excellent handling, smooth ride, comfortable. Poor fuel efficiency, but what do you expect? Small trunk, but not a high priority for this type of car. Exterior styling is a bit conservative but Im much more glad it is not overdone.

• 

  Nice - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By CMG673 - February 24 - 11:46 pm

  This is the first new car that I have ever owned. I have the GT with premium package. It is fun to drive, and I have had no problems with it yet. I drive a long way to work, and this car is great on gas. If you are thinking about it, go test drive one and fall in love.

• 

  Loving My Liquid Red G8 GT! - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Mitch - February 24 - 3:56 am

  I bought this car after test driving a handful of cars. This one put all of them to shame, including a Camaro SS that I test drove! The interior is slick and once you get used to the climate and audio controls, its easy to get to the stuff you want. On the outside, the car looks absolutely fantastic. I love my 19" machined-face rims. I have gotten so many looks and so much attention from people! From stares on the street, to people staring at me from their cars, and even one guy pulling up next to me and honking at me to roll my window down so he could ask me about it! This baby hauls too! You will pay for all the fun with your gas, though. I dont know, I think its totally worth it!

• 

  Utilitarian yet sporty - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Phillip Fox - February 22 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the Vibe specifically for its versatility, but I also wanted to have a little fun driving it, so I went with the GT build. Ive yet to come across a home improvement project or purchase that I havent been able to haul home in the Vibe. Ive tiled my kitchen (6X4 sheets of backer board fit perfectly), relandscaped the yard, hauled home a dinette set (the rack on the top came in handy there) and a headboard. Then theres the sporty side - the car handles like a dream. It sits high enough to see over the other compact cars, yet theres almost no sway. The steering is extremely tight and the acceleration is just awesome.

• 

  Awesome Car - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By mrsfink - February 22 - 10:00 am

  Love this car! Style, speed and up-to- date features. Comfort is a big asset to this car. Luxury in a Pontiac is all I can say!

• 

  pacific slate has been great - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Larry - February 21 - 8:00 am

  Update from 12-08,purchased new 9- 08.G8 continues to perform flawlessly,was able to do a home oil & filter change(simple no problem d riving on ramps).19 in tires were wearing more on out side of tires. had a 4 wheel allignment done underwarranty, hope that works, tires are pricey.Gas mileage has remained pretty constant averaging about 20 mpg in my mixed driving. Like some other reviews I really hope GM finds a way to save this car(Ihave faith in bob lutz)we have seriously considered a second g8., but at 67 I doubt it.

• 

  Happy First Timer! - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Brent - February 21 - 3:23 am

  This is the first Pontiac my wife and myself have owned. I can honestly say we could not have chosen a better car for the money. The cars comfort is excellent and interior layout is well thought. The car gives a great ride while hugging the road very well. 200hp gets the job done for the cars size and it seems as though more would be scary to drive. The car is well appointed even at base model. Ours has the premium package with heated leather. So nice! So enough said, well be buying Pontiac again.

• 

  Great on fuel - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Gary - February 20 - 3:43 pm

  Bought this car used with 66,000 miles on it. Averaging 33 mpg on the highway, average speed about 70 mph. Plenty of power for a 4cyl. Reliability? The jury is still out because I have only had the vehicle a short time but so far so good!