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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  Never buy from the cheapest - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Mike - April 25 - 4:53 am

  I purchased the 1999 Gold edition Grand Prix GT. Now with only 105,000 km thats right no error. I had to have the brake lines from the fire wall back all replaced. Was told Pontiac does not sell complete brake line assembly. Thats a days work for the mechanic to install. The car has been undercoated also. The mechanic who did the job replaced all the brake lines in his 1999 Chevy pick-up. Unbelievable! For a 10 year-old car thats not even a daily driver. Now I have a hood release cable that doesnt work when its cold outside. If you can wrestle the hood open, afterward the hood will not close properly. Also I was warned to replace the rubber bush mounts (suspension), both left & right side.

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  Great car - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By Pontiac G5 - April 25 - 1:00 am

  I love this car, i got it as my first car and i love the features i got. Its a really fun car to drive and i recommend it.

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  best performance car forthe money - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By bluebyu05 - April 23 - 6:30 pm

  ive had my gto since july 05 and drive it on weekends and every time i take it out i get more and more impressed with the performance , handling and comfort. its basically a corvette that you can fit 4 people in comfortably . not to mention with the amount of hp 400 the gas miles is better than the mustang which has 300hp. its really a fun car to drive.

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  Pontiac Sunfire - 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
  By uabgal01 - April 23 - 12:06 am

  The only thing I would complain about is that as soon as the warranty expired (5 years), the car started having multiple problems. Nothing that cant be fixed pretty cheaply, but still. Otherwise Ive loved my car. It has NEVER broken down on me, and the mileage per gallon is awesome, especially now!

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  Couldnt Pass It Up! - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By archstud - April 20 - 1:03 pm

  The key selling point was the price; after rebates, auto show cash, and GM employee discount the cost of my G6 couldnt be passed up. I live in the Chicagoland area and purchased this car for summer time use only. After breaking in the engine, I took this car on a 1,500 mile, 5 day, 5 state road trip to the Smoky Mountains N.P. This car was a blast to drive on the interstate. With the top down, conversation can easily be made even when traveling 80-90 mph. With a large displacement of the 3.9L engine maneuvering through traffic was a breeze although this car could really benefit from a 5th and even a 6th gear, because it only returned 23.5 mpg on this particular trip.

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  The Legend Returns - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By autopower - April 19 - 8:36 pm

  Acquired this car new after turning in an 04 BMW 330 coupe. Definitely great power for the money. It doesnt handle like a BMW or Porsche, but those arent muscle cars. Got the 6spd manual with the 18" wheels. Average 21 mpg in mixed driving, when I behave. The rear can get sloppy with slight road imperfections or slippery surfaces, but it teaches respect. After over 2 years I still dislike the gearbox, though. I despise the 1 to 4 lock-out in city driving, and it repeatedly pops out of gear. But just one stab at the throttle removes all frustrations. The exhaust note sells the car. It is quiet when youre cruising, but loud when you get into it.

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  2009 Vibe Versatile and Practical - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By Frank Dolen - April 19 - 6:20 am

  Purchased car end of May and have driven about 260 miles. Good mileage about 28 mpg with 50% city and 50% highway. Should improve with break in. 5 speed automatic shifts smoothly and 2.4 engine has plenty of pep. Comfortable and smooth ride.Would recommend. Vibe seemed to run smoother than its twin the Toyota Matrix and was priced better.

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  Rock solid... - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By TreyT - April 19 - 2:00 am

  This car has been rock solid. I had an after market krager wheel break causing a spin on the highway which managed to mess up the rear suspension and the front susp but the car remains solid, performance is excellent and Ive managed 29mpg on the freeway with the 6 speed manual. Excellent daily driver and excellent performance at a bargain price.

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  Dont Buy It - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Mike - April 17 - 1:46 pm

  I bought this car with 97,000 miles for $3000. I only drive 14 miles a day to and from work. In the seven months Ive owned the car, Ive had to replace two power window motors ($350 each) and the car is now leaking antifreeze into the engine through a faulty manifold. This will cost an additional $600 to fix. In addition, the thermostat is continually sticking making for some very cold commutes. Dont be tempted to buy this car. Spend an extra few thousand and get Toyota or Honda.

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  NOT A COOKIE-CUTTER, IT RULES ALONE! - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By DAVID - April 17 - 2:00 am

  EXCELENT VEICLE FOR THE MONEY! READ MY FAVORITES. HIGH QUALITY BUT IF YOU LIVE IN A COLD CLIMATE, DONT EXPECT THE HATCH TO OPEN.