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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  Very happy with vehicle. - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By AK - October 7 - 1:10 pm

  I leased my 2006 on Christmas Eve 2005. I am very impressed at the amount of interior room the vehicle has. I am a tall individual so I drive with the seat all the way back and reclined. Not one complaint from passengers seated directly behind me. Reliability so far has been top notch. I like the way the dashboard is situated. Only complaint I have is, I think the manufacturer could have made the vehicle more powerful. 185 horsepower is just not enough for this sized vehicle. A sufficient amount would be about 215 horsepower.

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  Second Childhood - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Maytagman2 - October 7 - 5:06 am

  @66, have owned 27 different autos including muscle cars, imports, and various eye-catching fun to drive cars. This ranks as one of the top three cars Ive owned. Intend to keep it and pass it on to my grandson when he reaches at least 21...not 16.

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  Wow! - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By MHadden - October 6 - 2:10 am

  The new G6 Coupe GTP is amazing! WAY better than I ever expected. The coupe features Mercedes-Benz style windows that lower 1/2 inch to allow tighter seals around the window: class act! Pontiac looks like its turing itself around and putting the sport back into GM. For those of you who like seeing behind you while you drive, you may find the head rests and the small rear window to be intrusive, as the headrests block almost 50% of the rear view. Finally, the standard Stabilitrak system on the GTP keeps you on track...hopefully Pontiac will offer it to the "snow belt" on the other trim models.

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  Vibe works for me - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By pizan - October 5 - 10:00 am

  Car has been a great vehicle for its size - a little small. Ride is great and front seat is comfortable for 4-6 hour drives I make regularly (511" tall). Rear seat comforatbly seats adults and cargo space is flexible and adequate for most uses (golf clubs need to be angled to fit back there w/o folding seats down). The cruise is touchy on hills, revving alot. Overall Im very pleased with this vehicle - my only regret is that the new orange color was not available in the 2003 model I bought.

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  Finally a good deal - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By StalePhish - October 4 - 10:53 pm

  After countless used cars, I finally decided to get a new car, and what a fabulous decision I made to buy a brand new Pontiac G5. Keeping price in mind, I went with the base model, which still has great performance and equally impressive looks. My personal record average was 38.7 MPG in medium/light traffic on the interstate for an hour. Unlike most other cars I have driven, the headrests are actually effective and the seats are amazingly comfortable. For being over 6 feet tall, I have more than enough leg room and my head doesnt ever bump the ceiling. The interior controls are clustered intuitively and to my taste.

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  Love It - 2001 Pontiac Firebird
  By Vinterskugge - October 4 - 12:56 am

  This review is of the WS6 Trans Am. This is the most beautiful car ever and is a lot of fun to drive. Its a shame they are not made anymore, although if they were, they would probably be ruined with a hideous new design. This is the shape that cars should be: low, wide, 2-doors, long hood. Only drawback is lack of trunk space, but the backseat is perfect: you cannot ask for a better design as far as being able to reach into the back seat from either the outside or the front seat. No problems in light snow with all season tires. Car is still like new. True muscle car driving excitement, plus unrivaled aesthetic beauty

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  Best car weve owned - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By SCOTT - October 3 - 9:50 pm

  this is with out a doubt the best car weve owned. my wife wanted a nissan altima but i looked at both and thought overall the g6 offered the most bang for the buck. my wife liked it also but thought that because she didnt see that many out on the road meant it wasnt a good car. i explained that this model hadnt been out very long. i finally rented an altima for her to see how she liked it. that took care of her doubt. this car drives wonderfully. smooth and quiet. feels like it has more than 205 hp. transmission is perfectly matched to the 3.5l v6. powerful at all speeds. i personaly like the different plastics they used in the interior theyre easily cleaned. interior looks good longer.

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  great mileage - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By frank - October 3 - 3:53 pm

  30 miles per gallon if you stay out of the supercharger on the interstates. great car so far on dependability.

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  GP GT - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By FC - October 2 - 6:43 pm

  I bought this car for my wife. Certified GM used with warranty. It offers a good drive, with excellent comfort for the leather bucket seats. Driver ergonomics are unmatched. However, with the 200 hp 3800, it feels big and lumbering. I love the rumble from the dual exhaust, but its an overall underwhelming experience. Id definitely recommend finding a GTP for more power. It has great looks and we love the silver exterior with the black leather and moonroof. Heater fan detonated recently, a costly repair without the bumper to bumper warranty. Other than that, not a single problem!

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  Texas in a Montana - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By tate - October 1 - 3:03 am

  Our SV6 has room for grandkids dogs, and all supplies needed for vacation or everyday driving! The DVD with wireless head phones is a must for trips with 5, 6, + 7 year olds.