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, Greater Value - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By harpo - January 22 - 2:16 pm

  Purchased the car new for $25,999. Has been absolutely bullet proof ever since. Maintenance costs are nothing. Reliability has been perfect. Enjoy this car thoroughly. Installed an aftermarket transmission and bolted on plenty of Holden parts from Australia. Get positive comments from passers by constantly. Have no idea why this car wasnt a huge success for GM.

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  Buy it!!!!!! - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By daniel - January 22 - 1:43 am

  I get lots of complements on the road."Nice goat" shouted one kid. Another time, a Mustang GT pulled up and the driver asked me what kind of exhaust I had. When I told him it was stock he said "dont change it, it sounds awsome". Im always getting thumbs up and people checking it out with a big grin on their face.

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  Love My Vibe! - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Nittany - January 21 - 2:00 am

  Best way to describe it is it is Fun and on the practical side, it gets great gas mileage...and it can haul around practically anything. I really do love my Vibe...

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  Pontiac Keeps Me Moving - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By averagej0e - January 21 - 2:00 am

  I have an uncle that has been driving Pontiacs for probably better than 30 years now. My first Pontiac was a 2000 Grand Am GT, and served me like no other car Ive owned. The 03 Grand Prix GT is simply a fantastic sport-sedan, and so far has surpassed the Grand Am in total satisfaction in my eyes.

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  Gotta Love It Baby - 2001 Pontiac Firebird
  By gary jones - January 21 - 2:00 am

  This is my third Pontiac Firebird in a row. Yes, thats right. I started with a 1992, 1997 and now a 2001. All gave good performance, were fun to drive, held their value and easy on the wallet. I have only owned the 2001 4 months. The drive shaft and fuel pump failed on the 97. I was costly to repair, but managable, largly because of the dealership..

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  Very good vehicle - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Dan C - January 21 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car for almost 4 yrs and drive the heck out of it with over 80k now. Its been through every state from east coast to TX and all kinds of weather with never a problem. Im out with all the SUVs in the snow. I tow a 3,000lb boat, and the car performs like its towing very little. The extent of my maintenance is that Ive replaced tires once and brakes twice, a window and heat blower motor, some antifreeze wiper blades, lamps and of course many oil changes.

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  My opinion - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By smiths7482 - January 21 - 2:00 am

  There is a noise that comes from the motor. I took it to the dealership and I was told That is to be expexted that. the factory was not going to fix the problem. They put a new belt on it to see it that helped but the noise is still there.

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  better than the camry - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By tonyc - January 21 - 2:00 am

  I own a Camry - I may sell it and get another one of these. I honestly cant think of one feature I dont like. Very fun, very quiet, impressive build quality

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  A great car at an affordable price. - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Michaelangelo - January 20 - 9:13 pm

  The new 2002 Pontiac Grand Am drives like a true sportscar. The coupe looks very nice, and is very fun to drive. It has a great stereo system in it as well. I am planning on upgrades upgrades onto it, even though it is extremely nice the way it comes from the factory. The car could come with a larger engine, and the sc/t spoiler should take place of the current spoilers for gt models. The wheels are the best wheels I have seen that acually come with the car. The ride is exceptionally smooth, and it is a great value for what you pay for the vehicle.

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  My Aztek - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By comscan - January 19 - 10:00 am

  So far the vehicle has proven to be both reliable and safe to drive, I live in Calgary Canada aaand my Aztek has proved its self more than capable of handling all of the snow we receive here during day to day driving. Also during this period the heating system has been more than adequate even in - 30c temperatures, I am looking forward to driving it long distance during the summer!