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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  buyers beware - 2000 Pontiac Sunfire
  By konadh34 - September 9 - 1:56 am

  At first the sunfire was a great little car. Then it all came crashing down. Within 2 yrs. I had to replace the transmission and ignition switch (3 times I had to fix the switch, each time I was left in the middle of nowhere with an absolutely non functioning car). The ignition switch was a warranty recall yet every time it was "fixed" it broke down again! Ive spent as much as I paid for this car on repairs, it is ridiculous. I was lucky enough to get rid of it for a trade in on a cherokee. For a commuter, it got decent gas mileage but when youre constantly worried about being left stranded god knows where, 100mpg couldnt make up for it. Do not buy this car!

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  A blast! - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Bob - September 7 - 1:50 pm

  The new face of Pontiac is awesome! People are attracted to it from across parking lots. Fun car that really is a great value. The "Excitement" division is BACK!

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  Fun to drive - spunky small wagon! - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By chelle - September 7 - 10:00 am

  This spunky small wagon is fun to drive, has a lot of get-up-and-go! Good gas mileage. Nice appearance with the typical sporty Pontiac look! Comfortable seats, lots of legroom and headroom for those tall folks. Cool navigation system, great stereo, and 6- disk CD changer.

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  montana sv6 - 2005 Pontiac Montana
  By RAy - September 6 - 9:33 pm

  for a minivan its a very comfortable and practical vehicle, we were pleasantly surprised bythe performance of the awd. we switched from an envoy xl and really enjoy the ride and gas economy much better on the montana.

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  metallic blue nights - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By michelle barrett - September 6 - 5:23 am

  i wanted a sporty car , but needed a family car. I got both when i bought this car 7 days ago. It has everything a family of 5 could need and all the sportiness a single woman or man could want. I would not trade this car for anything in the world.

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  Worst Vehicle Ever - 2005 Pontiac Montana
  By KD Coughlan - September 5 - 7:16 pm

  Traded 02 Montana, first day knew I had made big mistake. Alternator, air conditioning, CD player, OnStar, side doors, first year 14 times in for service. Will never purchase another GM product. This vehicle is unsafe. Unfortunately, it is worth nothing. Anyone that does not agree with this does not realize the poor quality of this vehicle. On my third set of tires, cannot keep an alignment on it. Also just replaced brakes for the third time. I am not a reckless driver. Car dealers will not even accept these vehicles on trade in, will have to give it away. Buy a Toyota, I know I will be from now on.

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  Buyer beware! - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Moondaisy - September 5 - 6:50 pm

  I bought this car three years ago with 34,000 miles on it and until last fall thought it was the best car ever. Boy, was I mistaken! The catalytic converter clogged, the O2 senser went, the brakes still have some problem that causes the pads to have to be replaced every 2,000 miles. The timing chain broke, resulting in $1500.00 new engine, the front end needs work, and there is a mysterious electrical problem that is causing power surges and results in the car stall when I idle in drive. I am in the process of trading it in for a Honda! Not interested in another GM right now, for sure!

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  Every Warm Day Is A Vacation - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Caffeinated - September 5 - 4:13 am

  I do love this car. You get all of the joy of a convertible without the hassles. Dropping the top is great. During my Wisconsin winters the hard top gives you a stable ride without ragtop noise levels. It is not Lexus quiet, but I can take it for long drives without thinking about noise.

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  Awesome Little SportsCar! - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By MsWordWiz - September 4 - 10:03 pm

  Great car for the price point. I compared it to a Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Dodge Avenger, and a Prius. This is the one that both myself and husband felt the most comfortable in both in the front seat and as back seat passengers. The trunk space with the fold down seats that do not cover your floorspace in the back is a nice feature. It is a sedan that truly drives like a sports car.

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  I Really Enjoy This Car - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By rhalld38 - September 4 - 5:22 pm

  My 2004 Pontiac Grand Am I have had since 2005, and never had one major problem with it besides the blower motor kept going out on it and to replace it 3 times but I think it was because of where I got it from. The car has over 107,000 miles on it and have drove it from Illinois and Michigan numerous times with no problems at all. It drives great and looks great as well. I have been in a couple fender benders but the car still holds up in appearance. The only thing I do not like about this vehicle it has to many cup holders and the interior has to much plastic. Other than that it has great gas mileage while on the highway in the city it is about average.