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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  Great Car! - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Tracey Snyder - December 2 - 10:00 am

  I recently purchased a Pontiac Sunfire. I love it! I used to own a Chevy Camaro so having this car is a big change. It gets great gas mileage. Its very comfortable and has great interior features. I love they body style of the car, its very small ,not big and bulky.

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  Jens Sunfire - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Jen A Fer - December 2 - 10:00 am

  This is a great vehicle, very reliable

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  my car - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Roache - December 2 - 10:00 am

  I love the way the car drives. The seats are comfortable, but are very ugly. It is a great car to have right now being a college student. I love the outside also.

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  My Second Sunfire - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Hollz - December 2 - 10:00 am

  I bought my first car when I was 16 - it was a 96 Sunfire! I totalled it in March of 2003 and bought a brand new one because I love the car so much! It drives like a dream and is just all around an awesome car!

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  fun car - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By j77477 - December 2 - 10:00 am

  This is my second Sunfire - the first one was so great, I really was only interestes in a Sunfire to replace it.

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  great car - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By harley chick - December 2 - 10:00 am

  My exp. is great except for one thing. When you brake and hit a bump, the off track light comes on and it seems or is slightly hard to stop.

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  No more Sunfires! - 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
  By MLukey101679 - December 2 - 10:00 am

  About 9 or 10 months after i bought it, I had trouble starting it on the first try. The dealer had trouble diagnosing the problem and when they thought they did, the car again would not start on the first try. It occasionally does this still and I refuse to take it back to the dealer b/c I am sick of different people telling me what is wrong. Around the 2nd or 3rd time I took it there, there was a posting on the Internet in regards to the starting problem and what to do about it; it did not work. Now, my problem is when I start my car (when it does start!), the clock goes to 12:00 - Ive resorted to just leaving it at that time.

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  From a hardcore Pontiac person - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By C&C - December 2 - 10:00 am

  Being in to old collector Pontiacs as my primary hobby, I thought I would try a new one. My wife drives this car everyday and loves it!! My biggest concern so far has been 2 window motors,intake gaskets,steering shaft,seat cover and rear seat divider panel in 20 K miles. This is excessive for any car. Hopefully Pontiac will get back on "track" soon.

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  Excellent Car - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Clark Logan - December 2 - 10:00 am

  Our Grand Am was used but you cant tell. This is an excellent car, and we wouldnt change a thing.

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  Vibe vs Matrix - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Racer 450 - December 2 - 10:00 am

  I just purchased a 2004 Vibe, front wheel drive, loaded, even with NAV system. Simply a great car, built by Toyota, but with better build quality than the Matrix. The Vibe is made in Calif. with the Corolla, yet the Matrix is built in Canada. Research has shown the Vibe has higher build quality, and you can get a better price than the Matrix.