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:

• 

  Love my Red G6 - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Dennis - September 24 - 6:33 pm

  This car is perfect for south Florida. It looks great with the top up or down. Most times its down. A very important consideration when I bought the G-6 was that my elderly mothers wheelchair would fit in the trunk. It fits perfectly. The other convertibles in this class could not accomadate the chair. I bought a Saturn Sky the same day for a "fun car" and find that the G6 gets just as many looks and comments from people and handles nearly as well.

• 

  Love It - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By xxxx - September 24 - 4:16 pm

  This Car is a lot of fun! Ride is great. Sightlines are poor due to sporty design but large sideview mirrors make up for it. Have not had one problem with car. Headroom is a little short due to sunroof.

• 

  Sweet Ride - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Sambuda - September 24 - 2:23 pm

  Since I moved to the Tri-State area, i needed to get rid of my gas hog truck. The new G6 caught my eye, so I took it for a test drive and was blown away. The european design, with the audi style design for the interior, this is one sweet ride. Once in, you are molded into the comfortable leather lumbar seats(heated is a plus). With 200 horses and a auto shift stick that you can red-line, this car has some bite. The tight suspension and the nice rubber is a nice touch when going around those bends at excess speeds. Way to go Pontiac, you have just re-invented the American Sport Seden. We just gotta wait now for all the after market parts, to really ignite this car!

• 

  My first American car and I love it - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By npayton08 - September 23 - 10:46 am

  I returned from a deployment and I was looking for a car with 3 things speed space and style. SUVs was more what I was looking for concerning the last two and very very few cars where on the list, but once I hopped in the Butte it was curtains for everything else, space was the only knock but I cant think of any car that can get close to SUV in that department. But, as you can read, speed is all over the place.

• 

  Awesome Car!!! Unmatched deal! - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Dan - September 22 - 12:30 pm

  I got one by checking all the dealerships. Mine was pretty much fully loaded with options. What a car!! Forget all the other brands, youd have to pay twice as much to get this anywhere else - way to go GM!!! It drives and feels like a sports car, yet comfortable for tall drivers (Im 61). People stop in awe, others drive closely to check out the brand and even a police officer stopped to ask me about that car. Take all options if possible, its definitely worth it.

• 

  2003 gt limited - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By jess - September 21 - 10:00 am

  I love this car.There is plenty of interior space, the trunk is huge,the bose stereo system shakes the car when loud and is crystal clear,the car has great get up and go. the limited has lots of gadgets including the on board computerand heads up eye-cue. for the price of this car we got the most for our money.

• 

  Great car for the money - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Andy - September 21 - 12:50 am

  The 05 Vibe is an excellent car to drive. The vvt-i engine is very responsive even at lower rpms. You dont have to sacrifice gas milage like you would with a Vibe GT. This one has all the power you need. I prefer the five speed over the six speed transmission also. It shifts without the knotchy feeling of the six speed I drove (03). The interior is spacious and comfortable with plenty of cargo room. The back seats fold down flat unlike some hatchbacks. Tie straps are included to help hold cargo on the slick plastic surfaces. The exterior design of the Vibe is streamline and sporty. A worth while option is the appearance package which includes color keyed bumpers and fog lights.

• 

  Awesome Surprise - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Mar - September 20 - 5:23 pm

  This was a surprise birthday gift from my husband. Its a beauty and draws lots of attention. Ride is almost as great as our Harley. Our three year old grandson calls it Lightning McQueen.

• 

  Love my G6 GT - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By G6Action - September 20 - 2:26 am

  No problems so far (knock on wood). After driving the Honda Accord and Chrysler Sebring, I chose the G6....much more fun to drive and I get looks everywhere I go as to what kind of car is THAT? Gas mileage is better than the listed 21/29mph as I get 25.6 consistently in town.

• 

  Ponti-yak - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By m&p - September 19 - 7:13 pm

  This is the most fun car weve ever driven! Push one button and you go from hard top to convertible - no latches to loosen or canvas covers to snap in place - the top automatically folds into the trunk in about 30 seconds. Most convertibles are quite noisy with the top up (only canvas between you and road noise) but this car is as quiet as any sedan when the tops up. Cant wait to tow it behind an RV and enjoy the vacation scenery from a vantage point only a convertible can provide. I have a Bluetooth phone which I can use when the tops down. There is hardly any wind noise in the front seat.