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 Drive - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By Matt - June 2 - 4:16 pm

  I was skeptical in buying this car since it was only out for a month or so when I bought it...But after I did I was very satisfied with my decison. The seats take a little time to get comfortable to. Acceleration and gas mileage are great. For me, the as mileage is peaking at 25 mpg for light highway, mostly city driving which is average. The handling is great too.

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  Get back to where you once belonged GM! - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By Warren - June 2 - 11:53 am

  Prior to owning my 2005 GTO I owned an 04 model, until a jackass in a pickup truck crossed the center line of the road and hit me head on. The fact that I walked away with only minor injuries is a testamonial to the quality of the car and the integrity of the design. The styling doesnt meet with the approval of some people, but I find it very appealing. The GTO gets plenty of respect at the stoplight, especially from Mustang drivers who know better !!!

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  Always an Aztek Owner - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By azteks - June 1 - 2:00 am

  I can only hope that Azteks will be available for a long time: thats the only kind of midsize/compact SUV I like to drive. I love to see and be seen driving an Aztek. I am madly in love with it since the summer of 2000!

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  2003 AZTEK - A GOOD BUY - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By jkwh50a - June 1 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my Aztek in Jan. 03 and have 23,000 miles on it. Never had any problems from day one, so far just 2 oil changes. Runs great so far. Very pleased with it, maybe I am just lucky to get a good one, I read about the problems some people are having with theirs. I am amazed that more and more of the new cars are getting that Aztek look about them. I guess the Aztek was just ahead of its time. At the time of purchase GM was giving $3000 rebate and I had $2,300 in credits from GM Mastercard, and a nice dealer discount off the sticker, made it a very, very good deal for me.

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  YOUR MONEYS WORTH - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Enid - June 1 - 2:00 am

  The PV has turned out to be a blessing. Great family car with plenty of space for storage and toys..Also, excellent for when you go camping or to the shore.

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  Highly Recommend!!! - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By AdamBrantner - May 31 - 11:16 am

  Love this car... Handles great. Power is good even from the base engine. Inside is VERY comfortable. I have not tried out the backseat yet,,,,,, but the front seats are very comfortable. I am over 6 foot tall so its hard to find a car with good seats. But this car has it. Love the way they wrap around you. Also love the styling. I get several looks from people as I drive through the burbs with this car.

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  1999 Trans Am WS6 - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By nowlin20atm - May 30 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for over 3 years now with no major problems. One headlight motor went out and the radio display displayed nonsense at time, but both were fixed under warranty.

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  Mixed Emotions - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By MarkNY - May 30 - 10:00 am

  This car is very fun the drive, very responsize handling. Ive had horrible problems with premature tire wear. Ive had to get is aligned 3 times since my purchase. Ive gone through 2 sets of tires, and only have 13K miles in it. The dealer told me I am beating the car, but I drive like Im the grand marshall of a parade. Most of the car is built really well. But in the truck, they placed this little flimsy plug for the light right in the way of the trunk space. Whenever placing large items in the trunk, I crack it off. It sticks out like a sort thumb. The engineer who designed that needs to be fired, and gives quality engineers a bad name.

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  Most fun in years - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By BADBLKBRD - May 30 - 2:00 am

  I dont know what car your editor was driving to give it a 5.5 rating, but it must not be the same car I have. I have a Firebird Trans Am with the WS6 option and it is by far the best performance car I have ever driven for this price range. I have had no problems with the car so far, and being that Im a 60 year old performance enthusiast, it will probably be the last car I will ever buy. I say that because GM saw fit to discontinue a car, that if properly marketed could have been a big seller. I cant afford a Vette and I see no performance cars the calibur of the F- Bodies coming along in GMs future.

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  What a car - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By ken - May 29 - 6:10 pm

  Great car, with highway mileage at 65 mph 30 mpg, 24 in town, only small problems. Great to handle on sharp curves, hugs the road. Same battery that came with the car, now have 80,000 miles on it hard to wash though always leaving dirty spots in the creases.