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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  08 Pontiac G6 - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By Kelli - January 20 - 12:53 am

  I bought my Pontiac G6 brand new in April 2008. About two months later I started to have problems with it. Its the same problem every time. The passenger side window leaks all the time. I have had it fixed three times already. In Nov. 09 I steering and strut went. I would never recommend Pontiac to anyone. I have looked at other cars but my payments are so cheap, plus it is pretty cool having a car that wasnt made for very long.

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  Known Engine Problems - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By molina67 - January 19 - 11:31 pm

  I bought this car new, and was not told of the potential problem with the engine. Before I get into the engine problems, the V6 gets terrible gas mileage for the horse power. Most 4 cylinder cars are faster than the V6 and the most youll get is 24 mpg highway. After 28000 miles the check engine light comes on, I take it to the dealer and it sits in maintenance for a week because of camshaft problems. I did research and found that the problem is well known. Needless to say I traded it in. For a Optima Turbo that gets 274 HP and 34 MPG highway.

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  I Love my 2006 Montana SV6 - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By jim1 - January 19 - 1:20 pm

  My wife inherited our Montana van from my uncle June 2008 then had 10,900 km now as of Nov 2008 it has 26,400 km. My wife drives about 60 km return trip to work 5 days a week she loves it. Some may say it has problems. Only work done on ours is had calipers sanded and rear rotors. Tires good for another 30,000 km likely. Going from our 1999 Ford Contour in 2 years owning it spent over $ 5,000 in repairs montana a dream no bi weekly repairs. Only complaint my uncle had was the deep space front wipers go into freezing rain snow there bothered him he called it a pig trough becauses was so deep could be improved. Seats do stain easily but is newset automobile we have ever owned is great

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  2005 GTO - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Roger - January 18 - 5:20 pm

  The most enjoyable car Ive ever owned. I had muscle cars in the 60s but this is a far stronger machine with the LS2 and 6 speed. I like the fact that the new GTO is rare - not many around (GM probably doesnt think this is a positive). All that and reasonable gas mileage to boot.

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  Bad! - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Twenty2inDubz - January 18 - 10:33 am

  I never thought that I would buy a Pontiac!! Considering only driving foreign automobiles. Paid $33K for the car and it feels like its worth more. Driving this beast is incredible .. fast, responsive BMW killer!! Thank you GM .... keep them coming. Number 037 of 888

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  Not a very good design. - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By RRRR - January 18 - 6:33 am

  I have owned this car for about two weeks and have driven it about 1000 miles. The car sounds like it has a window open when driven over 45mph. You can hear the air rush over the radio it is so bad. The steering wheel has shaking problems when I step on the breaks. The trunk opening is very small which is a drawback to the big space inside it. I was promised a cruise control for it only to find the EVS dealer is putting on an aftermarket version with no warranty. This car is a terrible car in all of these respects.

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  Great Surprise! - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By ArtyF - January 18 - 2:43 am

  I never would have considered the Grand Prix but the the test drive sold me on the spot! You turn the key and the engine roars to life. Interior seating is very comfortable, dash is hip and driving is fun. You MUST get the heads up display which projects speed, direction up on the windshield. Compares to BMW, others. Looks great in black.

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  Best 4-Seat Convertible Value in the US - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By Convertible Steve - January 18 - 2:33 am

  By far, G6 hardtop convertible is the best value in this segment. All expectations have been met or exceeded, & it has been relatively free of "surprises." Noticeable negative is interior plastics. GM really "stretched" to make this a truly affordable, modern 4-seat convertible, & for the most part, it succeeded. Top mechanism is unbelievably complicated, so an extended warranty is likely to be wise purchase. Power of 3.5L engine is fine, but occasionally feels sluggish at highway passing speeds. Surprisingly, fuel economy exceeds 17 city/26 hwy EPA estimates by 10 - 15%. Tranny is well-mated to engine. Wide turning radius, but otherwise handles well. And best of all, a rock-solid ride.

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  marks - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By mark mitchell - January 16 - 4:06 am

  This car is performing very well for me, I just took it on a 300 mile trip and got 34 mpg. I took it through the mts and it was great around the corners, up the hill and down.

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  Best Pointac yet - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Steve Brintle - January 16 - 2:33 am

  This is a car with plenty of room, that is very comfortable to drive, handles like a sports car, and has the performance of the early muscle car. Truly a fine car. The only problem I had was getting one.