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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  3 - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Vanessa - June 11 - 10:00 am

  I have had nothing but trouble with this car from the moment I have bought including 1 recall for the starter. I have put $4000 worth of work into this car. I have had to replace the brakes about 4 times, replaced the manifold gasket, head gasket, fan belt, tires (twice) roters, strut mound, struts, trasmission line, a/c ...... Please be careful buying this car.

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  Happy with my Comp-G - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Bad Dave - June 10 - 6:40 pm

  I have now had my 05 Grand Prix GTP Comp G for 2 years and 32,000 miles. I cant complain. Build quality and reliability are excellent. The s/c 3800 is fantastic! Instant power when you need it, mash the gas and hold on. Average 24 to 25 mpg overall on mid- grade fuel. This car handles the twisties with ease and glides over the highway. Handles the Vermont winters with no problem due to a set of Blizzacks and Stabilitrak. Huge trunk, excellent heated leather seats, and sound system. Lacks a bit on headroom though and rear legroom can be tight. Installed K&N filter. Overall, a good little daily driver and nice upgrade from my previous Grand Ams. Cant wait to trade up to a V8 GXP!

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  Love and Hate Relationship - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By whitetree - June 10 - 4:46 pm

  I absolutely loved this car. The interior is comfortable, the sound system is fantastic, and easily upgraded, and the T tops are awesome! Performance is a little lacking in the v6 model, but still fun. However it requires a lot of upkeep on a variety of parts and accessories. The worst part of this car, and ultimate reason I got rid of it is that every little thing you work on is a monumental task, especially when you need to get to the half the engine tucked under the dash.

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  Nothing like it on the road today! - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By GTO48 - June 9 - 11:40 am

  This thing is bad to the bone! I have owned numerous "fast cars" Buick Grand Nationals, Mustang GT, as well as a 427 powered 67 Chevelle for old school muscle. Nothing comapres to my GTO. The fit and finish are outstanding for $30,000. Oh and did I mention 400 HP? Disappointments are few and far between... Small trunk space, slow seat movement for rear seat ingress. Who cares! I didnt buy it to haul stuff in the trunk or the back seat. Which by the way will fit a 6 foot tall passenger with ease once you do get the front seats out of the way. Pontiac hit a home run with this bad boy. If other car makers followed Pontiacs lead, Id need a bigger garage!

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  180,000 miles on my GT - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By mike6t8 - June 8 - 10:00 am

  We bought our black 4-door GT in October of 1996 and put 180k on it! Yes, weve had a few problems but I think every car in this price range will have problems after a while. I think the car has been great to us and I may put another 20k on it before I get something else. Weve had the typical problems that other Grand Am owners claim plus the trans went out at 150k. It was costly to replace, but overall I feel we got our moneys worth on the car in the last 8 years. It DOESNT smoke or use any oil like most other cars driven this much.

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  My Vibe - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By paintt70 - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Iam a GM retired. always buy GM. I have vans since 1996 3 Ventures & 1 Montana gas prices are so high we decided to get a more effecent auto. Vibe fits the bill. It brought fun back to driving.

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  My Vibe, I love it!! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By nola - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Its been 8 months since my purchase of my Vibe, and I still love it! The newness has not worn off, neither has the new car smell. It stood the test of this past winter with flying vibe colors. Im so happy with this car, there so much to say, but not enough words to say it. I could only recommend this car to anyone who is tired of stodgy,look alike tin cans with wheels. This car has personality. And you feel the excitement when you drive, even to work! Its so versatile too, car wagon, sport ute. Ive been calling it my spagon. A little bit of everything, and still dressy enough to take to any event without feeling out of place. Simply, I love it.

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  Southtown Auto, great service great car. - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Makayla Woodward - June 8 - 10:00 am

  You want a fun experience and a great car. Buy a Pontiac Grand Prix from Southtown Automotive in Worthing South Dakota. Best buying, best pricing, best service in the Sioux Falls, metro area! Not to mention the new Pontiac Grand Prix new 3.8 engine. The ride of your life!

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  Should have know better!! - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By J.L. - June 8 - 3:00 am

  Bought new since it was first minivan with VHS entertainment system. Overall was fun to drive but had several major mechanical problems. Had to replace intake gasket twice so far - 1st time at 24k and 2nd at 60k, needed major transmission rebuilt at 56k at $2500 cost. Just right now the AC went out. Cupholders next to seat were useless - didnt hold anything and spilled coffe often. We will probably get rid of it now since we are getting afraid we will get stuck. If reliability would be better, would have been great experience - this is the reason GM is going out of business.

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  Love My G6 - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Dano - June 7 - 7:36 pm

  What can I say about my G6? From the first day I bought it I have loved every minute. The way this car handles around tight corners to the smotothness of everyday driving. I have owned Toyotas to Fords and have never thought much of American made vehicles till my G6, GM has really set the bar for demestics. I am excited to see what they will come out with next, and yes I will be a GM owner for many more years to come.