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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  First AWD Car - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Cheetahchip - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Didnt really get to drive it in the snow yet, but it handles very well in sleet and in the rain. Cant get my knees positioned right though without hitting the steering column. Needs more room there. Windy conditions make it hard to steer properly. All in all it is a fun and really nice car though.

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  BEST CAR - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By VIBER - January 13 - 10:00 am

  HANDLES EXTREMELY WELL, GREAT LOOK

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  Grand Am SE1 - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By krosshammers - January 13 - 10:00 am

  Well this car I havent had any problems with since its purchase. But I do think the dealership should have checked the car over before handing the keys over to me. After a week I checked the engine to find it was almost empty. Not acceptable! Although the staff was very warm and friendly they do need to pay attention to detail.

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  Pontiacs are Awesome - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Hoggatolluh - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I just bought my GP GT and I love it! I am a hardcore Pontiac person. Styling is beautiful. Handling is unbelievable. Power is there. Seats just hug you when you sit in them. Pontiac is designing and build some of the most aggressive and beautiful designs, people should take note.

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  Good car - 2000 Pontiac Sunfire
  By banbam - January 12 - 6:53 pm

  My dad bought this car for my sister. She was rear ended and then decided she didnt want the car so I took it. Im not a fan of the styling at all. The engine is really underpowered for my liking, and I have the 4 speed auto. Its a good car though. Ive had it for over a year now and all Ive done was replace the tires, when we bought the car, replace the brake pads, replace the starter, replace the battery, and an oil change. Maintenance really. Ive added a sound system and tinted windows and its a pretty enjoyable ride now. And being 62" I can say that I can fit somewhat comfortably, no longer than 2-3 hours though. Id say as a girls first car this would be great.

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  Love it!! - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Flagg - January 12 - 10:16 am

  A fun to drive, timelessly styled 2 seater roadster. Nothing else like it on the road, and it turns heads wherever I go.

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  My GTP - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Jason De Smit - January 11 - 10:00 am

  Excellent car, for the price, you really cant ask for anything more. There are a couple of minor things that I dont particularly care for. But the rest of the car definitely makes up for it. Its rather powerful engines makes driving VERY fun and exciting. And it handles very smoothly!

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  Wouldnt Do It Again - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By Father of 5 - January 11 - 4:20 am

  I had expected better from a 2000 model GM vehicle. I began having electrical problems right after the warranty ran out, smelling smoke while I was driving and tracing the problem to a 24 V DC short in a connector in the interior driver side rear panel. The wiring bundle was so hot that it melted the insulation on the wires. This resulted in damage to the tail/brake light, automatic leveling and interior air compressor circuits. Now, after roughly 65K miles, the transmission has started to go out. This is a family vehicle that I needed to last for many years. As it is, I will likely get it paid off in time to junk it. Next time, Ill buy Japanese.

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  Stylish and comfortable! Great punch! - 2005 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Paul J. - January 9 - 10:30 am

  Driving has no longer become such a chore with the Bonneville. Just driving it for the pure joy of taking a ride is back. After owning a Bonneville in the past and my father owning 6 it seems apporiate to come back "home" agian. Proving the Bonneville is a great car and once you get one its very easy to get another one. The Bonneville with the 3800 Series II OHV V6 is plain peppy and is plenty of power for me and I was stepping down from a small block V8 powered GM car the six seemed almost as gusty. Part of that was due to the cars good gearing and performance axle ratio which was another reason I wanted an SLE. But I admit I love the GXP/SLE styling, it will age well!

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  Grand Prix- Welcome Back ! - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Jack - January 9 - 3:23 am

  We shopped around before buying the 2006 Grand Prix. It has met or exceeded all our expectations so far. I bumped my head the 1st time I got in the back seat. We were surprised how roomy and confortable the back seat was after reading mixed reviews and remembering to duck. This our 4th car with the 3.8 litre v6. We would have to say its one of the best engines ever built. We bought the base model and are very happy with the acceleration. Wow what a great car!