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:

• 

  Vibe is a joy to own! - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Hugh - June 26 - 9:03 pm

  In almost six years now we have only put tires, a battery, and front brake pads on this car! Oil and filter of course, but wonderful car. Highway mileage goes to low 30s at high speeds. Contrary to what some here report, the Vibe and Matrix are made in America on the same assembly line in California.

• 

  I Miss Pontiac! - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By I Miss Pontiac! - June 24 - 9:46 pm

  I do like my 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix. I still dont love it. I am a Mercury Cougar fan, I had 2 including a 25th Anniversary Edition. The Pontiac and Grand Prix version is a wonderful car. I have leather, heated seats, dual temp controls, sunroof, remote start, and the XM and 6 CD changer. All in a regular GP, not GT. I was told it was customer built. My car was also a program car. I have not had any problems. Just the normal oil and maintenance routines. The Drivers Info center is fun. The car does have get-up- and go, you can pass easily.

• 

  2004 GTO - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By jgenestra - June 23 - 12:10 pm

  When I read on a car forum the amazing discounts on the 04 GTO I could not resist especially since I got a total of $10,000 in rebates and incentives!. The car is great, and I love the overall feel of the car. As a former 02 Camaro SS owner, the interior and build quality of the GTO is a huge leap forward. At first I did not like the styling, but its growing on me. Once again GM has dropped the ball on marketing their products correctly, because for the money these cars should be selling better.

• 

  Love Pontiac - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Vetdoc - June 23 - 2:00 am

  I have all GM vehicles and my Grand Prix is my favorite. It is a 99with a 3.8 V6 and it has 54000 miles on it, but it loks and feels new.

• 

  Awesome - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By carbwatch2 - June 23 - 2:00 am

  PUrchased for the sole purpose of commuting long distances and to have fun while doing it. Car is very comfortable on long hauls. My wife got the AWD version. So, we have "vibes" for each other...

• 

  Happy leaser - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By JAK.1 - June 23 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is great. For the price of the lease this vehicle is outperforming my expectations. Great ride and handeling. Good engine performance with decent fuel economy.

• 

  2001 Aztek - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By Mot76 - June 21 - 10:00 am

  I like riding in something thats different from the rest. The more I look at my Aztek, the more it grows on me. The fuel mileage is great for a vehicle like this with all wheel drive. The interior is well layed out and spacious. It has more room than my friends Four Runner. The sound system is one of the best I had yet!

• 

  AWESOME POWER! - 1998 Pontiac Firebird
  By Matthewhogue - June 21 - 10:00 am

  No matter what you think you know, you have no idea till you drive one. Go test drive one, your adrenaline will be pumping so high that you will write a check in the car on the way back while trying to still drive it. They lose value fast, so get a used one.

• 

  Good second car for Van owner - 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Mengson - June 21 - 10:00 am

  I needed something small and sporty to hop around in when not in the mood to do so in my van. I got it, and it was at a great discount that offset any depreciation in value. Nice overall package, without feeling too cheap, or looking too typical.

• 

  Fun, Comfortable, Great Value - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By da-star - June 21 - 10:00 am

  Great Car! Test drive one if you have not done so. GT is pretty powerful, but GTP is amazing. No one in the streets expects so much power out of this baby, and they are always in shock when you demonstrate. I own a 99 GTP with 45K miles and had almost no problems (replaced both window lift motors). Quality has been better than expected. And the fun to drive this car is incredible. The car is so much fun that my wife hurries to leave for work so she can "steal" the keys. This is absolutely a Great Value: Fun, Comfortable, Good looking.