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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  The Toyota that thinks its a Pontiac - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By McMandolin - January 18 - 2:00 am

  For a tall person like me who wants good gas mileage and isnt so concerned about acceleration, this is the perfect vehicle. It has extra headroom and seats at the right level for easy ingress/egress. Many have commented on the red lighted instruments.

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  What a wonderful, fun car! - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By VDodiLi - January 18 - 2:00 am

  I have had 13 cars since I started driving in 1978, and this is BY FAR the best (except maybe my first car, a 71 VW Bug - but it was my first, cmon!). It is flashy (fusion orange, to match my red hair!), sporty, a LOT of fun to drive, decent gas mileage, heavy and solid feeling (unlike foreign cars which always feel cheap to me), and an engine that feels and performs like an old muscle car (the throaty roar from the Ram Air is unbelievably exhilarating). It is a car that makes me smile every time I see it, and gives me a thrill every time I accelerate, all without making a big dent in my budget. It makes me feel like a teenager again!

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  My 2004 Grand Prix GTP - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Tekis Mom - January 18 - 2:00 am

  Having lost our 1994 Grand Prix GTP to an accident, we knew that we wanted another. Were we surprised to see that the 2004 model was already out. It was somewhat of a difficult choice between the GTP with or without the Comp G package. The deciding factor was availble color. We didnt want to wait for the Comp G in a different color. I am the primary driver and I cannot say enough about the handleing of this car. It has the manuverability to get me out of any tight spot and is very stable at any speed. I love the cornering abilities and love to use and abuse the speed limits on curves.

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  Infromative refiew - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By James Boerner - January 18 - 2:00 am

  The first 90 was working out all the little rattles inside the car. The unit around the radio would rattle and the area around the gear shift would also rattle.Over time these rattles has worked them self out and they have stopt.The car is cold to start in the morning and you do need to give it a few minutes to warm up.Over all we love the design of this car.

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  Car is okay, not great - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By MacB - January 18 - 2:00 am

  Car is decent. Wouldnt really recommend buying one. The car is fun to drive and accelerates well on the highway but from standstill, is sluggish. Interior design components are kind of cheap and the overall build doesnt seem as if it will last beyond 5 years, unlike foreign competitors. Engine noise is also very loud and mileage is below average

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  G8 GXP - The 4-door Corvette - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By pokerfred68 - January 17 - 8:13 pm

  Best vehicle owned to date. Well beyond expectations. Bad idea for GM not to continue to offer this in the US. Want one bad enough...go to Australia. M5 killer for half the price. Also have a 2009 Vette with same engine...G8 can almost keep up! Only regret: no offer of an in-dash nav. This is one of the top 5 sport sedans in the world...bar none...regardless of price. At 415 hp, its only $100 per pony. Glad to have one of the very few GXPs sold...hopefully a collector for the future.

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  Love my Torrent! - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Frank J. Konopka - January 17 - 5:50 pm

  Ive only owned foreign-made cars for the past 20 years, because I felt the domestic vehicles werent up to overseas standards. This new Torrent has changed my mind: its a great car, and I just enjoy so very much driving it! In fact, my wife and I argue constantly about whos going to drive. The luggage room is fine, and I just like the feel of being high off the road, with good visibility all around.

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  Love it. - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Hairball - January 17 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car because of the style but also in part because of the superb service by the dealer on my Bonneville. If I had to do it over again, only thing I would change is to have chosen a color other than white (Wife really wanted red with beige leather). Those writers who complain about dealers not being able to find a problem, or to fix it the first time, need to find another dealer. Mine is super, and has continually provided service to me far and above any other dealer I have worked with in the past 36 years.

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  Great In The Snow - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By D.R.Montville - January 17 - 2:40 am

  Purchased this vehicle about 5 wks ago and have about 1000 mi. on it now. It replaced a 2004 Cadillac cts which is rear wheel drive. Even with traction control, it was useless when there was snow on the roads. Living in central New England, we need something that allows us to get to work in a storm. The Pontiac Torrent fills the bill in this area very nicely. It also is a nice looking vehicle that is fun to drive. Couldnt ask for much more.

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  2006 Grand Prix GT Supercharged - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By dcole08 - January 16 - 3:49 pm

  I have had this car for over 2 years now, and I must say I love it. I honestly dont know how I stumbled upon it because I was initially looking for either a Maxima, or a Charger. Somehow I stumbled upon this car and it is awesome. It looks awesome and turns heads all of the time because it is different. Mine (all black with black interior) is rare where I am and I havent seen one like it around. People love riding in it, and my wife loves to drive it. Its very comfortable to drive, and I have never had any issues with it. The 3800 motor in it is a legend in the car world, and mechanics salivate when they see the 3800 v6 it wrapped with headers and a supercharger.