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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  Montana SV6 - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By David Battistel - September 7 - 1:26 am

  We really didnt want to purchase a minivan, but it was really our only option based on our space requirements. I will only buy GM products, so the SV6 was a natural choice. I was not too keen on it at first (I would have rather had an SUV), but it has grown on me since. I really enjoy driving it (not as much as my Sierra though) and I am impressed with the overall package. If it turns out to be as great as my truck, I will be very happy.

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  Aztek: The car people love to hate - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By Aztek Happy - September 5 - 12:53 pm

  I bought the Aztek because of all of the great things it can do. It is the best car I have ever owned (I am 60 so I have owned a bunch). It does everything and is the most comfortable car I have ever owned. We went 14k miles last summer and never had any comfort problems. Get past the looks and buy one. You will really love it. You can get a good deal on one and shop around for the bells and whistles.

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  !997 Grand Am GT - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Rikkirich - September 2 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car in August of 1996. The only problem I had was last year my driver side power window let go. I brought it back to the dealer, they took care of it. I have 89,000 miles on it and Im going to run this car till it dies. It still has the power to get up and go. I did have to replace the brakes twice, also the rotors were replaced also. Besides that the car is sound. I highly recommend the Grand Am GT.

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  Solid Car, reasonable price. - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By dtskiles - September 2 - 10:00 am

  I rented a Grand Am for a week. Followed by a Corolla and a Taurus. Pontiac has get-up-and-go. This car has more punch and better handling than an comparably priced Accord. However, I cant compare the reliably, nor would anyone be surprised if I did. Unlike their counterparts at Ford, GM remains a solid "B" student. They build solid cars at reasonable prices. Now if we can just discuss the over- stylized interiors. (Its a car, not the bridge to the Enterprise NCC1701)

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  Its OK - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Jocelyn - September 1 - 7:13 pm

  So I had a Honda Civic and was forced to get rid of it for an SUV, not happy to begin with. Now I have 45K and my windshield has a 3+ crack that started from the right lower seal! Nothing hit my car. Now its in my face. My rotors thump and my car wont crank over sometimes. I live in a snowy area and have driven it in the snow but never ever saw the AWD light kick on. It used to shift rough but now its OK. I guess it was just because it was new. Its OK though, not happy with it but love the sunroof and definitely the stereo and sound system

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  Awesome to/from car! - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By sunaku89 - August 29 - 3:46 pm

  My dad purchased the car for my sister and I for school and EMS duties. Fun car to drive, great on gas mileage but some problems with the design and interior. Example, To get the headlight out to replace the light, you have to pull apart your flimsy (Extremely flimsy) bumper and the grill will pop out if you arent careful. Mine now has a small crack now from me trying to replace the light bulb.There are also electrical issues that have melted my wires. The back locks are faulty and very often will not lock when you lock the car or unlock when you hit unlock. The seats are comfortable but you have to be careful about reaching behind the seat because you can pop the plastic out of place too.

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  Poor mans bmw - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By aldinero - August 29 - 8:16 am

  Great car to drive. Ride and handling as good as it gets. Very comfortable seating. Steering is precise very good brakes. Radio only fair, controls somewhat confusing and seat back control knob hard to reach. Overall a competitive performance car.

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  Great Reliable little car - 2000 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Lesley Draper - August 28 - 10:00 am

  Bought the car in 1999, and during the almost four years I have had it, it has cost me, one battery f & R Brake jobs, 2 sets of tires, new T-stats. This car is prone to heat up when on hard pulls in hot weather. Even rund over half hot in cold weather. Have had no major problems, still gets good gas mileage, and handles great. Good in snow too. It could be a litle more comfotrable, but seems equal to many cars in its catagorie. Keep tranny fluid up, and change the oil every 2k. I use synthetic oil and it gets better performance. I would buy another...For the price its a winner!

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  My Poor Grand Prix - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Ben - August 26 - 9:36 pm

  Like many other cars, this car has its ups and downs. Unfortunately for me, there were more downs than ups. It may be due to the fact that I bought it with 155k miles on it but it still doesnt change the fact that the Grand Prix is not built with quality materials. My car overheated four times within a span of 8 months. I expected the car to last till around 250k miles but Im gonna trade this bad boy in. Car has decent acceleration but no power after 3500 rpm. And nowadays little 4 cylinders can hang and even outrun this V6 and still get better gas mileage. I suggest getting a GTP or GXP and get those extra horses or else youll be disappointed just like me. Dont do it to yourself!

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  Too much fun - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Onefunponcho - August 24 - 2:30 pm

  Pros: The car is the best bang for the buck!! Grips the road like its on rails. Flashes right to whatever speed you need. the small turbo engine makes great power yet still great on gas. The best of everything. The auto tranny shifts like clock work.The premium sound upgrade is dandy with tune you can feel! Cons: A bit less hard plastic in the interior would be great. The exhaust is just way to quiet. And the trunk space it tiny. Hints: Two soft sided plain 24 inch duffels are ideal for the storage compartment. You must pack thrifty on long trips.