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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  G6 review - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By david markell - December 6 - 5:10 pm

  Car rides very well. It also has a big back seat and has gotten very good gas mileage. So far, very satisfied w/purchase.

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  shopping for a truck - 2002 Pontiac Montana
  By ste-marie gaston - December 6 - 12:03 pm

  This family van has been a pleasure to drive. Since I do a lot of driving in a year it is important for me to feel secure all year round by driving a very reliable car. A change of employment is requiring that I drive a truck.

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  GOES and goes 211,000 miles at 34-40 mpg - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By bass player - December 4 - 6:47 pm

  No major repairs, only maintenance like fluid changes and brake checks. Enough room for a string bass and 2 children. Great car! We live where there are dirt roads and rough roads, no repairs needed. It has a timing belt. I drive 500 miles per week and average 35 mpg. When I freeway drive its 40 mpg. I have been rear ended twice. Once by a large pick-up truck (I opted to not repair) and recently by a semi trailer truck and I am still driving my Vibe. This time repairs are needed due to my crunched lift gate. I need to transport the string bass.

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  ideal car - 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
  By peggy wilson - December 3 - 2:00 am

  for a small family car this one is great,getting around in heavy traffic is great preforms excellent.on wet roads hold great,not and expense car to own and operate.

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  Better than I had imagined - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By My Goat - December 3 - 2:00 am

  I have owned several Corvettes and a Z28 and was looking for something that was a little more livable. When I saw the GTO I thought that was exactly what I was looking for. The car handles great, is very comfortable, does not have the typical tacky Pontiac design "features" and has a wonderful engine. Some argue that the car does not look like the original GTO, but few cars look like the cars from over thirty years ago. I also like the somewhat conservative styling. The more I drive it the more I am impressed with it.

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  Great! - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By GoatMan - December 3 - 2:00 am

  Great performance and handling. Very nice interior but truck space is limited due to moving the gas tank. Styling is too conservitive but oncce behind the wheel that goes away. This is what the GTO is all about lots of HP in a small passenger car.

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  a must drive - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By thediehler - December 3 - 2:00 am

  a must drive......a must buy/lease - i have owned/lease a total three pontiac grand prix gts - 1997 - 2000 - 2004. And it has been fun to own and drive.

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  Great car, fun and comfortable - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By j. brown - December 2 - 9:33 am

  Had a Chrysler 300C, so originally thought car would be too small. But at 6 2", It fits great. Comfortable, smooth ride. I got compliments on this car from other drivers on the test drive. Car looks unique on the street with the top up and really cool with top down.

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  Blue Vibe base fwd auto power package - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By goodvibrations - December 1 - 8:16 am

  I have only had the car for two weeks but I am very pleased. Like sitting up higher than a normal car. Good interior space and hatch glass that opens separately is handy. Nice that the passenger seat folds down so kids son can get a nice view of the road. Love the dash. Provides all the information you need and its just plain cool. Gas mileage is excellent and I like the gearing. At 100 km per hr (60 mph US) only reving at 2500 rpms. Great little family wagan with a sporty twist no regrets with my purchase.

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  Best little convertible in the market - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By JV - November 30 - 2:33 pm

  Fun to drive both with the top up and down. The interior design makes it easy to use all aspects of the electronics with minimal effort.