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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  new toy - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Robgotone - November 13 - 1:36 pm

  Wow, what a blast to drive. This car gave me a midlife crisis at 33! Its quick and handles great. Im sure the fit and finish is less than the Benz i traded but the benz will see nothing but tail lights! Who said you have to grow up? Bring on the young punks in their tuners! IM waiting!!!!

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  Aching cheeks - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Houston - November 13 - 2:53 am

  Awesome just awesome, my cheeks are aching with smiling so much; power comes on stream when requested. Handling is so precise it compares to a Porsche I used to own. Practical, no, but who cares, looks, comments and questions from kids to grannies. Even in the traffic here in Houston I have been questioned while stopped. I read someone saying the seats were small, I am 250 and 6 ft. (and 56 years old) and slide in and out with no problem.

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  terrible interior - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Scott - November 12 - 3:06 pm

  The car drives well though the cheap body cladding was falling apart after 2 weeks and the brakes could be better. This has to be the cheapest interior GM has ever made. Im confident the car will run forever as the powertrain is not bad but who wants to ride in such a crappy interior? It also has no flash to pass, you have to click it to engage, I dont have to do that on my 92 Explorer! I am very dissapointed in the build quality of this vehicle. I will never purchase another GM product again. Rental car at best!

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  What a Machine - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By robertkcal - November 12 - 2:00 am

  No matter what the magazines say, this car was worth every penny! Ive gotten alot of positive comments on its looks, and the enterior is really nice. And of course the power is the icing on the cake. The things I look for when purchasing a car are: Looks, power, good radio, and quality. This car has them all. With only 18,000 built a year, for 3 years, Im totally happy that I have mine now.

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  Unsatisfied - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By Leeryleo - November 11 - 1:50 am

  This car is a total let down. Interior could not be any cheaper. Other than the cheap cloth (?) seats everything seems to be hard plastic. Now that the weather is warming up the inside has a awful plastic smell. The fuel mileage is terrible. We had to have the tie rods replaced in less than 2000 miles. Car hesitates while driving, lack of useful accessories, and very cheap paint job. We hate this new car.

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  My Sunfire - 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Kyla - November 10 - 10:00 am

  I have a 1996 Pontiac Sunfire and i like it alot. But now I want a good used Sunfire GT. they have alot more jam than just a regular one. I would also like it to be a standard with a sunroof and fully loaded.

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  LOVE THIS CAR - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By EBBAL - November 10 - 10:00 am

  FUN TO DRIVE, GOOD ECCELLERATION,RIDES GREAT, HANDLES WELL, NICE CAR, I WOULD BUY ANOTHER. I LOVE THIS CAR

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  Fun car - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By H101 - November 10 - 10:00 am

  Great value for the dollar. We traded a Grand Am with 54K miles that had never been in the shop except for oil changes (and a little bit of body work). We have only a few hundred miles on the new car, but it sure seems solid, quick and gets 30 mpg... not bad for the way I drive :)

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  Amazing Pontiac - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By TxNessie84 - November 9 - 10:30 am

  This is one amazing car and one of the best bargains in cars anywhere. This car will outperform a lot of cars costing a lot more money. Everyone who sees it and rides in it loves it and thinks it cost a lot more than it did.

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  Super Fun Reliable car - 2000 Pontiac Sunfire
  By nairb848 - November 8 - 11:40 pm

  I bought my 2000 pontiac sunfire gt convertible about a month ago and i love it. I am 6"2 and i fit in is no problem. It is far more comfortible than I would have thought. No mechanical problems and the convertible top works perfectly. When the top is up there is no noise and man is it fast! With a little 2.4 liter powering this thing I would have never guessed it but this thing can move. This is the kind of car I can see having for years and giving it to my kids.