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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  Most fun car in 40 years - 2009 Pontiac G5
  By stephen larson - March 3 - 10:00 pm

  This vehicle hugs the road, has great visibility, no factory defects and is fun to drive

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  12,000 mile review - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By fladad - March 1 - 5:30 am

  I have had my Vibe since OCT and now have 12000 miles. Not one mechanical problem yet. The upgraded stereo-Moons and Tunes-sounds great. The car is nimble and quick for only 130hp. At 65- 70mph I get a true 34mpg with auto transmission. It feels bigger when inside than it really is. Unless you have GM card points and OLDs loyalty rebate, it makes more sense to buy a used one with 10-12k miles for about 12- 13000 dollars.

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  Not a bad little car - 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Nao-Chan - March 1 - 2:00 am

  We have had very few problems with this car, and it now has 83,000 miles. The olny thing out of the ordinary that we had to replace was the Air conditioning compressor for about $600 @ 76,000 miles. The engine is still strong, and transmission shifts smoothly. My main complaint is the seats, which are unbearable on any trip that requires more than 2 hours driving.

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  Great car - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Ken79 - March 1 - 2:00 am

  I just bought a new 04 grand prix. This is the second one I have owned. It is a very fun car and has impressed me very much. It has a sporty feel and look to it with the power to back that look up. It also is comfortable and can make a nice family car. The price of the car by far beats Chevy cars and your getting the same engine. I think you get more for your money on this car anyway. My only negative remark from my experience is about my dealership. But as far as the car you cant go wrong on this one.

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  GM Hits Homerun - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Jenkins - March 1 - 2:00 am

  Handling, attention to detail and quality, awesome power with Comp G,XM satellite, safety features including side airbags for front/rear seat passengers, sporty looks make this an unbeatable car at this price range! This is 4th GP Ive owned and by far the best of the bunch.

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  Great Fun - 1998 Pontiac Firebird
  By Robert Linzer - February 28 - 1:26 pm

  Driving this vehicle is really fun, definitely the funnest Ive ever driven. Being able to take corners at 30 mph without feeling like your going to roll the thing is a great ride. Only things I dont like are the traction problems in wet weather and its ride height. I love the fact that its low to the ground, but its a pain to drive worrying about scraping when going through the smallest dips or transition from level surfaces to a steep slope.

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  By Far, The Best Sports Car Under 45k - 2000 Pontiac Firebird
  By TomG - February 28 - 10:00 am

  I bought my 2000 Bright Red Trans Am in early August of 2000 after repeatedly test driving Mustangs, Eclipses, Celicas, and even a BMW 3 series. What I wanted was a sporty, fun, and fast car for around 25 - 30k. I have every option except for the WS6 package (3k for 15 horses?) I opted for the 4 speed auto rather than the Hurst 6 speed which I found to be clumsy with long throws and an imprecise feel, not to mention that horrid skip shift. The performance of this car is just unreal. I havent had any problems thus far in the 1.5 years that Ive had it. The Monsoon sound system is simply amazing. I would reccomend this car to anyone who loves driving.

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  Great car for your money - 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Craziman - February 28 - 10:00 am

  This car is great. Just recently purchased and Ive already gone 350 miles on one tank before filling up with 1 gallon left to spare(combined highway and city while driving hard). Very comfy on the highway and the shocks absorb road default pretty well. I just wish that thump sound would go away!

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  Review - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By poor choice - February 28 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for little over a year and have had it in the shop three times for serious problems (brakes, steering, and the engine kept overheating). I am so dissatisfied that I will never purchase another Pontiac again!

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  Fantastic Vehicle - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By Will S. - February 28 - 9:10 am

  I have owned an Aztek AWD 4D for approximately 3 1/2 years. It has been reliable, fun to drive, convenient and fuel efficient. My dog loves the car, the back seats and plastic storage container in the back are easily remove to haul stuff. The sight angles arent great out of the back but are adequate.The car handles well and (knock on wood) in three years I have had 0 problems with it. Great for camping, fishing, moving, tailgating (huge plus) and other activities that guys love. Great for taking your dog on a long trip. I love this car and plan on keeping it for 10 more years. Its styling and interior grows on you and the front console is almost identical to my wifes Grand Prix GTP.