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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  Satisfied owner - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By philly j - March 27 - 10:00 am

  Purchased the GT sedan in 03and have no regrets! GT looks great and performed well on the road, which is a must for my lead foot. No major repairs until this year (2010) at 160k miles-so the car is unexpectedly reliable.

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  Very cheap interior and build quality - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By sbronemann - March 26 - 10:43 pm

  I bought this car in May of 2012 with 28,500 miles on it. Currently has 62k on it and things are starting to go bad. Headlights turn off occassionally on their own, valve cover gasket is leaking, sunroof leaks, and ignition switch is going bad. It is fun to drive and does get pretty good gas mileage, recent trip to South Carolina resulted in 31.3 MPG cruising right at 71 mpg GPS verified. The torque steer is absolutely horrible as you could expect with a front drive V8 with 303 HP. Looking to get rid of it very soon.

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  wasnt perfect ...... - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By InfernoDan98 - March 21 - 10:00 am

  When I first bought the car it had a bad pull to the left at speeds over 50 mph. Pontiac said it was torque steer. Took to local chevy dealer where a buddy works and found the left strut was not installed correctly. And Pontiac just blew me off.

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  Great Value, Fun to Drive - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By Dvd67 - March 20 - 12:26 pm

  I purchased my Vibe GT in Oct. 08 and have since put 10,000 miles on it. I find the car very fun to drive and nibble in city traffic, much more so than my old Pontiac Trans Am GTA. The 2.4L has plenty of power to do just about any task you ask it. The interior home is amazing for a small car and the cargo area is more than spacious. Driving in snow and ice is a breeze, at times you almost forget it should be slick conditions. The fuel economy has been pleasing with an average of 28 mpg. I have had as high as 31 mpg and nothing lower than 24 mpg. Its a great sporty little car with economy in mind.

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  Quite a Deal - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By argus - March 16 - 2:00 am

  I did my research, and problems plaguing these cars since their introduction have been worked out. I checked Japanese competitors, but there just weren’t enough discounts to buy those cars. My Grand Am is loaded at $24K--I drove it off the lot for well under $18K. Unfortunately, resale on the Grand Am is horrid. Would’ve been nice if it were offered with a manual transaxle, but I have to admit this auto shifts smooth. Compared to Chrysler, GM transaxles are a dream. Overall, I’m VERY happy with my purchase. I haven’t owned a car that garnered so many looks, and was this fun to drive, since I sold my Fiero years ago.

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  GrandPrix GT2 - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Richcrdns - March 16 - 2:00 am

  the Grand Prix is fun to drive with a nice new look to it. Only thing I dislike is that they made the back of it to resemble the Sunfire too much. From different angles it could look like an overextended Sunfire, and that would be considered a downgrade not an upgrade.

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  Go-fast - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By RH - March 15 - 10:00 am

  The only bad experience I have had so far with my Grand Prix is that it is put together so cheaply. The interior doors panels need to be beat back into place a couple times a week. The dash and over head console have so many squeaks and rattles, it is enough to drive you crazy. I get great gas mileage, 24 avg. overall and the car has plenty of power for the average driver.

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  A Great Overall Vehicle - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By The_Hiz - March 14 - 6:20 pm

  I was immediately attracted to this vehicle by the aggresive appearance and promise of excellent performance from the supercharged engine. I have not been dissapointed after almost 10000 miles. Overall, this would be an excellent vehicle for someone more concerned about performance than rock-solid craftsmanship.

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  American Performance At Its Best - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Stephen NY - March 12 - 11:16 am

  When I purchased it the car had over 147 thousand miles. The engine ran like new with no prior work. The car always attracted the attention of pedestrians especially with its premium sound system. After a car wash the victory red paint job was a gleaming flame. The car did not require work , just tires from opening up the powerful v-6 high output engine too many times. One day I had got into an accident about 25 miles from home and I smashed the car into a highway divider wrecking the front end. The tire blew out but the car drove as if the wheel was still inflated. I took an exit and installed the donut. Then I drove 27 miles home without one problem. The car is very reliable and safe!

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  Id buy it all over again! - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By ddoiron - March 11 - 10:00 am

  98,000 miles and still loving this van. Drives great, good visibility, captains chairs in middle row are wonderful for kids on road trips. Seats are light enough for easy removal and fits 4x8 sheet of plywood.