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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  Very Best American Car Under $20,000 - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Fred Schofield - October 19 - 2:00 am

  This car is the best American car on the road for suburban and city driving. Fantastic flexibility and steering. Comfortable in and out of traffic. Quick response when needed by driver. All these qualities make me happy in my business and family life

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  Good Car - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Billywilly - October 19 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car. It starts everyday and runs perfect. The Heads up display sometimes becomes faint in cold weather. The tire wear is very good. The performance is great for a car of this size. The car performs well in wet or snow conditions. The braking is very good on the car. The inside is very comfortable and spacious. The inside carpet is wearing very fast. The seats look and feel like new. The mileage hasnt changed since day one 20-28 depending on traffic. Overall I think this is a great car for the dollar.

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  Grand Prix GTP - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By fly808 - October 19 - 2:00 am

  Tap shift is awesome car is just awesome

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  Nice little car from Pontiac - 2009 Pontiac G5
  By IdyJ - October 18 - 3:30 pm

  Very affordable vehicle with rebates and browny points. A great commuter car when you consider the competition is more money for not a whole lot more car. Could have a better interior, but I new what I was getting when I got it. I like the engine very quite.

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  Pontiac G6 GT 3.9 4dr 6spd - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Scott - October 17 - 4:20 pm

  It seems like this will be a good car. Im typically a Mopar guy, but the fact that this is one of the few sedans with a V6/manual transmission is the reason I bought it. Only complaints are the gas mileage is lower than expected (19.5 city), but hopefully itll improve as the engine breaks in and the interior scuffs easily. Not impressed with XM radio, my friends Sirius seems much better. The car is comfortable, rides smooth, and fairly quit. Over all pretty solid.

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  Great Car! - 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
  By niagarabeech - October 17 - 10:00 am

  Best car I ever owned, VERY reliable.

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  2003 Pontiac Vibe GT - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By gclaiborne - October 17 - 1:52 am

  I bought this car about 3 years ago with 111,000 miles on it. Now has 160,000 and its definitely been the best and most fun car Ive ever driven. I average 30 mpg and love the 1.8 Liter Toyota high performance engine with the 6 speed manual.

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  Stephanies Torrent - 2008 Pontiac Torrent
  By Stephanie - October 16 - 10:43 pm

  I love my Torrent. I went from a little Neon to the Torrent and what a difference. I love sitting up high, it is very comfortable, I love that there is room for my purse (in the middle), it rides very nice and I just LOVE it! My boyfriend loves driving it as well because he has plenty of leg and head room. It has an excellent stereo.

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  Its a FamVan, what can you expect... - 2002 Pontiac Montana
  By FamVan - October 16 - 4:06 pm

  I have been driving the 2002 Pontiac Montana for 4.5 years. I made the purchase after renting a Montana for a road trip from Colorado to Florida in 2001. It has been functional for my family and the kids have really enjoyed the MontanaVision.

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  Excellent - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By plumman - October 16 - 2:21 am

  I purchased this car 14 months ago and love it. The car comes alive on the highway. The engine and tranny are matched for American highway cruising. Bmw performance at USA prices. The build quality is very good. I get around 19mph overall gas mileage. It uses regular gas. Get one of the plug tuners for tuning the transmission. Stock it shifts to late and makes the car seem sluggish, unless in sport mode. Tuning corrects this issue and transforms the car! Tires are pricey.