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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  Great Car - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By somork - November 17 - 10:00 am

  Excellent acceleration and power. Tight handling. Very coforatable. A blast to drive!!

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  Gotta love it - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By K Curry - November 16 - 2:53 am

  Car is everything I would want in a vehicle. As far as engine being too loud I guess people just dont like muscle cars anymore in this country.

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  Good car for starters - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Jason Whitney - November 15 - 3:57 am

  This car has some get up and go, but not a speed demon. Top end is high. 2 years of ownership, and only flaws at 130k miles is have to replace serpentine belt and possibly check wheel bearings. Otherwise this car has been solid, and is sound in all driving conditions for weather. Works well in snow, rain, and great a/c if charged. I may keep this car instead of trading it in.

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  Great car! - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By Andy - November 15 - 3:20 am

  Ive had my G5 GT for almost a year and a half and love it. It is always a head turner, and hardly anyone else has one. The only problems Ive had is a broken sunroof switch, replaced under warranty, and a glitch in the keyless entry that others have noted. This was my first new car, and I couldnt be happier.

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  Been a great car for me - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By wilkermom - November 15 - 2:16 am

  I have had a great experience with this car. I was especially happy when I moved from to a state where it snows and my car handled incredibly well in the snow. I lived on a very steep hill and my neighbors could not get up the hill in the snow but my Pontiac went right up the hill. This car looks nice,I like how it looks sporty. Handles well,gets good gas mileage. I always thought it was pretty roomy until a car seat would not really fit well in the back seat. Stroller also takes up the entire trunk. I have only had to repair the fuel pump and that was at 125,000 miles. All other work on the car has been just routine maintenance. My only complaint would be that its little noisy inside

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  Problems That Cost Money - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By pfcgtmw - November 14 - 10:00 am

  First, anyone who complains about the look of the vehicle was stupid for purchasing in the first place. 33,000 miles intake gasket leaked and was replaced. 35,000 air conditioner went out. Found a leak in condensor & put in new. 47,000 antifreeze leaking which has been estimated at $1300. drivers side door sticks. only had vehicle for a little over a year so I am not impressed. GM will not do anything about the problems.

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  Whats that? - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By jb03 - November 14 - 10:00 am

  This is our second Aztek, and yes, we still have the first one. I love the styling, I love the interior. I JUST LOVE MY PONTIAC! Everyone asks.. "whats that." And I have to go into detail about what a cross-over SUV is, and what it isnt. You can not mistake this for any vehicle on the road (albeit its sister, the Rendezvous from Buick.) For anyone looking for room, fun, good gas mileage, and comfort, the Aztek is the edgy, hip way to go! Not to mention you can take it camping with the optional Camping Package.

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  an ergonomic nightmare! - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By sbrenning - November 14 - 10:00 am

  The brakes still squeak after having two complete brake jobs! Front end still vibrates when slowing down after having new tires installed! My biggest complaint is the interior design. The glove box is way too far under the dashboard to be of any use, which also makes the trunk release worthless. Head rests are also worthless. You have to lean your head way back just to make contact with them. I doubt if they would even provide support in a rear collision. Console arm rest is too high. Front seat backs keep coming apart if my children push their feet on them because they are only held in place by some kind of track system that clips together.

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  Grand Prix lover - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By gregw - November 13 - 5:16 pm

  Our fourth Grand Prix. Comfortable ride with decent acceleration. Very stylish. Reliable transportation. stable with ABS and traction control.

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  My 2 Cents - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By chris~~ - November 13 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car used in 97, still have it without any problems, just minor things. Only change oil, tires, 1 tune up and minor work on transmission, small leak. Gets good gas mileage and descently quick when you hit the gas and it sounds good, throaty when RPMs are up. It gets peoples attention especially girls when driving around with T-Tops off.