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:

• 

  Awesome Car! - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By Natalie Farone - October 31 - 3:46 pm

  We picked up our Frosty White 2005 Vibe this week..and LOVE IT! It is such a sporty looking, fun-to-drive vehicle! We traded in our 2005 Equinox due to its uncomfortable leather seats and horrible gas mileage....wow! Did we hit big with our 2005 Vibe! The seats are so comfortable, the gas mileage is great! It is a pleasure to drive. It has responsive steering. The visibility when driving is great, no blind spots. The back seat is roomy, even for a taller person. We are so glad we bought this car! We could travel cross country in it, the seats are so comfortable, you feel like you are sitting in a cloud! Overall, you cant find a better ride for the value than this Vibe! ;-)

• 

  KIMS NEW TOY - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By KBARNO - October 31 - 10:00 am

  WE JUST BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE ABOUT TEN DAYS AGO. SO FAR WE LIKE IT. THE ONLY THING I DONT LIKE IS THE TRUNK, IT HAD NO CARPETING , SO EVERYTHING SLIDES AROUND ALL OVER THE PLACE. WE QUICKLY REMEMDIED THAT BY PUTTIN CARPETING IN THE BACK. ITS A GOOD IDEA FOR PEOPLE WHO HAUL STUFF, BUT I THINK IT SHOULD COME WITH THE CARPET. BUT, BE REMOVABLE. THE ONLY OTHER THING, IS THAT I SUGGEST YOU DONT TAKE IT TO A CAR WASH WITH THE BLOW DRYERS. IT BLEW THE TRIM PIECE TO MY ROOF RACK RIGHT OFF THE CAR. OTHER THAN THAT i THINK ITS A GREAT CAR.

• 

  Disappointing - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Patty Romanelli - October 31 - 10:00 am

  This car is very disappointing. Loud road noise. Seating poor except for short people. Poor rear visibility for backing up. Fan control has a poor responce. Vehicle should have rear view mirror standard with temp./direction/auto glare change; not an option.

• 

  5 Year Follow-up - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By rail81 - October 30 - 10:23 am

  This is a follow-up review. I wrote one after initial purchase. Bottom line, GMs got to do better. The exterior design and discounted price sold us this car and I wish it hadnt. I now understand what professional car reviewers look for. The interior design is poor and cheap. The finish on the steering wheel is peeling and the low glovebox is nearly inaccessible. The seat side bolsters have worn through and the cheap interior plastic is impossible to clean. Horrible side/rear visibility. The engine has been reliable but the transmission now shifts harshly from 1st. Steering has been repaired twice. Airbag system acts up. Neither of our 150K+ mile Fords have had any problems.

• 

  Great for large family! - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By Awesome Van! - October 29 - 8:16 pm

  The Pontiac Montana is the exact same as the Saturns Relay. It has a 5 star rating as well. There are 7 in our family...5 kids. We LOVE this van. Everyone thinks it is an SUV. It looks classy and drives better than anything I have ever driven or owned before. It is luxurious and smooth. The children all have plenty of room. The seats are very comfortable in the front, middle, and back. It is quiet, smooth, and handles like a dream. If you have ever driven a Saturn of any kind, this drives just like that. I love it. If you feel the price (@$30K) is too much, find a used one, even a few months old..lose the 20% depreciation.

• 

  GM GOING DOWN HILL - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By DELGRECO - October 29 - 6:36 pm

  I received my new Solstice in Dec of 05. It does look good but thats the only thing good I must say. Ive sent it back to the dealer about 10 times with problems of water leaks and the rear end leaking oil they kept it for a month rebuilding the rear 3 times and decided that they couldnt fix it right that it would be better to change it. The other problem is the AM radio stations has static they tried to repair it but couldnt but instead for me to live with the problem. The only help GM customer service was willing to compensate is to pay for one month payment on the vehicle. What a smack in the face that was for that the car is paid for. Newer again buy GM .

• 

  My new toy - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By twdavis - October 29 - 6:33 pm

  I have always wanted a convertible but knew a soft top would not be good for me as I dont have covered parking. The only hardtops out there were not affordable enough for me...then came the G6! Thank you Pontiac for making my dream car a reality! I absolutely love my new toy! Its so much fun to drive, its very sporty and looks awesome with the top up or down! I get looks, honks and thumbs up from everyone! I chose the black with tan leather interior and walnut burl accents. It looks like one of those more expensive cars on the inside. Very classy!

• 

  G6 Rating-Poor - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Carrie Fitzgerald - October 29 - 3:46 pm

  I purchased a new G6 in early 2005. It is very sporty looking and I get lots of comments on the appearance. Appearance aside, I have had nothing but problems out of the car. It was in the shop within the first two weeks having a new amp installed because the original quit working. The drivers side sunvisor broke, the cupholder in the backseat broke, the automatic lock on the passengers door did not work and had to be fixed, a clicking sound on the drivers door was fixed, a new starter was installed, and the sunroof had to be fixed because of a constant rattle. Purchasing this car has definitely made me decide to never purchase another Pontiac again.

• 

  Good Sporty Car - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Jacob - October 29 - 8:30 am

  I bought this car with 49000 miles on it. The alternator went out at 65,000 miles, Both window regulators needed to be replaced at around 75,000 miles. Do not open the windows if your car is iced over they will break. New front brakes at 77000 miles. Trac light comes on occasionaly. everything else is OK. Love the engine 3.4L , plenty of power, 27-32 mpg. Half the price of any similar Japanese car. Buy this car one year old and you will save a ton of money.

• 

  gasser - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By z-man - October 28 - 9:13 pm

  This has been a great car to drive so far and turns a lot of heads. Handling is great & very tight, but gas mileage is worse than I expected. The convertible is easy to operate. The stick is not smooth to shift at times but OK otherwise (dont expect a Porsche feel). Im glad I bought it and Ive had a Corvette before. This is more fun and looks even better. Its got character. No spare tire :-( Trunk? What trunk? But then who cares? Bring on the summer!