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:

• 

  Another winner! - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Mile High Guy - December 4 - 6:46 am

  My fourth Pontiac, and 3rd Grand Prix. My wife and I both love this car and are always arguing over who gets to drive it to work that day! With the cruise control, we get almost 35 MPG on the highway and have been getting around 23 in the city, but only because we are pretty light on the gas pedal in city traffic. Im 6-4 tall and comfortable in the drivers seat. Sound system was OK but we put in an after- market XM satellite receiver and in- dash CD. This car has some get-up-and- go when you need it. And its appearance is certainly a head-turner. All my friends who insisted I was making a mistake by buying yet another Pontiac are slowly eating their words after they drive it.

• 

  I love this car - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By 07g5gt - December 3 - 10:16 pm

  This is my sec time posting about my car. I first posted when I got the car. Now I have had the car a year and it has 10k on it. I just took my car on vacation and we drove over 3000 miles in less then 3 days. On the highway with 4 people in the car, all our stuff in the trunk and the ac on max I got 32.5 mpg at 75 mph. After I got back I wanted to run the car at the track to see its 1/4 time so I did and with me, my uncle and a full tank of gas, it ran a 15.7 at 88 mph. This car has taken all the abuse I have given it and with it being my first 5-speed car ever its been one hell of a car. Its never been in for warranty work and I definitely will be buying another Pontiac after this one.

• 

  2009 Pontiac G6 Convertible - 2009 Pontiac G6
  By stkelly - December 3 - 4:30 pm

  Purchased new 2 months ago, 2 k miles so far, on dealer visit. Couple of small rattles that were easily cleared up. Other than that, lots of fun, best convertible that I have owned, quiet, looks great, decent performance.

• 

  looks arent everything til you test it! - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By ladysam214 - December 1 - 10:00 am

  this suv is great!its roomy,extras that others dont have,love the style.its great for those who want to be different.the ride is smooth,turns are great.milage is ok..takes 25 dollars to fill me up.not too bad at all.i have winstar and it beats that!you gotta test drive one to appreciate this car!

• 

  Go with Toyota - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By 4nessa - December 1 - 10:00 am

  99 GrandAm purchased used in Feb. 01 in excellent condition (per my mechanic) since, the power windows have been replaced, the water pump, trouble with the breaks, the power mirrors dont work, and the cooling fan sensor has been replaced. It sure looks nice, but overall its not worth the trouble. Im buying a Toyota.

• 

  the most fun ive had in a long time - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By movie_girl80 - December 1 - 10:00 am

  i went from driving a 14 year old mini van to this little ball of excitement. the pickup is unbelievable for a four cyl. ive only had the car for a few months, but i couldnt be happier. the interior space is excellent and the trunk is huge. i just cant say enough.

• 

  GTP - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By dcoates - December 1 - 10:00 am

  I have been driving my 2004 GTP for 4 weeks. It is tons of fun and very responsive. Plenty of power and excellent handling.

• 

  One of the worst cars Ive owned - 2002 Pontiac Montana
  By HalS - November 30 - 5:50 am

  Where do I start. It leaks: windshield, side windows, headlights are full of water. Tail-lights keep blowing, Im told its the electrical system. Windshield wipers stop in the up position. Air-conditioning stopped working. exterior trim has fallen off. Auto-side mirrors dont work. Im the only owner of this car and my kids say I drive like an old lady and I do a mix of highway and suburban driving - so I dont think its me. Ive kept up with regular maintenance but the cost of fixing this stuff again and again is becoming quite a burden

• 

  GrannyVibes - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By beckys56 - November 30 - 12:06 am

  I have had no problems with the vibe. It gets great gas mileage on hwy 35- 36,in town average 29. Lots of room for my camping equipment and grandkids. Got a lewis and clark bag for the top when in travel mode, works great saves room in vehicle for other things. Do wish I had cruise control. Would suggest for people to purchase a vibe. Not really liking the new design, but as long as they didnt chg the mileage I could handle the new design. I have drove 70000 miles in 6yrs, I would drive my vibe any where if need be, handles great, even in snow. Change oil 3000 miles or 3mths,tires 1x a year and yearly check ups.

• 

  Pure Pleasure - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Ronald Smith - November 29 - 3:23 pm

  I own a gold 2004 Pontiac Grand Am that I purchased on March 31, 2006. I test drove this car before purchasing it, & I will have to say that it is absolutely a fun car to drive. Would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a dependable means of transportation. Fuel mileage is excellent. I have checked it after running 3 tanks of fuel through it & I averaged 17.7 on one tank, 17.5 on one tank & 19.5 on one tank. Anyone looking for a dependable means of transportation with very good gas mileage around town, this is the car to check out. Plenty of leg room front & back & excellent handling characteristics.