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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  My new G6 - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By MJW70 - July 21 - 3:10 pm

  I love this car! I had researched for the last couple of months before buying, and I am very pleased with this car. So fun to drive and plenty of room. Very tight steering and handy/easy to read gauges.

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  An awesome driving car - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Smiling Dennis - July 21 - 11:23 am

  This is the most fun I have ever had with a car. It is great feeling once I am behind the wheel on a open winding road. The car handles super around tight corners and has outstaning performance. The Solstice is great value for the price and I would highly recommend it to people looking to have unlimited driving enjoyment and loads of fun. Makes one feel like a kid again.

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  G6 GT Coupe - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By LSparks - July 21 - 6:10 am

  I recently purchased my G6 GT Coupe to replace my 05 Chevy Equinox. My main reason for the purchase was gas mileage. So far, I have been very impressed, as I am getting almost 25 mpg. The G6 handles great and has much to offer in additional options. I am impressed with the styling of both the interior and exterior. This car is a real eye-catcher! The manumatic shift is a fun addition to everyday driving. I have heard very little road noise and I am impressed with the power of the 3.5L V6. To me, I have received a lot of car for the money. So far this has been the best out of the 4 previous Pontiac models I have owned.

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  Poor Build Quailty - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Cdoes - July 21 - 1:56 am

  Prior to owning this base model I had a 2000 GTP model which was very reliable up past 100k miles. One word of advice- Buy a 2007/2008 model where the powertrain warranty is 100k miles instead of 35k or GM certified used. I bought this car used with 8k miles from a Subaru Dealer....Everything was fine until the factory warranty ran out at 35k miles, at the point I knew I should have bought one with an extended warranty....At 41k miles the A/c system stopped working, $765.76 out of pocket.....49k miles I was driving and the car lost first/2nd gear.....Tranny rebuild- $2,109 out of pocket.....Right now the heater has stopped working as well as the front wheel hubs need replaced....

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  Such a Blast! - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By jrocker100 - July 20 - 11:29 am

  Car has been very reliable. Car was originally a repo, got it for a steal. Have had this car for 2 years and still havent/wont get bored with it. The roaring supercharger and exhaust make it all worth while. Its well worth using Premium Fuel. Red coupe, black leather, heated seat, Heads Up Display, fully loaded for a 2000. Even came with the original factory sticker. Bulletproof L67! Love the sound system! Plastic interior can be dull at times, but the red instrument panel lighting is awesome! If I could do it all over, I would. Sad to see Pontiac was discontinued.

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  So far-So good - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Hal - July 20 - 10:13 am

  Great little vehicle. We went from a Jetta Wagon to the Torrent AWD (Bright White with Ebony Leather)- Sporty! Please bear in mind that we just bought this vehicle yesterday and already have ~250 miles on it.

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  Spent More time In shop than on Road - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By MommyC - July 20 - 10:00 am

  I have driven the car for only 5,000, but it has been in the shop over 5 times trying to get the Sun roof to stop leaking and popping. I am not looking forward to a winter in the snow with this roof. pontiac are considering a recall because of the poor performance / design. I do not like the way the roof flexes when the Sun Roof opens and closes.

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  Selling to buy something reliable - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By This car is unsafe - July 20 - 10:00 am

  This car is easy to fall in love with. Unfortunately, it is also a piece of junk. I have been back to the dealer 3 times in 4 weeks because the car turns off while I am driving. Obviously, the dealer cant figure it out. Since I cant afford to keep paying the dealer to do nothing and I dont own a tow truck, I am going to buy a more reliable import even at the expense of less performance.

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  Bad Ass cars - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By sarah lemke - July 20 - 10:00 am

  I just bought a 2002 Pontiac Grand Am GT, and I love it, it hauls ass, and compared to my 1991 Ford Explorer, which might I add its falling apart, its the best car!!!

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  So far, so good - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By James - July 20 - 1:13 am

  Bought my 2003AWD Vibe used in November 2003. As noted in the reviews, it could use a little more "oomph" in the horsepower department and the steering wheel is a tad too far away when my leg room is comfortable, but other than that, Im quite happy with it. Getting about 27- 29 mpg combined, and the one snowy day we had this winter the AWD preformed fine. No rattles, smells, or funny noises. The 6 CD changer works great, and the sunroof is a nice add-on that Ill appreciate more as the weather warms up.