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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  Fantastic Salesman Car! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Richard Todd - June 27 - 1:13 pm

  This car is perfect for salesmen. The seats fold down so you have plenty of room to load things if you need it. Fuel economy at 65 MPH is 31 MPG. Also best of both worlds, Toyota drive train and engine, GM exterior and interior.

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  LOVE IT!!! - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Christy - June 26 - 11:10 am

  I Love my Grand Prix GT, It is the 2nd one I have had. I have heads up display (I hope they always keep that as an option) I think it is great & dont like driving a car without it! I have leather heated seates, Dual Climate Control, Love having the Radio controls on the sterring wheel, Love the auto headlights & power sun roof! Traction Control is great!!! I hope it lasts a long time...

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  Problems!Problems!Problems! - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Billy G. Tinker - June 26 - 2:50 am

  Stranded on road one month after purchasing due to dead battery. In shop x4 due to vibrations, pulling to the right, surging when stopping, then the smell of raw gas. Three sets of nes tires have been put on the car in nine months. On the fourth time in the shop, we were told by phone the car was fixed, but was still vibrating and GM was having problems with the engine. I have been very frustrated and displeased with the Pontiac G8 GT.

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  Road Ripping Fun - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By Larry - June 25 - 3:43 pm

  After a year and 12,000 miles in all weather conditions (Vermont), my red GTO still brings me smiles with every drive, a true pleasure. I use it mostly for a 44 mile commute over a mixture of twisty secondary roads, city streets, and low traffic interstate. A hoot to drive, the vehicle is well balanced with the tight crisp steering, firm handling and strong brakes expected on a 400 hp sports car. Abundant power can smoke the tires with ease when the traction nanny is off. At its selling price/performance point it is a bargain. The 6 speed manual transmission allows excellent fuel economy. I average 22 mpg commuting and 26+ on trips.

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  My Sporty SUV - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Mrs Ponyac - June 25 - 1:53 pm

  Weve owned many Pontiacs over the years and this one stacks up as another winner for us. I like the feeling of sitting higher up being a shorter person. The interior is roomy with a quiet ride even with the 17" optional wheels. The only thing I would change is the steering. It takes more turns of the wheel to pull into a parking spot, yet on the road it feels fine. The Chevy version is ok but if you want people to notice what youre driving, this sporty Pontiac is the way to go!

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  This car hauls - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By cabdog - June 24 - 10:00 am

  I read a review where someone said this is the best car they have ever owned, and I completely agree. I love this car. I can burn past almost everybody on the road, and I am sitting comfortably while doing it.

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  Dont every buy one of these!!! - 1998 Pontiac Grand AM
  By DCPontiac - June 24 - 10:00 am

  This car stinks. I had to take it in for minor repairs and fixes about 10 times within the first year. 49,000 miles on my car and the brakes have been changed 3 times. Once in rush hour traffic my brakes just plain went out. Last month both of the power windows fell off their tracks within a week of each other. Other troubles too numerous to list. The ability to have fun driving this car is limited. Dont even think of trying to use the manual shifting capability on the automatic models. Remotely sporty driving results in a foul smell every time. However, the downshifting option is nice for slowing in traffic when you dont have your brakes.

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  Good car...Great price - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Moe - June 21 - 3:23 pm

  My wife loves this car...she says she feels at home in it. I am 64" and I even fit with some comfort. These days with gas prices this car is a perfect fit with our budget(by the way...Edmunds say this cars actual value is around $11,000..we paid $8600 including tax) Good car....Great price!

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  Great MPG and Performance - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By FuelMiser - June 19 - 7:06 pm

  When I see ads for a 4 cylinder Hondas that gets 30 mpg highway, I have to laugh as Im having so much more fun in my GTP. This car is not only a sleeper, it gets gas mileage in the range of Japanese cars but it has 280 pounds of torque to play with. True, the interior plastic parts could have been better, but the mechanical failures of my brothers Accord make me glad I bought a Pontiac. The GTP is well-known for long-term reliability and most of the negative posts you see here are not representative of the total population. I had a GM 3.8 liter with 250,000 miles and not a single mechanical issue. Dont doubt Pontiacs build quality or engineering, these cars are a steal @ <$10K!

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  my review - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Eddie - June 19 - 10:00 am

  its a great car i love the handling and all around of the car and it flies 140 comes up quick on the highway mine did 13.1 in a quarder