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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  Faster please - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By GTO06 - September 24 - 4:53 am

  Overall happy with the GTO would like to see some classic features highlighted.

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  pontiac owner and loving it - 2004 Pontiac Bonneville
  By alan henry - September 24 - 2:00 am

  this is the most comfertable car i have owned. i had two grand prix and would never own another. the bonniville is a well built car. for afour door sedan it handles well with out giving up a smooth ride. the v6 is quick considering the size of the car. i would recommend this car to everyone that wants a well handling full size car

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  muscle car mania - 2000 Pontiac Firebird
  By rupp - September 23 - 1:10 pm

  Wow! Absolutely mindblowing acceleration and handling! Used to own a Mustang GT and there is no comparison. Aftermarket add-ons to increase horsepower are extremely inexpensive so you can do all kind of things to the motor real cheap! Love it!!

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  Fun Car - 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
  By kegger - September 22 - 10:00 am

  This has been a very reliable car. NO problems at all. Not one. It is fun to drive. The convertable top operates smoothly and has never leaked! When the top is up there is no wind noise. You feel as if you are in a hard top. It does have a stiff ride, but I like that in a small sporty car.

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  99 gtp - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By cousinvinney - September 22 - 10:00 am

  Bought used with 24000 miles was never in for warentee till I brought it in for a delaminaled door pannel. no squeaks/ rattels etc. Fit and trim is great. All the bells and whistles makes the car a supurb toy. the car gets 16.5 mpg around town and 26 on the road. This thing has got some scoot to it !!!! and it is very stable in turns and at speeds of 90 mph and beyond. Real nice car !

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  love my car - 1997 Pontiac Firebird
  By Soggy - September 22 - 6:06 am

  all my friends drive the usual herd cars, but this one always gets the looks. Have had it for over 7 years now, and still love this. It stands out in the parking lot, performs really well, except for minor repairs, it works pretty darn fine. Picks up speed fast, and I really like the rocketship feel of the car. Just wish that they had done something about the passenger bump and some more space in the trunk.

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  A good ride - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By B at 45 - September 21 - 5:06 am

  My GT has been trouble free. Original tires wore quicker than I thought they should, but Goodyears I bought holding up good. Ive been very pleased with the gas mileage for this size of car. 17-31 MPG. Alot of remote start in Chicago winter or Phoenix summer and mileage obviously drops. 65 MPH on interstate and 30 MPG. 85-90 MPH on interstate and 25-26 MPG. Over 68500 miles and still on original brakes. Ill need them soon, can feel rotors have a shimmy during hard braking. Like the oil management system, saves oil, have gone 9000 miles on a couple of changes. This is a great highway vehicle. Quiet and quick when its needed. Good in snow when lived in Chicago. Great AC now in Phoenix.

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  2002 Grand Am SE1 (3.4L V-6, Automatic) - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By macdizzle - September 20 - 3:18 pm

  I bought mine used in 2005 with 60k miles on it. I am just now (in mid 2013) through steps to fix it up a little to resell or trade in. I was attracted to it because I could by afford it, and it had a pretty sexy looking body style, an ergonomic interior design, and a nice little dose of low end torque. It was a bright red car and I dubbed it the Ferrari. I have been through a lot with it and have kept it so long that I have spent almost as much insuring it as I did to buy it. The downside is that it is a General Motors car from an era where the passenger cars where he trim, plastics, and electrical systems suffer from poor design and durability.

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  My Baby - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Ife Torrence - September 20 - 2:36 pm

  I just bought the torrent about a month ago, from owning a two door cavalier. it drives really smooth, the price is right, and has plenty of room in the back for riders. The leather gives it that luxury feel without the luxury price. i love the heated seats, xm radio, and steering wheel audio controls. One of my favorite aspects of the vehicle is that it feels big inside, but is modest on the outside, it isnt too big, like an escalade or too small like a RAV4, its perfect.

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  Love my Vibe! - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Mike - September 20 - 9:53 am

  I got my Vibe in June of 2005. Since I bought it, I have loved driving it since day 1. I usually get bored with a car 6-12 months after owning it. Everyday I cant wait to drive it because it is just fun to drive. Its a peppy 4-cylinder with good pickup and a smooth ride. There is a little bit of road noise but that is because of the design...which I love. It has a great look and the interior is great. I travel a lot and the interior space is great, more than meets the eye.