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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  Happy with van - 2001 Pontiac Montana
  By Darrin - June 3 - 6:53 am

  Ive been quite happy overall with my Montana. It is comfortable and surprisingly fun to drive. I get 18- 20 MPG around town and 24-26 on the highway. After 125,000 miles I have replaced the intake gaskets, rear wheel cylinders and all the wheel bearings under my extended warranty. It seems hard on tires and front rotors. Ive had to replace the heater elements in the front seats. The gas gauge quit working. I sometimes tow a 3000 pound trailer. The drivetrain still seems rock solid the engine doesnt use any oil and the transmission works well. I would buy another now that the intake gasket problems are sorted out.

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  Love my Vibe - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Hawkybaby - June 2 - 9:26 pm

  I just got my Vibe about 2 weeks ago and it is a dream! It is a 2005 and is pretty loaded. I got the monochrome color package in the Fusion color scheme. It looks awesome and turns a lot of heads.

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  I have it - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By TINKER - June 2 - 7:00 pm

  I bought it in dec 04 drove to flo from ontario I love it it feels high class and sporty all in one I am a young mom and didnt want a van I m too young for that this is perfect 4 me

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  After 3 months - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Rod - June 2 - 3:56 pm

  I have had my G8 GT for almost w months know and the more I drive it the more I love it. Getting use to where all the switches are and comfortable with it. Only big expense besides gas has been a oil change. 8 quarts of Mobil 1 are not cheap. The more I drive this car the more impressed I am with it. Merging into freeway traffic can be almost frightening. Any thing more than 1/4 throttle and you are going from 45 mph to 80 mph in about two heartbeats. Even after 3 months it is still hard to get more than 16 mpg. I think that has something to do with that thing Pontiac puts under your right foot. It keeps sucking your foot to the floor and putting a smile on your face. LOL

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  good - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By ford4life94 - June 1 - 12:21 pm

  all the people who complain about security issues with this car just need to cut the little tiny yellow wire that goes to the ignition and there will never be another issue with starting it again. its a simple and free fix. you just have to find the bundle of 3 little tiny wires and cut yellow one. seriously people dont complain about something that you can fix so easily. never had any issues with anything else other than brakes and starter which will need to be replaced in any vehicle eventually

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  keep it for life - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By derek16 - June 1 - 5:50 am

  I have had this car for about a year now and i love it! When i first got it the temp. gauge went out so i returned it to the car dealer ship. They tried to fix it but the just broke it even worse and the broke the gas gauge. But i know when im gonaa run out. It is in the shop because the air conditoner compresser fell off but what can u expect. Every car will need work done to it eventualy. I have treat this car like crap and it has only broke down onec. Everyone says that it is good on the snow but i have ran into many curbs and bent the rims. All in all this is the best car that i have had and i plan to switch to the torrent when this one goes out. Very roomy. Hope this was helpful.

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  Best Grand Prix Ever - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By DrDre413 - June 1 - 3:13 am

  As the 3rd time owner of a grand prix, I must say this is the best one ever. I had an 01 GT, and 03 GTP, and now an 06 GXP. They just keep getting better. This is just a great car all the way around. Acceleration is great, looks are nice too, and interior is much better this time around. Pontiac really has a winner with this one. Keep up the good work!

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  Worst Piece of Junk Weve Ever Had - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By C. Stewart - June 1 - 1:20 am

  My husband drove a 1998 Ford F150 and it finally died. He wanted something economical on gas so we looked around and found a 2007 G5. WHAT A MISTAKE!!! This has got to be the most uncomfortable car Ive ever sat in, especially on long drives. It shakes and rattles and so far the brakes, tires, rotors,control arm have had to be replaced. The windshield wipers are useless and the road noise is horrible. Weve only had it a year. I drive a 2003 Neon with no options at all and it is a far superior car to the G5. My gas mileage is even better than the G5 Pontiac needs to go back to the drawing board with this one.

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  Perfect - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Patrick - May 31 - 8:33 pm

  Absolutely a blast to drive. The power is always on tap, and the acceleration is fast yet smooth. The car sticks to the road very well, and though the suspension is sporty, its not overly stiff or uncomfortable. Some controls take a bit of getting used to, but after a month its not a problem.

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  Love at first sight, but after... - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By James Tucker - May 31 - 11:56 am

  The wife and I bought two G6s within weeks of each other. Hers is the sedan, mine is the coupe. I fell in love with the car once I saw it and was able to drive it around. Now that the newness has worn off I started to notice some rather significant problems with the vehicle. Water leaks into the “B” pillars (where the seat belts are mounted) whenever it rains. Took a closer look and found MOLD in the insulation. Upon closer inspection, found that there are holes where at the front of the rear windows at the top and bottom that lead behind the B pillar. If you own one of these, check your windows too because unless you get a hard rain, you most likely will not notice the leak. Not happy.