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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  My car - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By HadesWarrior - October 5 - 10:00 am

  I am a highschool student who just recently purchased a 2004 Pontiac Grand Am. What can i say, i love this car. It has nice pick-up, looks nice, and runs great. THe only thing i dont like about it is, after playing my subwoofers for a while, there is a rather annoying rattling comming from inside of the dash somewhere. But that is my fault, not the cars.

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  I love it - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By yes2rock - October 3 - 2:00 am

  had this car for a year now, no sign of the problems other reviewers have had. The handling is on par with sporty Europeans, and the engine is powerful enough so you dont really need a stickshift. This is the first automatic car I have had that actually performs . The ride is surprisingly quiet, and you just have to love all the little niceties that are usually available only at 30K and up. Best car for the money.

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  Great Car, Great Rebates - 2008 Pontiac Vibe
  By Moonscape - October 2 - 10:16 pm

  We were looking for a family car and came across the Matrix and then realized the Vibe was less $ and had a lot of rebates. We like the Vibe styling better the the Matrix. We have the base model with no options, its perfect for us. It is a undertaking to make sure all 5 doors are locked. Good power/gearing. A/C seems on the light side. Cant turn off head lights at night! Check the vibe forums to find out how to turn off seat belt beep for passenger seat (if you put a backpack on the passenger seat it will loudly beep at you. Blind spots are bad, buy blind spot mirrors. Nice stock tires. Lots of cool little storage areas. Love how the seats fold down. Liked 08 better than 09.

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  still going - 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
  By xxx - October 2 - 6:16 pm

  I bought this car with 27 thousand miles on it, now I have 177 thousand miles on it. I had the oil changed every 10,000 miles if its lucky. The quality of this car is amazing. The only things ive had to replace is the bright/dim switch and a water pump. Anything else is routine. (tires, brakes, battery) everyday I go out to drive it it starts. Astounding car and still gets about 30 mpg

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  2006 grand prix - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By chaseprusia - October 1 - 10:50 am

  great full size car sporty comfortable fast awsome mileage i 160 miles a day and average 28 mpgs

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  The fun car to drive and own - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Glenn Borden - September 29 - 10:03 am

  I have no complaints about the way the station wagon handles or the fuel economy, and I still get a lot of complements on its appearance. I still cant figure out why the dealership doesnt promote the Vibe.

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  Great - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Chase413 - September 27 - 1:00 pm

  The car is great, could not have asked for a better vehicle from GM. Had an 07 SS impala before and they improved just about everything i didnt like about the impala. the handling, suspension, rear wheel drive, its just a smooth ride with everything you would need in a car and the ability to get up and go with cars that cost a good deal more. (ex: Taurus sho for 40 something, g8 gt for less than 30)

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  No problems and fun to drive - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By frow - September 27 - 10:00 am

  Weve had this van for 3 years now. Neer had a problem. Fun to drive, very responsive. 8-pass seating is really convenient. Great van.

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  Nice Car - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Mo-mobile - September 27 - 10:00 am

  I love to drive this car! Definitely the best handling in its class! I was a little hesitant to buy a car with an automatic transmission but I quickly found the shifts to be very quick and firm. The engine produces enough power to make acceleration exciting and an exhaust note that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The exterior styling is quite nice (Im always afraid someones going to steal my rims theyre so nice) and the interior isnt bad either. The seats are great, theyre comfortable and supportive during spirited cornering. I like this car so much I find I never want to stop driving.

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  An almost perfect car - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By Ed Harrow - September 26 - 7:50 pm

  We are short people and we can get in and out with ease. I have another GM car and it is a chore getting out because it is so low and I am 75. This is our second Montana and it out performs and rides better or equal to the 3 Cadillacs that I have owned. It is really quiet and free of vibrations just like a big car. I am glad to learn that handicap options are available however, I dont need any yet.