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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  Pontiac Grand Prix - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By LInda - December 2 - 10:00 am

  Greta car, fun to drive,nice design!

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  My GTO - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By mike. queens NY - December 1 - 9:53 pm

  I bought my gto about a year ago, I passed the dealership and saw her parked out front so I stopped and decided to look a little closer. As Im looking at her the salesperson comes out and asked me if I ever drove one. I said no, few minutes later he took a copy of my lic, gave me a dealer plate and tells me come back in like an hour or so. After about 20 mins of driving it I knew I was keeping her. Im 6 ft3 I thought the car was very roomy for a coupe. And not to mention the power and torque, I missed having a v8. The next day I picked up my new car.

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  Very good but not without issues - 1997 Pontiac Bonneville
  By CraSch - December 1 - 2:00 am

  Purchased used a year ago at around 64,000 miles, now has 85,000. Im used to small cars, so I immediately fell in love with the ride, which is the best ride Ive ever had. Also like the power. The dash is very good, but has too much on it. The seats are fantastic!! Problem, engine light randomly comes on, but no problem found. Also, even with new tires doesnt hold road as well as my previous small cars. Fuel mileage is awful, only 21 highway and 16 city. Overall Ive been very happy with the car, but worried the engine light issue is a sign of a disaster to come. Hope not, because it is excellent otherwise.

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  I love it! - 2000 Pontiac Firebird
  By Cyrad2 - December 1 - 2:00 am

  I have owned the car for 3 years now. I drive it everyday. I get comments on it all the time, and the best part is wiping the smiles of the pansies driving mustangs. Great bang-for-buck car. I cant wait to trade up to a T/A!

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  AZTEZ - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By ROXILANMONROE - December 1 - 2:00 am

  HANDLES WELL,GREAT PICK UP,STEERING,SPACE AND OVERALL HANDLING

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  Great Ride... - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By Kwr4life - December 1 - 2:00 am

  My husband & I love our Pontiac Aztek it was one of the 1st suvs we test drove and after all the others we came back to it. It has a lot of room and is quite functional. We plan to keep it for a long time to come.

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  My pontiac vibe - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Marcelina Rivera - December 1 - 2:00 am

  My pontiac vibe as been good to me. As long as I keep it well maintained and taken care of its performance has been what i expected. Its got great horse power and is fun to drive especially when your taken trips. Its cargo friendly and safe too. Overall I am one satisfied cunsumer.

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  dream car - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By ambtuckr - December 1 - 2:00 am

  this car is the best on the market, I do believe so myself!

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  I love my grand prix - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By mark61500 - December 1 - 2:00 am

  Would love to get a new one every year

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  overall approval - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By fairminded - December 1 - 2:00 am

  vehicle has had no flaws ..this is my third , each one iis better than the last