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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  GM version of the M5 - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By chiefburn - January 8 - 11:26 pm

  Have always had interest in uncommon cars. Wanted a C6 vette (see numbers of these every day) but still have teen at home and needed a back seat. The power along with the not-around- every-corner availability has proven to be a fantastic match. Everywhere I go someone wants to know what it is and does it go as fast as it looks and sounds. It provides the ideal combination of usable pedal to the road power and performance wanted in a new muscle car with the comfort level the 60s cars could only dream of. Even though it requires premium gas, the 21 mpg average mileage is higher than expected.

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  One of the best cars Ive owned - 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
  By holly - January 8 - 10:00 am

  I have been consistently impressed with this Sunfire. It ride very smooth and holds the road confidently. The car isnt the fastest accelerating car, but it cruises exceptionally well on the highway. I have only had one thing go wrong with the car that was not a normal wear issue - the parking brake cable stretched around 40K miles.

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  Will never buy it again - 2002 Pontiac Montana
  By Yuan Li - January 8 - 10:00 am

  We drive a lot and buy a new vehicle every three years. Own this van for more than two years. Went through three major repairs: engine head gasket, cooliing system(Condensor) and now ABS module. Each repair costs more than thousand dollar. So what ever GM rebate is, dont be lured to think to buy it, because eventually you will use the saving from rebate to pay for the repair.

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  love my vibe! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Divot - January 8 - 10:00 am

  Great car!!! Fun to drive. I am so happy I chose a Vibe! It is comfortable and has the feel of a sports car. Holds the road beautifully. I highly recommend it!

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  fun to drive - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By sue22 - January 8 - 10:00 am

  i like driving this care because it handles really well on the highway. it has good pick up and go power.

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  Awesome car! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By mayonnaise - January 6 - 8:56 pm

  Love, love, love this car! Bought used just over a year ago. Gets great gas mileage. Very comfortable seating. Very roomy & lots of space for passengers or to haul cargo.

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  Excellent Value - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Brandon - January 6 - 12:23 pm

  I dont have one single complaint about this car after a little more than a year of owning it. This car is very fun to drive, nice looking, and is very comfortable and spacious for a 2 dr. This is an affordable car that feels like it should be worth a lot more. This is an excellent vehicle to own.

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  A Nice Car - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By promoprod - January 6 - 8:30 am

  This car is GREAT!! Itll get up n go whenever I need it to, and is very comfortable and responsive at both higher and lower speeds. Ive had no major problems with it, only a couple of minor things that my warranty took care of (water leaking onto the passenger floorboard when using the A/C, and a rear speaker that went out). Right now, the DRLs wont turn on, but to be honest, I think it almost looks better without them. This car is great around town, and will easily get around anything too slow on the highway. Ive had it nearly five years, and I still enjoy driving it!

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  Great Car - 2001 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Travis - January 6 - 5:13 am

  I got this car at 72,000 miles in 05 and Ive only had to replace the water- pump. I got 132,000 miles on it and no transmission problems yet. I just wish the rain wouldnt get in the lid of the trunk and the headrests made sense.

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  Surprise - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By Charles - January 6 - 3:40 am

  I was very surprised with the room and the ride. I was use to a larger vehicle. It is just right to run around town. The few times I have been on the road it was very comfortable and handled well. I have not given it a true economy test, but I am averaging about 25 mpg on short trips and around town.