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 maidmo - March 18 - 2:46 am

  Beautiful car, I am very proud ! Hard to see through the back window, though.- I have to use mirrors totally, needs Lumbars in front seats, but passengers in the rear are very comfy. Trunk is huge and wonderful! Some work needs to be done on the design so we can see out the back windows.. there are major blind spots.

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  2005 Pontiac G6 Review - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Preston Osborne - March 17 - 6:56 pm

  Ive owned my 2005 Pontiac G6 for 19 months and it has lived up to its billing as a car that is fun, economical, and dependable. If it has one drawback it is that you have to get used to using the side view and side mirrors when backing up because of the "chopped style" design, but I wouldnt trade that away to compromise on its great look.

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  I Totally DIG this car! - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By California Boy - March 17 - 1:16 pm

  Wow. I was going to buy an Acura and on a complete whim I tried this Grand Prix. THIS AINT NO RENTAL CAR!!! This thing is fast, smooth and very quiet. Better than an Acura or Audi in my opinion. Snotty Beverly Hills people might not drive one, but that is their problem! Excellent Job, GM!

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  Could have been better - 2005 Pontiac Bonneville
  By cmsherm - March 16 - 2:33 pm

  Style of the body makes the vehicle look welcoming due to the fact that this looks more like a sports car than the traditional family car. The interior looks much more inviting than most of GMs bench seat in the front of their sedans. However, looks can be deceiving. The seats are very uncomfotable and traveling long distances make riding a horse seem more appealing. The vehicle has good acceleration once you get out of first gear and the exhaust has a nice rumble when you hit the gas. It is fun to drive on winding roads due to the wider wheel base. You can find curves that suggest 30 mph, all the while you can be doing 60 mph mashing on the gas and never leave your lane.

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  Great car for the money - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By hami5150 - March 16 - 6:06 am

  I got this one brand new, and the only major problem I have had was a flat tire. The car runs very smooth, and handles well, although the windshield frame proves to be a slight blind spot at times, and the design of the interior make it difficult to see into lanes to the right/rear. Engine-wise, not a problem yet. Friend of mine has an Elantra, and paid at least 5k more, and I would still rather have the Sunfire. Mine is a manual trans, and even though i only get 140hp, it still kicks a little when i need it

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  2000 Pontiac boneville - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By PAM AMATO - March 16 - 3:03 am

  Lots of problems with this car. Window motors keep failing, ac went out, transmission problems. Looks good, put poor quality mechanical devices

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  Renesis - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By RENESIS - March 15 - 11:36 pm

  Well I kept the car for a little while and it was a good experience. I wouldnt buy it again though due to the following reasons. 1) the car has no steering feel and it doesnt communicate with you at all so you cant drive with precision 2) the back seat has a lot of room but getting in and out is big problem and trust me it is. 3) Resale values are horrible but I didnt look at this when I bough it brand new. 4) Moding can be expensive and there are some mods you need right away like shifter and springs and shocks/ struts. Better tires. Acceleration is great and so far its faster in STRAIGHT LINE than these: 350z, evo,mustang, srt8,E46 M3, Speed6, S4,C55 AMG. Its a lot of car for the money

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  GTO 2004 - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By cjvanho - March 15 - 4:03 am

  I found a few details in the body that seemed shoddy or badly painted. Aftermarket parts that were installed by Dealership really dont match paint from factory. The Mirrors have serious problems they have blind spots and are not either big enough or they are placed wrong. The car has some HP however its missing midrange torque.

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  Night rider - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By Edawg - March 14 - 3:00 pm

  I had a GTA years ago and had to get back to a sports car. So I chose what I had before. My WS6 is by far the most powerful car Ive ever owned. Just with a little modifcation and can make it as fast a vette. My kids love it and so do I.

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  Watch Out For Falling Headlights - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Polskiguy - March 14 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my 1997 Grand Prix GT since 1996 when it first came out. Since then I have had to replace the headlight lens 3 times because it gets water leaks inside and it falls off. I have also had major problems with the rear main seal leaking oil. I had to replace that also which is a major job and very expensive. Also replaced 2 water pumps and alternater. Replaced front struts and mounts at about 100,000 miles.