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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  Does what a GTO should - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By Darrell Burns - August 6 - 8:13 am

  Kept driving past the dealer looking at it. Put off driving it for a couple of months, but after a test drive the car sold itself. The 2006 GTO is well styled, extremely solid, very comfortable, and handles smoothly. The interior is attractive, yet appropriate for a muscle car. I drive it daily, and the only negative aspect is fuel economy. I get 16.5 based on half highway, and half stop and go driving. As far as the small trunk goes, this car is built for driving, not utility.

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  well-well - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By jules - August 5 - 5:23 pm

  American car, American quality but 28 MPG is impressive. In average $100 maintenance per month and you will spend it all for sure. I have 140K miles but still running well. Forget regular gas, it doesnt like it.

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  Beware of what Pontiac doesnt tell you! - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Chris - August 5 - 2:46 pm

  If you like Toyota/Nissan or Honda DO NOT buy this vehicle. I had 3 problems with my GTO at only 1300 mies. One and two were with the LSD/Differential making a whining noise, plus when you shift it occasionally, it will make a knocking sound. Three, had to do with the clutch sticking a lot. The LSD/Diff problem apparentally has been around since the Camaro/Firebird days and now affects the GTO too. To have those problems with it at only 1300 miles and for the LSD/Diff problem to have been around in GM for over 10 yrs. It just shows to me that GM has a very poor quality control program. The end result is, I will never buy an American car again.

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  Great Car - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By JohnR - August 5 - 10:00 am

  Bought my Vibe with 33,000 miles and now has 108,000 after my 5 years of ownership. Oil changes every 5000 miles. First brake job when it was in the 90k range. Changed the belt and did a few other preventative items at the same time but thats it. Car has been great and is zippy enough to be fun to drive. Ugly GM radio but the sound is good. My drivers window rattles a bit but its the only one so there may have been some damage to it before I got it. All in all, this is a great car if you are looking for a reliable, sporty, and convenient vehicle to own.

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  Life is better now that I have this car - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By Dave - August 4 - 11:36 am

  I test drove all 4 of the reasonably- priced hard-top convertibles. Mazda was too small, Chrysler was not good, the Eos is worth a look but to get one with all the great features the G6 has would require spending about 3K more. I loved the G6 during the test drive but some of the negative comments I read in professional reviews were discouraging. After buying the car, I know those comments are unnecessarily over-critical. Comments on the lack of trunk space when the top is down are silly. It’s a “hard-top”. Where else does one expect the roof to go? Many people have commented on the ‘poor quality of interior material’. I don’t get it. The interior is just fine. I highly recommend this car

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  Amazing car for being almost 12 - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By richie_east - August 3 - 3:41 am

  I purchased my car two years ago with 99,000 miles and it now has 142,000. I have had very minimal repairs. Great car, paint still looks great with the exception of minor paint chips in the hood and bumper. I love the fact this car gives me all the power and response i need. Ive driven friends new Mercedes c230 thats feels gutless and slow to respond compared to my Grand am. I plan on driving the wheels off this car. After being 11 years old, i still catch myself looking at it and admiring the beauty of it. I see lots of grand am gts on the road and not to sound superficial, but mine is one of the best looking ones on the road. Overall i love this car and get compliments on it all the time!

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  New Car - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Sam - August 1 - 3:26 am

  We bought this car brand new with 12 miles on it, then we had to take it to the dealership twice with a problem of power steering going out, when we told them the doors leaked, they told us they could not help that, it was a problem that would take time due to not having parts. Within the next couple of weeks she got a letter in the mail that said an ignition starter had to be replaced. The car is still a pain in the butt, when its raining the top lights leak the doors leak into the floor board, and currently Im in the market for a new car because, i went to the dealership for the same power steering problem, and now the ABS box is fried. Do not purchase one. Worst decision we made!

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  The Best Yet - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Headhound - July 31 - 1:16 pm

  I evaluated the V8 versions of Audi A6, BMW550, Hyundai Genesis, Lexus GS460, Nissan, and Cadillac before I bought. G8 drove better, handled better, and accelerated better than the others. Traded in my BMW540 and am very happy with my choice. Superb acceleration, superior handling, great braking, over 21 MPG on regular gas, comfortable seating, and roomy trunk for half the price of the competition. Only car I have ever had where I did not wish I had more power.

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  full of zip and cute - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Tami - July 31 - 2:00 am

  The car handles well, parks easily and looks sharp. I do not even mind filling up my Vibe at the gas tank... I like this car alot!

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  love it - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By kyle - July 31 - 2:00 am

  great and fun and better than other cars