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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  Move over BMW - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By WHERES MY GTO - March 13 - 4:30 am

  I just got my GXP. WOW. My son has a BMW 325ci and now all he wants to drive is my American muscle V8. Front Wheel drive is cool in a V8. The torque steer is kinda weird but it is great is the rain and snow. I have been looking for a new car for several years but the GTO was not up to par, the Charger is no fun to drive, the 3 series BMW is too small, and the 5 series and Lexus are too expensive and this car competes with them rather handsomely.

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  13 years and counting - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By eddy37 - March 12 - 10:26 am

  Bought mine new in 2001. Ive taken decent care of it, oil changes, minor repairs. Its never broken down or had any major issues. Has the same issues as other Grand AMs. Side passenger mirror just fell off, AC has been broken for a couple years, fan speeds 1 and 2 dont work, side mirror control broken. The car itself is no longer waterproof. The factory battery lasted 11 years. Took it on a road trip this summer and actually got really good mileage. To recap, its been paid for since 2005 and has never left me stranded. Going to drive this thing until it explodes.

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  A mixed bag - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Patty Aspen - March 12 - 10:00 am

  I like the style of the car, as well as the fuel efficiency, but I think it is very cheaply built compared to other cars Ive had. The windshield wipers wont go all the way down anymore. Screws are coming undone on the interior and the plastic that covers where the seatbeats attach has broken off and looks unsightly. Its been fairly reliable except that the check engine light comes on and off randomly.

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  Get yourself a pontiac - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By grandamluver - March 12 - 10:00 am

  This car is excellent!! I drive a V6 1999 Grand Am and it is perfect!! Its so fun to drive and i love all the standard safety features...from the automatic traction system, to 4 wheel anti-lock breaks and everything else. my car is HOT and i love it!!

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  New Toy - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Chuck Schroder - March 12 - 12:16 am

  This is one fun car to drive. I live in New England and had a rag top for a couple of years and found that it was really difficult to take care of because of the weather, so I was not looking for another convertible. When I saw this one and read up on the stats, I decided to try one more time. I am real impressed with the comfort of the ride.With the optional wind screen installed (which only takes 10 minutes) the wind is minimal. I agree with other people about the switch for the hard top and they should consider an optional auto dimming mirror.

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  1995 formula - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By qtrmlr - March 11 - 4:33 pm

  Love this car. Everything is still tight & works, even with the miles it has now. Fun fun fun

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  A great first car - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Teri - March 11 - 1:06 pm

  This was the first car I purchased after graduating from grad school. The Grand Prix had everything I wanted and it was a great price. I am so happy I have it. I am constantly getting compliments on how nice the inside looks. People are always impressed with the "extras" my car has.

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  brought me back to Pontiac - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By old max - March 11 - 12:16 am

  A couple of years ago we traded in our 1993 Grand Prix for a 1997 Nissan Maxima. The check engine light came on, was told it would cost many $ to replace O2 sensors. Drove directly to dealer and traded in for an Aztek. On the plus side-typical excellent Pontiac driver layout. Minus-really sluggish 3.4 v6 compared to the Nissan engine. But it uses regular fuel vs premium. Would I buy another Aztek? You bet!! Now, if some dealer will only take my 1999 Maxima in trade so I dont have to fight with my wife over who gets to drive the darn thing!!

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  No wonder Pontiac is out of Business... - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By starlette46 - March 10 - 1:41 pm

  I would never buy one of these cars again, or refer anyone to buy one. I bought the car in March of 2010 with 30k miles on it. It was previously a leased car so I know the maintenance was kept on it. I replaced the tires, brakes, rotors all within a few months of owning the car. Pretty soon I replaced the water pump, tranny cooler lines, intermediate steering shaft, electric steering module, and some oil cooler lines. Just last week I had my car in the service department at my work, and all of my head gaskets needed to be machined and replaced, oil was leaking everywhere!! It was horrible, if I did not have an extended warranty if would have cost me close to $6,000 total for all of the work!

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  Good Bargain, Reliable. Style - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By big-G - March 9 - 10:26 pm

  I bought it with 94,000 and now have 115,000. The 2.4L DOHC 4 cylinder motor has great low end aceleration and great high end tourqe. No maintenance other than routine and an 0-2 sensor which was only 70 dollars and isnt an urgent problem. The car does have the tendency to overheat after longer rides with the A/C on, but what car wouldnt after so many miles. The exterior is very sporty looking and stylish for the price. The interior is comfortable but can feel a little cramped for the front passenger. Also, the car could have a little higher quality door panels etc. they tend to rattle and may feel a little "cheap". decent stock sound. great handling and cornering. Awesome speed for its class.