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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  So far so good - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By gfarrell - February 10 - 5:33 pm

  I really like this car. It is fun to drive and I consider it a great value. Not the nicest interior, and doesnt have all the gadgets, but enjoying the drive is the most important thing to me. Every morning the commute to work is an adventure. So far it has been very reliable, and the dealer was easy to work with. I had a couple of issues that needed to be addressed the week after I got it, but they were fixed correctly and quickly. I do not miss the drama of the BMW service department.

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  Lemon, stay away, far, far away! - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Languish - February 10 - 10:30 am

  7 years I have owned this car I have had to replace the following: 2 alternators 2 batteries 3 driver side power window motors 2 abs sensors 1 heating & a/c fan 1 head gasket and 1 intake manifold gasket 2 times rotors replaced 2 times rotors reground STAY AWAY FROM PONTIAC!

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  Dont conform, think outside the box. - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By Zephram Cochran - February 10 - 2:00 am

  I have been a long-time auto enthusiast and I get a kick out of the Aztek. Sure, it looks odd to some but thats what I like...it doesnt look like everything else out there (easy to find in a crowded parking lot). If you dont agree go along in your bland Camry or Accord or cookie-cutter SUV. It is the most comfortable vehicle I have ever driven. At the time of purchase, it was the most powerful engine in its class. I went from FL to NH twice and I am still surprised by the comfortable...really luxurious ride that I am treated to. You simply cannot beat the price for what you get, conformists need not apply.

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  Best New Car In Years! - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By topdown73cat - February 10 - 2:00 am

  We have purchased numerous new cars over the last 20 years. Our 2002 Bonneville SE is the best new one yet. It is much quieter, better fit and finish, excellent performance and far less TROUBLE than the 1996 Dodge Intrepid ES we had. We have owned the Bonneville 7 months now and only oil changes have been done. At 7000+ miles it hasnt been into our dealer yet!

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  Grand Prix GTP - Best used car buy ever! - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By realsj99 - February 9 - 2:43 pm

  I use my car for business and do a lot of highway driving, so it makes sense for me to buy used and drive the car forever. My GTP has been my favorite so far! Fantastic acceleration, excellent handling and very comfortable heated leather w/ 8-way power seats. After 55,000 miles, I have has no major mechanical issues, leaks or failures. I put Michelin HydroEdge tires on it which made a dramatic improvement over the Goodyear Eagle LS tires with which it originally came. It returns about 18- 22 mpg city and 27-30 mpg hwy and still able to run high 14-second quarter mile times (comparable to stock Mustang GT performance). For the money, a well-maintained GTP is the best used car value!

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  My Great Van - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By pugowner19 - February 9 - 9:10 am

  I bought this about 2 years ago. I love the way it look. We have had very little trouble with it. It has all the bells and whistles you could ask for. The body style is still in style after all this time. I think that if the transmission or engine went out I would just have them replaced and keep the van.

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  Great Vehicle - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Don S. - February 8 - 4:53 pm

  I drive over 40,000 miles a year. The car is very comfortable and has plenty of power. I have over 90,000 miles on the Grand Prix already and have not done anything to it except regular maintenance. Average mileage on the highway is 27 mpg with air on. Great car! I strongly recommend.

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  Poor Reliability Ruins A Great Car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By manualgtp - February 8 - 1:00 pm

  The G6 is the right size and fun to drive. Gas mileage is above average. Reliability is a major problem: Brakes,rough idle, spark knock, Frequent engine light and airbag light issues, Front suspension parts wearing out early etc. Add that the dealer only provides a temporary fix, so you have to take it back again and again for the same problem. I have lost count of how many times it has been in for warranty work. I know it is over 14 times in less than 2 years. If it was reliable, it would be a great car. Maybe the base cars are better. This GTP has not. I have owned many new Pontiacs and this G6 has been the worst for repairs. Choose the Grand Prix instead. It appears to be more reliable.

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  Happily Sunfired - 2001 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Tommy - February 7 - 12:06 pm

  I was looking for a car to replace my tired 95 Baretta. A no-frills 01 Sunfire, with 66,400 miles, caught my eye. I was very impressed with the power from the 2.2L engine. The 5 speed manual trans shifted smooth... even reverse was noiseless. The body design is subtly sporty. Seating could be more comfortable, but that is a minor concern. After 3 months its the gas mileage that impresses me most. Driving a mix of highway & city, it consistantly gets from 31 to 33 mpg! Overall, this Sunfire is the best used vehicle Ive ever owned.

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  Its a shame - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By mike - February 6 - 5:16 am

  My wife and I bought this vehicle used, 3y rs old, 34,000 miles. We LOVED the bells and whistles that the vehicle is equipped with. It drives, rides and handles like a dream. Unfortunately, thats where the love affair ends. The design and build quality of this van is simply appalling. This vehicle should have been recalled early on. The fact that it hasnt, speaks VOLUMES about GMs attitude toward customer satisfaction. If you ever wondered why the Japanese car companies are killing American auto makers, you need look no further than this vehicle. The cheap quality of interior parts is only surpassed by the $1500 repair bill every 2-6 months when yet another sys/component fails.