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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  If Only... - 2004 Pontiac Bonneville
  By John Wellauer - April 11 - 8:36 pm

  This has been a nice car to drive over the past three years. It has decent pickup and great road manners. It is quiet and has a smooth, comfortable suspension setup without excessive body roll in turns. The dual zone HVAC is a dream, always ready to make you absolutely comfortable no matter the weather outside. If I were to have any complaints about this car it would be the ill advised Intermediate Shaft in the steering column carried over from the Olds Aurora. When your GXP becomes afflicted with this malady you are stuck suffering through moans, groans and a stiff feel in tight turns; and a notchy "hitting a rock" feel in normal driving turn situations. This car depreciates quickly.

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  underrated - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By question00 - April 11 - 10:16 am

  the v-8 is fast while still getting great mileage. i average 22 mpg with a good mix of city and hwy driving. as the editors review says, there may be to much torque because of the powerful v-8; however i wouldnt trade down the horsepower. great car. good mix of sports car, fuel economy, and luxury vehicle.

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  Disappointed Lemon - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Roger V - April 11 - 10:03 am

  I was very excited when I bougth this car used. I got the exted=nded warranty on it thank God. Every 6 months a mojor repair. Head gasket, transmission selenoid, intake gaskets, brakes etc. I used to love this car but each year it gets worse and worse.

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  Not sexy, but dependable - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Jay Brad - April 11 - 9:33 am

  We bought our Vibe with 36,000 miles and are now at 96,000 miles. The only repair was on the alternator at 90,000 miles. Outside of that it has just been oil changes and brake pads. This is a great car! The only thing it lacks is a cool factor. However, we drive a ton and the whole family enjoys the ride.

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  no more american made cars - 1998 Pontiac Grand AM
  By curlydoo - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I have 120,000 miles on this car and just had to replace the motor mounts,which in turn necessitated intake manifold and transmission service. It is now blowing blue smoke. Dont buy one of these.

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  Pontiac Aztek - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By clestes - April 10 - 2:00 am

  After driving our 2001 Aztek for 2 1/2 years we could not imagine driving anything else !

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  aztec - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By robert and mary joe - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I thought the body was horrible before I drove it, but the flexability of it (cornering and u-turns,etc) are extremely comfortable. There is no bouncy ride like my parents SUV and it has the comfort of a car but I dont feel afraid to take it on dirt roads or fill it extremely full and take it cross country. I have had few minor repairs on it and it was all under warranty. My complaint is the exhaust system (loud and rattles a lot) and the time it takes to warm up. But over all this might well be the best vehicle I have owned while the price was magnificent

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  its ok - 2004 Pontiac Montana
  By chasmat - April 10 - 2:00 am

  this van started out rock solid with no rattles. now after 20,000 miles, the rattles are making me NUTZZ! the seats are a bear to remove and this thing sucks gas big time.

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  Sweet n powerful Bonnie - 2003 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Ming - April 9 - 10:00 am

  I love these cars. Great tire squealing acceleration off the line, none of that "240 hp" that only comes 10 minutes into driving it up to 10,000 rpm. Instant power. The interior is comfortable, but the headrest is a little odd - it supports my head only when tilted forward. Love the heads up display and at your fingertips radio controls. Only problem was insulation in the trunk at one spot leaked. Fixed under warranty.

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  Great Car - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Joe - April 8 - 7:43 pm

  I am the original owner of this car and over the years it has been a very reliable vehicle. Currently, it has 160,000 miles and only minor issues. The HUD display used to dim out, but I fixed that by resoldering the connectors. Also the supercharger coupler required a change ( approx $50 DIY ). Minor leak around the oil pan and A/C needs service. But for a car that is 10yrs old with mileage, not bad and never left me stranded. BTW, for those knocking this car, I have seen new BMW or two stranded along Route 80 at times.