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:

• 

  My Grand Am - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By BLGodfrey - December 10 - 10:00 am

  I like this car. Its sharp and sleek. But, I am a bone deep Honda fan. I thought I could deal with it...maybe that it was just all in my head. But, Im currently looking another Honda. But, to someone whos never owned a Honda, its a wonderful car.

• 

  Nice ride, but many problems - 1997 Pontiac Bonneville
  By JaniceB - December 9 - 10:16 am

  Happy w/ the Bonneville as far as looks & ride. Plenty of room and decent gas mileage for a big car. I loved all the features. Had to replace the AC ($700). Also had tons of problems with it not wanting to start. Someone else mentioned the battery corrosion problem, we found this true to. Also, we had to have a switch resistor in the ignition replaced to the tune of $100. Ive read this is a common problem. The vents quit working. Took it to the dealership, they said they couldnt duplicate the problem, but informed me of the plastic intake manifold gasket problem. Cost to be over $600, and is a well-known problem with these GM 3.8s! At that point, I decided not fix, bought an import.

• 

  #607 of 888 - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Sean - December 7 - 3:20 am

  I just picked up my G8 GT today. Its #607 of the original 888 made by Holden (actually has a Holden VIN #). Amazing car. Fun to drive, beautiful to look at it. Between the stares driving home, and the neighbors all coming around to tell me how amazing it looks, its certainly a winner. So far so good!

• 

  good car - 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
  By doofus - December 5 - 2:06 pm

  just good transportation

• 

  Lot of car!! - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By erbo - December 4 - 9:46 am

  Great fun car to drive. Attracts tons of attention. Handles the corners with ease. Looking forward to the new GXP version in 2007.

• 

  Nice vehicle - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By Skipper - December 3 - 4:46 pm

  Ive had the vehicle about 3 months and am very satisfied with it. This car has a phenomenal stereo system and I love having steering controls for the radio. The ride is smooth, a little bumpy at times, steering is tight and comfort is nice. Overall I would recommend the vehicle. Gas mileage is my main concern on this vehicle, as I expected it to do better. Getting around 22 in city and anywhere from 23-30 on highway. I think if the tank were larger I wouldnt feel like I was always stopping for gas.

• 

  nice car - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By fanfluckintastic - December 1 - 6:20 am

  The clutch is touchy but im getting use to it. Love the looks and it handles great. Im glad i purchased it!

• 

  Bills Torrent - 2008 Pontiac Torrent
  By Bill - December 1 - 1:00 am

  I previously owned a 1998 Olds Bravada and a 2007 Mazda CX9. All of my vehicles have their pluses and minues but I really like the Torrent. The biggest problem I have is with is with the interior design on the Torrent. The cup holders are virtually worthless to use. The stereo system is excellent. The handling affects out on the road are very good - just hope the gas mileage gets better.

• 

  Fun car !!! - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By Patrick Drake - November 29 - 2:43 pm

  I have owned my VIBE GT for only two weeks but, just let me say that this is without a doubt the most fun, practical, economical, most comfortable car I have ever owned!! It is VERY quick but, when I carefully checked the gas milage it was an impressive 25.7 mpg. This was a combination of highway/city and fun O:) driving. Of course if you are going to constantly get on the motor you are going to be rewarded with less gas milage (power comes from somwhere).I read some articles that said the GT didnt have alot of low end power. However, my 2006 model came equiped with a transaxle gear ratio of 4:53. This low gear ratio allows the motor to get up into its high end powerband rather quickly.

• 

  WIDETRACK4ME - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By WILD BILL - November 26 - 10:00 am

  IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A PRACTICAL AND RELIABLE CAR BUT NOTHING TOO FANCY THAN THIS SHOULD BE THE CAR FOR YOU. IT HAS COST NEXT TO NOTHING FOR UPKEEP OTHER THAN NORMAL MAINTENANCE.