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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  Good car for a first time buyer - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Matt - May 13 - 7:40 pm

  Ive had my sunfire for about six months now and have enjoyed it. I used to have an Alero and I like this much better. The burnt orange color gets comments all the time and tinting the windows adds to a sweet look. The fuel economy is amazing; Ive gone about two weeks without fueling up! And thats with a car starter that I let run for a few minutes before I leave!

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  Love this vibe! - 2008 Pontiac Vibe
  By CR - May 11 - 11:12 pm

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  1.8L Auto (STYLE CHOICE NOT AVAIL ABOVE) - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By Bob S. - May 11 - 9:06 am

  Drives much better than the Cobalt I traded in for it. Some have mentioned blind spot but I think its much easier to see out of than the Cobalt.

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  Dependable, Quality Vehicle - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Abby - May 9 - 1:33 pm

  This vehicle is dependable, with lots of bang for the buck. It is styled better than other cars in its class. High Quality parts and Sporty Chrome Wheel package a big plus.

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  Love my Solstice - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Kathy - May 7 - 7:16 am

  I love my car people stare and ask questions and even stop me in the street. When I saw my first one I followed the man to see what it was and five days later I traded my 2003 Celica for a Bright Red Solstice.

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  decent all around car - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Ben - May 6 - 11:06 pm

  This car is great. The main problem with this car is the tires if you ever have a flat or have to get new ones. The tire sizes are almost impossible to find. I had a flat tire and had to wait almost 3 days to get a new one because no one stocked it. Definitely a bad thing for a daily driver. This car also does not come with a spare tire. It comes with a tire repair kit which does nothing for an unrepairable tire. Then comes the gas mileage. I only drive this car around town mostly and am lucky to average 16 in town and 22 on the highway. I still only have about 3000 miles on it so hopefully those numbers will improve. The rear seat entry is pitiful for this cars size.

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  My second GTP - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Keith - May 5 - 8:26 pm

  This is my 2nd GTP. Both have been great cars with the second reaching over 110k miles before trading it in. Having owned both 2d and 4d I recommend the 4door. You have plenty of back seat space so it is just easlier to access the back with doors. Nice power when needed from the supercharger, climbs hills with no problem, does well in rain and snow. The car is solid inside and out. No rattles!!! The radio display in both cars do some weird things!!! The HUD(heads up display) display is the best feature. This is a 98 and I yet to understand why this feature isnt in any other cars but the GP and Bonn. I would think this must have technology would be in most cars by now. So why not????

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  Fun Car - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By oma Deb - May 4 - 2:00 am

  My husband loves it because its fun to drive. It turns easily and drives very smooth. Of course he loves the sporty look. I have to admit even I love the outside design of this model. Fuel efficency is okay. The front passanger seats are very comfie, and the dashboard design looks great and is user friendly.

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  Cant Beat the Price - GREAT Value - 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Nice Car - May 3 - 10:00 am

  MSRP was $17,451, 2.4L engine, Automatic, Power Package, 15" Rally tires, Anti Theft with Keyless entry., Bought for $12.500 =$15,500-$3,000 rebate. Paid $11.400 + $2,335 GM Mastercard Credits Out the Door!!!!! 2.4L Automatic getting 24 MPG combined. Seats are hard. Car is nimble and quick. Best value out there.

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  Grand Prix - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Heather B. - May 2 - 3:16 pm

  My Grand Prix has been taken into the shop a couple of times due to what felt like the transmission slipping, but they said they couldnt find anything wrong.. It still has the same problem after they reset the computer. But they did fix a recall that was on the car. I like the style of the car and it does have power.