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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  Sweet Ride Aztek - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By Donna Briz - February 3 - 6:36 am

  It is a workhorse! Rides like a luxury car. So comfy! So roomy!

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  I Love My G6 4 door Sedan - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By 4door sedan G6 WOW - February 2 - 11:23 am

  Great leg room for tall people, great mileage. Good Power and manuvering, best of all great deal for the money. Love the seats the pedal electronically moveability for different drivers. No bad blind spots. Overall the best car I have ever owened including my old caddie that I thought I would keep forever.

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  Do not buy a Pontiac G6 - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By disappointed - February 1 - 4:53 pm

  I have not even had my G6 for a year and I have had at least 5 things go wrong. About a month after I got the car, the air conditioning went out. Then about 2 months later the power steering would lock up. About 3 months after that I had the breaks fixed and at the same time the starter needed to be replaced. Now, I have the car in getting fixed b/c of a loud noise and the engine light and reduced engine power light coming on. This car has been the biggest nightmare and I am going to trade it as soon as I can!!!

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  Disgusted! - 2007 Pontiac Torrent
  By C. Greer - February 1 - 2:13 pm

  This is the second brand new vehicle I have leased, I got out of an 05 Canyon thinking the Torrent would be better for the family, Boy was I WRONG!! I am absolutely disgusted with the Torrent, the fuel mileage isnt at all what I expected, the Stabilitrak has caused nothing but issues, there is a rumble up the centre of the vehicle everytime the roads are just wet. Not to mention the lack of control in the snow, I will never buy another vehicle with AWD again, nor will I deal with GM ever again! Their customer service and assistance have proved to be useless!

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  GREAT - 2005 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Margretta - February 1 - 10:00 am

  Its a great and fun car to drive!

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  Love the car/ditch the dash lights - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Kennndoll - February 1 - 10:00 am

  Best car Ive ever owned overall; rides nice and solid, 30-32 mpg highway. Other than a brake rotor problem during warranty period, Ive had nothing done to it except scheduled maintenance in 50,000+ miles of driving. Only problem is an annoying shimmy at 70mph which started in front and went to the rear after I rotated the tires, so its either a bum tire or a wheel hole off center. This is a lot of car for the money. My only beef is with those annoying red dash lights that can only have been designed by someone under 40; too hard on older eyes!

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  LUXURY & FUN ALL IN ONE - 2005 Pontiac Bonneville
  By jim9706 - February 1 - 10:00 am

  Great Car. Exciting to drive with pplenty of power. Handles the curves and long trip equally well. I love the instrumentation, especially at night. Its like an airplane cockpit. Pontiac has bred a real winner here!

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  Downsizing - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By JerryO - February 1 - 10:00 am

  Love the gas milage(auto), had a Ford F- 150 and was tired of making OPEC money. It has ample room( Im 62" ), nice and simple int. and for a wagon, nice body. Drives nice, fwd has power with 4 adults and baggage. 10-20K less than other vehicles with similar int dimensions, cargo room ok, front seat fold down flat adds huge space advantage.

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  Pontiac Vibe FWD - Auto - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By SteveinNY - February 1 - 10:00 am

  A perfect suburban commuter. Excellent seating for 4 adults in an upright (back friendly) position. The build quality on my vehicle is supurb...no defects after 8K miles other than a storage compartment latch. Drive train is smooth and the shifting precise. Gas mileage is 32mgp in suburban driving more on the highway. The car is solid all the way around and handles well in all driving conditions.

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  First to review the G8 - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Dexter - January 30 - 7:26 pm

  Great car! My ignition orange drives well, is comfortable, and is turning heads!