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 For a Minivan - 2002 Pontiac Montana
  By Camaroz - July 15 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this van with 22k on it, the dealership used it as there courtesy vehicle. No problems with anything. For a minivan its sporty, handles well, easy with kids. The seating is a nice touch. The middle row buckets are great. The power is good for a mini-van. With a price 1000s less then a Toyota or Honda, it was an easy choice.

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  I plan to continue buying Pontiacs - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By leeza112 - July 15 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car to drive. Brilliant handling, turn on a dime steering, traction control, CD sound system, showy sporty exterior, especially for a family car. Great handling on wet surfaces, very safe. I will definitely buy another Pontiac.

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  Great Car - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Chris1234 - July 15 - 10:00 am

  Overall this is a great car for the price. It drives nice, handles good and has a ton of room. I was able to load 40 2x4s with the seats folded and the hatch still shut. I would recommond this car to anyone looking for a fun, safe and inexpensive ride.

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  Great Value - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By jamesandrewcollins - July 15 - 10:00 am

  I currently lease a Grand Prix GT for $217 a month with $0 (1,000 miles per month) and I love it. It has a great sporty feel with an excelleration that makes it fun to drive. The car is wider than anything that I have owned which gives a great deal of stability when driving but makes it harder to get into tight parking spaces.

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  Solid - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By farside - July 15 - 10:00 am

  great performance, styling and mileage. we have always bought foreign and shopped nissan, honda and toyota- but i bought the GP the day I test drove it with some advice from edmunds of course...

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  Good car - Good value - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By RCH - July 14 - 2:06 pm

  Our 05 Vibe is a nice little car. Gas mileage, so far, has been good (about 30 mpg in town). No mechancial or body problems after 3500 miles. The interior is nice and seats are comfortable, but many of the interior surfaces are hard and cheap feeling. The hard arm rests are not too comfortable. Ride and handling is good in the city and on the highway/expressway. Overall, it is a good car for the money spent.

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  25 MPG - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By greid - July 12 - 7:00 pm

  rides great; good road car; low noise; great gas mileage; over all average of 24.9 for 53,000 miles. brakes still going.

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  a true sleeper muscle car - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By PJNLS2 - July 12 - 7:30 am

  All I can say is go test drive one and you will know all there is to know. Dont be afraid to get on it when test driving. This car dominates the road. I love when the imports pull up on what they think is some regular everyday car only to see the tail lights disappear into the night!!

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  Very cool even if minivan. - 2003 Pontiac Montana
  By BobThunder - July 12 - 2:00 am

  Do not feel like I am in a minivan in this thing. Second Montana we own. Went with Thunder package and is worth it. AWD was unbelievably solid on recent icy roads we had. DVD sound is awesome.

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  Could be better - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By GTOBoy - July 8 - 6:03 pm

  Definitely could be better. The GTO name did not bring out the best in this car, it is more of a tag glued on. Performance is not the best, the exterior has that "Grand Am" feel. On the plus side, the fuel economy is pretty good, though it could be better for the lack of performance.