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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  Awesome Rod - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By William1 - October 25 - 2:00 am

  This is the last year this beast will ever be made. Speed over to a dealership and get one. Dont waste your hard earned money on a Mustang. I am currently leasing a 2001 Convertible. Dont drive it anymore after purchasing the Trans. This is my second and believe me, the V8 makes all the difference.

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  Great Vehicle - 2003 Pontiac Montana
  By MAMU - October 25 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Montana with 7000 miles on it and now have 254,000. Consistently get 24-25 MPG. Put new heads on at 200K;seals at 100K but nothing else major.Been a great vehicle for the price. Hope to make it last another 2 years. 300K possible?

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  Liked the first, bought the second - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By BLB - October 25 - 2:00 am

  My wife and I liked our 1998 Grand Prix XE so much, we purchased a 2002 Grand Prix GT. Now we both drive Pontiacs and both cars are fun to drive. Of course, the GT is more fun with the extra power, and options that come standard. Nicest looking 4-doors on the market.

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  Love This Car! - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By amiejungej - October 25 - 2:00 am

  After owning two previous Grand Prixs, a 97 then a 2001, (we loved them both) we decided a newer one was in order. I have only had my GXP for a couple of months, and I wouldnt trade it for anything. We took her on a road trip from Nebraska to California, and we were very impressed with the mileage that we got, even over mountains! I really like how everything is within easy reach of the driver, even if she is short. I love this car! Pontiac should have never quit making driving excitement.

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  Great Car!!!!! - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By jpd12 - October 23 - 7:06 pm

  I use this website alot when purchasing used cars, so I thought I should contriburte. We purchased our 05 Vibe in July of 09 with 100,000 miles and have absolutely loved it! Unfortunately we got in an accident and the car was totaled. Definitely looking for another. The transmission was auto.

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  One Fantastic Ride - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By Greg Halford - October 22 - 1:00 pm

  I owned a 2005 Vibe since 2006. It had 21000 miles on it when I bought it. I drove that car for 3+ years and had the mileage up to 112000 when Bambi took me out of the race. I was sooo mad.. There was no thinking about it and I went right out and bought another one. I loved the first one and Im still loving the second one. Other than normal maintenance Ive never had either car in for any problems.!! Just oil and filters and replacing the tires. You can not go wrong with a Vibe !! Too bad that Pontiac is going out of busines as this particular type of Pontiac is a sure-fire winner. I will be sure to purchase another one before you cant find them anymore.

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  Stand back overpriced/overrated Euros - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Ken Hansen - October 22 - 5:50 am

  A dream and a hoot to drive!!! Beautiful erogonomic interior...all dials and switches easy to use and read...fabulous acceleration and gas mileage....zippo maintenance...and I dont have to carry a mechanic with me or pay for his trips to Germany or Japan every few months....the GM sleeping giant has awakened...big time. Here is a fairly priced car that does it all! And yeah, its American!

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  Incredible package!! - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By KaiserM715 - October 21 - 7:30 pm

  My wife and I have put about 1000 miles on our G8. It is FANTASTIC!! The acceleration is brisk, the handling is crisp and the interior is excellent. The look of the car is somewhat European (or Aussie!!). The fit and finish and ergonomics are all excellent. The leather with the premium package has an excellent feel. The seats are very comfy on road trips and the back seat leg room is generous. The steering wheel with the sport package feels very nice in your hands. The car is a great value, a lot of features and a lot of car for the money.

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  Highly recommended! - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By mavisbean - October 21 - 2:00 am

  I absolutely LOVE this vehicle! It feels & drives like a much more expensive SUV. Its very roomy and comfortable and the passengers in the back have plenty of leg room.

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  Great price for a sporty coupe - 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
  By wrmason3 - October 20 - 10:00 am

  Despite the increasing competition, I wanted a gas-sipping coupe with a sporty look that will keep profits in my country of residence (American built and designed). With all the rebates and price cutting going on, I compared specs and decided that I was going with a winner. I havent been disappointed yet. It is a really peppy little car, and feels significantly different with the new Ecotec 140 hp engine than the 98 Cavalier my wife once drove (which was a good car with no problems, part of my reason for going with a J- body again).