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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  Love this car! - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By shopgirl24 - September 7 - 1:20 pm

  I bought this car 3 years ago with 19k miles on it. It now has about 60k miles; I have had to replace the O2 sensor once (about $300). Otherwise my only expense has been the usual maintenance - oil changes and first full round of tires 4 months ago. This car has been extremely reliable, and is a great family vehicle. It also gets decent mileage for its size; I get 28 mpg city/hwy combined. It is also quite stylish for the price and fun to drive! I am very satisfied with my purchase.

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  Best new sportscar in years - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By kramer - September 6 - 8:20 pm

  This is the very best new sportscar available in years! Surpasses all others for the money.

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  Love It! - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By vibe owner - September 6 - 7:20 pm

  My husband and I just got our 2009 Vibe GT and this car is so fun to drive! We have had the car for 6 days and I have put on 450 miles!

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  Love my new TOY!! - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Amanda - September 5 - 9:10 pm

  When youre a 25 year old female driving this car, you get a lot of looks! My husband and I have an El Camino and Camaro that we normally take to car shows, but after so many questions about my daily driver, we started taking the G8. The Stryker Blue paint job really sets it apart.

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  Great Car for the Price - 2007 Pontiac Vibe
  By Linda Goodrich - September 4 - 8:10 pm

  Ive wanted a Vibe ever since driving one through a rental agency a few years back. I am so pleased with this car. Its fun to drive and gets good gas mileage. Ive been driving it for nearly a year and couldnt be happier.

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  Special Edition TA - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By TxTA - September 3 - 10:00 am

  An awesome and rare bird- the 99 special edition convertible is wonderful- 20mpg & awesome power, with excellent reliabilty thus far!

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  Grand Prix GT Coupe - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Sweets629 - September 3 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my Grand Prix GT Coupe a few months before I got my lisence. The first time I drove this car I knew I had to have it. Not only is it unbelieveably fun to drive, but extremely reliable. I am so happy that my parents chose Pontiac as my first car.

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  One Class Ride - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By ban217 - September 3 - 10:00 am

  An exceptional value. This car offers a cadillac ride with stabillitrac, fine response, sleek styling, and all at an attractive price. The interior is impressive in terms of design, comfort, and audio Monsoon stereo. The leather seating is very nice. I highly recommend the car.

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  Great 2005 G6 Pontiac - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By E.M. - September 3 - 10:00 am

  Great on the super highways, I was pleasantly surprised how well it handled at high speeds..Even with the smaller 6 cyl engine it had plenty of muscle for passing or merging...With the seating adjustments and steering wheel option positions it was no problem getting a comfortable and safe position for the longer trips...

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  1995 Trans Am - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By wager03 - September 2 - 2:00 am

  This car is wonderful. It has everything you could want in a sports car. A big engine, great exterior looks, an old school exhaust tone. I have had this car since 2005 and havent had any problems with it besides a speed sensor going out, and a minor oil leak due to the fact that the previous owner didnt tighten the oil pan enough. With improvements has only come better fuel mileage and more horsepower. The car handles extremely well even at high speeds giving a feeling of complete control to the driver. The 5.7 liter LT1 while underpowered if stock, has a lot of potential. It is a hard car to find parts for though, and because the engine area is so crowded it can be a hard car to work on