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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  Long Awaited GTO - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Daryl - December 13 - 3:30 am

  Sat in my first GTO in 1968 when I was 13 and for my 50th birthday my wife brought me a 2005 Cyclone Grey GTO and surprised me with it. After 37 years I think the wait was worth it. Its a great car, performs magnificently and puts "muscle" back into the car business. A normally aspirated engine void of turbo chargers etc. it gets up and goes. A true pleasure to own and drive. With that said, wonder when someone is going to mess up and stop producing the GTO again!

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  My Little Red Convertable - 2009 Pontiac G6
  By Joyce - December 12 - 2:56 pm

  I love my car, poor gas mileage, wish there were other extras, such as memory seats, warning buzzer when backing up, warning buzzer when a car is in you blind spot. I also miss a compass. Blue tooth can only connect to one carrier service.

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  Great Vehicle!!! - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Ron - December 12 - 11:23 am

  I inherited my 2003 Vibe from elderly parents who no longer drive. I am extremely happy with this vehicle and would buy another in a heartbeat. Fuel economy is consistently in the low 30s which is remarkable since I regularly drive it 75-80 mph on the Illinois Tollway. I recently had a near collision with a deer and was extemely impressed with the braking and stability in my avoidance maneuver! The basic Vibe seems to handle well in the snow considering I do not have the AWD version. Since the wagon is essentially a Toyota in a GM skin the reliability is supreme. As gas prices head skyward the Vibe is a outstanding option to purchasing an expensive hybrid. Buy one!!!!

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  GTO is awesome - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By JB - December 12 - 7:20 am

  If you love HP, you will love this car. It left my AMG55 in the dust!!! My friend just bought a new STI.. NO CONTEST!!! This cars quality and workmanship is one to beat for the price. Sure it doesnt have all the bells and whistles that some luxury cars do, but for the price I am saving on the sticker I can have those things installed, customized, and still beat them on the street and the price. I LOVE THIS CAR!! AND I LOVE DRIVING IT!! IT gets looks wherever I go.. Probably because they hear me coming!!!

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  06 Grand prix - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By idrivepauly - December 11 - 2:20 am

  I love my Pontiac grand Prix. Best gift I ever bought myself. In 2008 ! Bring back Pontiac !!!!!!!!!!!

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  Australian GTO - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Rick Jenkins - December 10 - 11:33 am

  One of the best value for money deals out there. The Pontiac nose detracts from the look of the car when compared to the original supplied by Holden on the Monaro, but all in all a beautiful car that looks significantly better in the skin than in any photo. Brilliant power and terrific handling if you like to take your corners faster than the posted speed. Great brakes, decent shift quality from the 6 speed box. A little heavy at 3700 lbs or so, but thats the price you pay for the creature comforts that come standard with this car. All in all, a great overall package.

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  cool pontiacs - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By Rex - December 10 - 2:00 am

  this car is cool to drive in the rain the tires spun really tight.

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  This is a great car - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By catomotive - December 10 - 2:00 am

  Its svery smooth and quite. Accularation is great. lots of room and cargo space .

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  Holy cow!!!!!! - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Shafted - December 10 - 2:00 am

  I thought this was one of the better cars I had ever owned. Sleek styling good gas mileage silky smooth ride.Then without warning ker-plunk!!! At 58000 miles the intake manifold suffers a catastrophic failure filling all the cylinders with water.New motor time(more profit for Pontiac)!!

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  Wish it could stay - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By boo - December 10 - 2:00 am

  As everyone else said I love this car. I had to buy one before they were all sold out. I was fortunate enough to get my paws on one in a different state and had it shipped to the motor city. I went with black on black on black. This car is out of hand. Every where I go people tell me how much they like it. You dont see many of these babies on the road. To all you TA owners hold on to them.