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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  Junk it - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By G.Timm - November 23 - 8:03 am

  Like most of the reviews, my G6 was bought new. It rattles, shakes so bad that I am afraid to drive it. Sun roof leaks and rattles. The interior design is very cheap. I also bought a new Grand Prix two months later, big difference. My lease expires next month and I am sure I will get boned my GMAC with them having to fix all of the broken crap that should have never failed in the first place. What a cheap piece of junk.

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  Own one more than a year - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Monica - November 20 - 10:33 am

  I have not been pleased with this vehicle at all! The car had electrical problems from day one! No headlights, taillights, brake lights, you name it it broke. Trunk would not latch after a few months after purchase. The plastic interior cracks and falls off. Now the car has internal engine problems. Been broke down for a few weeks and it will cost over a grand to fix one of the problems. I have called GM several times but they say there is nothing they can do. I would not recommend this vehicle to anyone. I never owned a new car until this one. I will never buy another Pontiac after this experience.

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  Very disappointed - 2005 Pontiac Aztek
  By Ebony Green - November 16 - 5:26 pm

  Vehicle has been nothing but trouble since purchased. Has experience several problems each month since I purchased it. Problems such as stalling, loss of power, gear shift not going into gear at all, cruise control not working, paint chipping, car running hot, burining smell and smell of gas, gas tank rattling. I have been out of the vehicle for a total of 70 days. I would advise any consumer to check with the department of transportation before purchasingthis vehicle. This vehicle has shut down on major highway more than once and could have cuased my family and I to be killed.

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  Not a good car! - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By tam - November 14 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my 97 GA for 5 years, and Ive had only problems with it. I bought it used, and luckily I bought the extended warrantly with it -- the warranty paid for itself and them some. Just off the top of my head, I can think of several major problems Ive had with it -- the rack and pinion had to be replaced (big $-- happened after my warranty expired!), the brake rotors and pads have been replaced twice, two water pumps, an oxygen sensor, and several other repairs that I cant even remember had added up to big $ on this car! I will not be purchasing a GA again!

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  LEMON, LEMON, LEMON - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Kelly - November 11 - 4:10 pm

  Ive had nothing but problems with this heap, and dont know many people who havent (if you havent, you will). Brake rotors need replaced every 10k mi, power windows replaced 2 times each, sunroof motor replaced, turn signal replaced twice, leak in fuel line, I could go on for days. Im only stuck with this car because I went back to school, but you can bet the minute I graduate that piece of junk is outta here. DO NOT BUY A PONTIAC...EVER!

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  Never buy a GM again! - 2008 Pontiac G5
  By Disappointed - October 8 - 3:13 am

  This car is nothing but problems! I will never buy anything from GM again. It feels like every day something else is wrong with this car and then when I bring it to the dealer for service, they tell me they have it fixed yet the problem never gets resolved until five trips back to the dealer and after buying parts I didnt even need! I HATE this car! Take my advise and save your money and time, I wish I did. NEVER AGAIN!

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  Wheres the driving excitement? - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By lcs - October 7 - 2:00 am

  My car was a lemon painted to resemble a lime. It was a problem from day 1 and it never stopped until I dumped it last month. Everything from the trunk latch popping while I was moving to the radio that wouldnt go down to the struts that failed at 5000 miles to the grinding noise that no one could fix etc etc. The list goes on and on. I have finally found the advertised driving excitement in my new Acura and will never again own a GM product!

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  Poorly made car to say the least - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By joshchevy4 - October 1 - 7:53 pm

  I had bought this car used in 05 and am the first real owner as it was a rental car prior to my purchase. For a kid I put quite a few miles on it, came with 28,000 and now it has 93,000. Brakes were a huge problem, replaced them and front rotors a couple times. Caliper went out, wheel bearing went out, and now Ive been facing these electrical problems which eventually led to the passing of this car. No dash lights, smoking from the dash area, no brake lights, and now the fuel pump is shot. Interior falls apart each time i sneeze, and Ive had nothing but the worst experiences with it (excluding the time I topped out at 120). Do yourselves a favor and buy a Honda, Toyota, or Mitsubishi.

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  where am I and whats around me? - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By KrisT - September 25 - 9:06 am

  Great price for a car/truck/suv mix breed. That is where it stops. ABS is an option on this vehicle (where it was a standard feature on the 2003 model). On wet roads the traction/steering are very weak. A lot of blind spots. Vehicle very awkward shaped and weight distribution to be a front wheel drive. Sometimes I wonder if the thing is going to stop when I hit the brakes--Tires like to lock up or I roll through the stop sign. Overall... If it is a dry summer day on a long straight road with no traffic.. this vehicle is optimal to own.. 22 mpg in town/30mpg hiway. Anything that is offroad, curves, traffic, non asphalt/cement... normal driving conditions...this vehicle has a mind of its own.

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  Dont Waste Your Money! - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By NancyV1 - September 21 - 10:00 am

  This is the worst car Ive ever owned (have owned about 8). Transmission rebuilt at 45000 miles and still having same problems with it. Brakes are always going out on it, am having to have rotors turned or replaced around every 8 mos, and pads last about 5-6 mos. Problems with intake manifold. Car does not retain its value. Many other websites have complaints from owners too. Many other engine probs, including power steering problems, but running out of room...