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:

• 

  Its a nice car - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Reezy-High - January 14 - 8:46 am

  Its great! I got everything under the hood squared away. High-mileage runs like a new car though. Cheesy interior. Oh and the pad under the glove box is slightly hanging down. I purchased it that way.

• 

  Pontiac Grand Am - 1998 Pontiac Grand AM
  By jessay123 - January 14 - 12:22 am

  I baught my 98 Grand Am almost a year ago with 120k miles. The fitst couple of months were great. Then heater core went out, water pump, timing chain tenion thing, window motor, a rubber on the engine mount and now its leaking either trans fluid or power steering fluid. Other than the reaccuring problems the car drives great. Also the pick up is pretty decent for a 4cyl.

• 

  awesomeness - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Bob Lutz - January 13 - 9:23 pm

  So much low end power. Love it

• 

  Poor interior design and quality - 2007 Pontiac Vibe
  By Ed S/C - January 13 - 4:03 pm

  I bought this car because Consumer Report recommeded it. I cancelled my subscription. The location of the air and heater controls is a nightmae with an automatic. I have large hands. :-( Also get a scratch on the cheap plastic interior, it will never come out. I have never owed such a cheaply made car. Other than that, the paint came off, the brakes squeal, the front seat is a nightmare for comfort, Bottom line is that car really SUCKS and G/M should be ashamed to sell it.

• 

  Under-Rated - 2005 Pontiac Aztek
  By Keith - January 13 - 12:16 am

  My 2003 Pontiac Aztek is a great vehicle -- one of the best SUVs on the market. The simpletons in the automotive press could not get past the admittedly awkward-looking exterior. Get inside and experience the functional interior, great for hauling people, equipment, groceries, anything. Drive it to experience exceptional ride and handling. Quality is outstanding. I have had zero reliability or maintenance problems; only regular oil changes. And with the cash incentive I received, I think it is one of the best hidden values on the market.

• 

  Fun, economical ride - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By John L - January 12 - 3:06 pm

  A fun car to drive, very good gas mileage, 30 mpg in combination city/highway driving. 55,000 miles with no problems only routine maintenance. Interior is comfortable, lots of small storage compartments. One of which suffered a broken latch the first week and has remained broken- lots of plastic. A lot of interior storage space for carrying things, also the roof rack is handy.

• 

  Coupe in Sedans Body - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Elizabeth2002 - January 11 - 10:00 am

  As I reviewed differing sedans in the 20K price range, I found that the base model of the GP boasted good power in its 200hp engine and a good ride. In 3+ years of ownership, the vehicle has been reliable and fun to zip through canyon roads on trips. While its not a coupe, if you need room for kids, it will satisfy your need for speed.

• 

  If you liked the last gen... - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Cperki1 - January 11 - 10:00 am

  As a 5 time Grand Prix owner, this generation is the best Prix yet. If you like to drive, and I mean DRIVE, then you should give this car a test drive. GMs 24 Hour test drive is a wonderful program and I advise you to take advantage of it. My car is the GTP with the Comp G package. My 2002 GTP was a car that asked to be driven. My 04 DEMANDS to be driven.

• 

  70k miles, no issues - 2008 Pontiac Vibe
  By JMWDC - January 10 - 4:01 pm

  This car is outstanding. We also own a 4 years newer, $10,000 more expensive Subaru and the Vibe blows that car out of the water in nearly every area. Two things that Id like to see better on the Vibe would be: better snow/ice handling. If you dont have the ABS option and live in a snowy/icy climate its a little bit of a lightweight car. The second would be acceleration, as the Vibe seems a bit underpowered. When I put the gas to the floor for a quick highway onramp, for example, its a veryyyy slowwww acceleration. But otherwise its a fantastic car. The reliability is absurd, especially for what you might hear about Pontiac, Ive never had to do any non-routine repairs. I attribute that to the joint-venture with Toyota (all of the guts of this car are Toyota with the superior trimmings/finishing touches of American manufacturers - really the best of both worlds). They redid this car for the 2009 model year and the newer Vibe I found displeasing. The sightlines of my 2008 are outstanding but they shrunk the rear window and some others are harder to see out of in the newer ones. All in all I have no complaints, I could see this being a 150,000+ mile car at the rate its going.

• 

  Get to know your mechanic! - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By callaann27 - January 9 - 12:30 am

  I bought my Torrent used with 70,000. Around 80K I replaced a wheel bearing and it stopped heating. By 90K I had blown head gaskets twice and made the decision to put a new motor in it with 44K. This motor is running much smoother but my engine light stays on at all times. Going on 95K on the body and my struts need to be replaced and another set of tires. I need to get this car paid off and move on from GM.