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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  A Reliable Machine - 1998 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Wes - May 9 - 5:23 pm

  Very few, very minimal issues. Drives better 3 years later than it did when I bought it. 2 thumbs up.

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  grand prix very nice - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By tygable - May 9 - 5:00 pm

  bought car used in march 2005 privately for a very good price. nice all around car very comfortable and beautiful styling car has 79,000 miles with 3.1 v6 runs great and starts all the time. looking forward to many years of service. Kudos Pontiac.

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  Best cheap speed around - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By Curt - May 9 - 5:43 am

  Best bang for your buck. It is truly the fastest thing out there for the price you pay. I love the way it looks and the performance. My car has blue/green chameleon paint and it is something to see. Not many other cars under 50K can outperform my Trans Am. Corvette comes to mind, but I cant think of any others. Will kick the crap out of mustangs any day of the week and you can take that to the bank. On the flip side, the fuel economy is poor. I get about 16 mpg on premium gas. The back seats do not offer much room at all. In the end, I you are looking for a cruiser and a way not to break the bank then the Trans Am is the car for you. The pros definitely out-weigh the cons.

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  Versatile and FAST! - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By L.J. - May 8 - 5:43 am

  My 2003 Vibe GT is a great car. The 180 H.P. Toyota GT-S engine is fantastic, and just screams above 6000 rpm. Press reports that say it doesnt have a lot of low end torque just make me scratch my head. The difference between the stock engine and the GT is obvious. Plus, it gets great mileage. I average around 29 mpg combined, and got 35 on a recent trip. It handles great, too! The interior is so versatile, and the rear seats fold to make a flat cargo floor. Theres plenty of legroom, and the build quality is top notch. I would prefer it to be a bit quieter at highway speeds, but what do you want for $20k! Gripes: I replaced the sound system; the shifter is a bit clunky.

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  Life with a Goat... - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Steve - May 6 - 8:03 pm

  Got my GTO (6-spd) in June 2005 and enjoy it. Its a comfortable hiway car with a decent ride and maybe the best bucket seats Ive found in an American car. Hiway gas mileage is pretty good (25 mpg for me) for a big coupe with a 6.0L V8. In town, its a hog (12-14 mpg for me), and the ride is more brittle on rough pavement or in City driving. Acceleration is phenomenal, and braking is good for such a heavy car. Handling is acceptable given that this is a 3,800 pd coupe, not a tossabout roadster. Mechanically, the "weakest link" is an awful shifter for the 6- spd, gated way too wide and with a rubbery feel. Conclusion: Go fast in comfort, dont worry too much about gas mileage, & have fun!

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  garage trophy - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By yuba4 - May 6 - 3:16 pm

  bought new in 2006, manual trans. After initial problems with front struts (bad oil from factory), and subsequent front anti-roll bar link failure, car has run well. Its basically an engine with a car tagging along. Shifter rattles. Otherwise, Im very happy with it. Love the styling and the ride, fuel economy good for a 400HP (typically 22.9 mpg). Low overhang in the back. I added a receiver (for bike rack), and it hits the ground on some driveway exits. Outward visibility is poor, but thats a style compromise. Ingress/egress hampered by low doorway - still hit my head on that. Love the car - probably keep 20 years.

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  Ideal Car for Anyone! - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Drew - May 6 - 7:23 am

  The G6 offers everything for anyone. With all the great models, who could resist? The 2007 GT model was for me. The 225 horsepower 3.5 liter V6 and spacious interior makes for a well rounded car. The smooth transmission is solid and creates excellent fuel economy. I enjoy this car much better than anything before, including my wifes 2006 Honda Accord. This is my first domestic automobile, and I am impressed. Contrary to belief, the build quality on my auto is very high.

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  Montana - Extended - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By tc1968 - May 4 - 10:00 am

  Had multiple service engine lights until the gas cap was replaced; otherwise no problems.

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  good - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By cashmoney57 - May 4 - 10:00 am

  good car, faster then most other cars in class.. way faster then civics

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  2001 Tan Grand Am SE - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By aeguy202 - May 4 - 10:00 am

  Bought the vehicle in late January and havent had any problems since. The only drawback is that the gas mileage isnt as great as I would have hoped. But other than that, the car gets me where I want to go and is very relaxing. Im hoping the car will get me through driving back and forth with college.