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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  I love the look, hate the unreliability - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By sherry - October 4 - 3:43 am

  I absolutely love my Aztek. The look, the drive, the storage. Okay, the hatch sticks, and you need to use the fob as you lift up the back hatch or else it locks again. I have 56,000 miles, first it was the electrical wiring with the headlight, then wiring with the starter, now its the transmission. My mechanic shrugged and said its the same Grand Am transmission. $2,000 repair! I need reliable!I can do without cute! Im so disappointed!

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  Horrible! - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Mom - October 3 - 6:16 am

  This car was so cheaply made. We had to replace the passlock system twice, fuel pump, drivers side window motor, something else under the hood that was $600 (My husband isnt home and I cant remember the name of it) and the list goes on and on. We have poured roughly 5-6 thousand dollars into this car since we bought it. On repairs that were required unless we wanted the car as a lawn decoration. Pontiac should have stepped up and recalled so many of these problems. I will never again in my life buy another GrandAm, or anything within that family.

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  grandam it! - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By sad owner - October 2 - 12:30 pm

  This car is the worst thing ever. Got the car w/105K mi on it back in June 2009. While its got some giddy-up and handles well, its kind of horrible not knowing if/when the brakes are going to fail. Ive had to put a new ABS motor ($2K) in it, and now, less than 6 months later, the whole braking system is shot. And Im not talking about shoes and rotors, which it eats like a kid eats candy. It also runs really hot, esp. in summer weather. The AC doesnt work, and the drivers window keeps falling. Also its an automatic, but cant get it to downshift in to 1st with the shifter, something it should be able to do willingly.

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  Good Alternative - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By saenzdw - October 2 - 8:53 am

  Like other reviewers, the G6 was not my first choice, however with the financing and price specials it was very hard to pass up. Overall, Im pleased with the performance of the car. There is room for improvement on gas milage and interior feel. Fully loaded, its a nice mid size car.

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  Dependable Good Gas Mileage - 2009 Pontiac G5
  By shark0311 - October 2 - 4:51 am

  I bought the bright red Pontiac G5 GT coupe with automatic transmission new. I purchased it with every available option, (IE: leather, sun roof, Pioneer XM stereo, heated seats, remote start, 17 inch tires). I drive a lot of highway miles to work and I wanted a car that got good highway gas mileage and looked sporty. I now have 135,000 miles. Original tires lasted to 98,000. Replaced rear brakes at 120,000. I havent had to replace the front brakes yet. I change oil every 4,000 miles and have most routine maintenance performed. This car has met all my expectations.

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  Outstanding - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By wcvogeljr - October 2 - 2:46 am

  I thought this was a re-make of a Grand Am ot Grand Prix. I was wrong. This car is tight, quiet and performs. A recent roadtrip resulted in 30.9 MPG! The weather was terrible and the car handles fine without the traction control. This car turns heads - most folks think its a foreign car.

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  good car - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Stacie - October 1 - 2:56 am

  Ive had the car for just over two years with 38k miles on it and I didnt have to take it into the shop until just before it hit 36k for a minor air conditioning issue and a seat squeak. Took it all the way to Georgia...great gas mileage - about 31 per gallon for those trips. Gas mileage in the city is even better after that trip. Its been a great, reliable car and I moved from the Alero - which was a good car to this.

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  I love my "Yak" - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By W3ldon - September 30 - 6:43 pm

  OK. I just got my black on black G8 two weeks ago and I am crazy about it. I took my wife to the Westin in it and the valet was like "Hey, man, what is this?" I was like, "this is the car that better stay parked tonight." He loved it. Everywhere I go, I get stares. Their eyes are saying, "Wow!" and then they see a Pontiac badge and they fall over. "Thats a Pontiac?" Yep, a Pontiac. I cant get mad at em. Thats the exact thing I said just two weeks before I saw one on the road and bought one. This car is amazing. It good on gas for a V8, It is very quick and Im going to have to get some tires in about 6 mos because, damn

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  The Quiet Storm - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By hypno1dr - September 30 - 5:43 pm

  With cat-like agility and blistering acceleration, I just love my solstice gxp. While driving from San Diego to Las Vegas and staying fairly close to the speed limit (which is difficult) I actually got 33.1 mpg. As far as the manual top, I can pop it down faster than most automatic tops. As far a putting it back up, it takes a little more time, but still, its not that hard and I dont mind. Yes it does have animalistic head turning looks, and yes it gets a lot of attention from the ladies who want to ride with me. Guys if you want a babe-magnet car, with blistering acceleration, and hurricane force winds with top down, this is the beast (i mean car) to have.

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  Very Reliable Car - 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
  By TO Torn - September 30 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my Sunfire 3 years used, and have had no serious problems, even in our cold Canadian winters. I had the rotors turned because of a knob of rust that was making noise but not affecting performance. The interior is slightly under-par, but what can I expect for a cheap car. Also, I find that the ABS and the traction control really helps me keep a tight grip on our icy Canadian roads. If you can find it, I would suggest that you get the four gear, as opposed to the three gear - drives smoother at highway speeds. I would recommend this car for anyone looking for a good economical car.