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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  A car to buy ...Trust me - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Danrivas - August 24 - 10:00 am

  This is the kind of vehicle that you enjoy to drive on the road. It demands attention and respect in eveyones eyes. At first peopel will look and then look even harder to see what it is. This machine in my mind is the equivilent to any overseas vehicle that would like to tango. For the price it is the best you can ask for, pure muscle and respect. I think the only downfall is the sound system could have done better. But if you are thinking of getting a performance car forget the foriegn and go american--------- I have the kills to prove it.

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  Vibetrix - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By cartalker - August 24 - 10:00 am

  Good fuel econonmy and build quality. The Toyota based engine and drive train afre a big plus in this little wagon. Very omfortable.

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  Great Car! - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By Brandon C - August 24 - 10:00 am

  I needed someting to replace my 1993 Grand Am and wanted something versatile. The Vibe came along just in time as I am an exclusive Pontiac owner. My Vibe is just the right size and handles much better than most other cars its class. So far I have averaged about 33.5 MPG split with city/hwy driving. The Toyota engine is a good selling point. Overall, the Vibe is the best value considering its size, fuel economy, horsepower, etc. Best of all, its a Pontiac!

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  1997 Pontiac GRAND AM SE 2 dr 2.4 ltr Automatic - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By larrytauch - August 23 - 10:40 am

  We purchased the GRAND AM SE 2dr 2.4 ltr Automatic with 39k January 14th 2014. Runs, Drives, Handles, and Comfortable Vehicle!

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  The GTP coupe rocks! - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By NY G6 Owner - August 21 - 3:00 am

  This is the second new Pontiac that Ive owned and I think that GM has hit a home run with it. What a great looking car! The G6s styling, quality, and performance are all way above par. Thank goodness GM did away with all of that plastic cladding they had on the GrandAm. If you buy a G6, go with the GTP. Its worth the extra investment since the GTP model with the 3.9 V6 is a mover! The only complaint that I have with the car (and its a minor one at that)is that GM could have done a little better job with the finish on the interior surfaces. Its a shame that GM isnt marketing this model much more aggressively.

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  Wow - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Don P - August 20 - 7:30 am

  Been watching and reading about this car for months. Finally got to see it and test drive it on a rainy night. Amazing performance, handling, ride and comfort. Has just the right features and accessories to make it the perfect car. What a treat to drive. Absolutely the most exciting vehicle Ive ever owned. A good value, even at MSRP.

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  Great SUV for the Price - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Bill H - August 16 - 4:43 am

  Excellent value. Great style. Just drove 3900 miles with the family to Yellowstone / Tetons. Very comfortable ride with plenty of room, quiet ride. Leather/Heated seats are great in cold weather. This is the first new Pontiac Ive ever purchased. Very satisfied.

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  I Love My Aztek - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By iiicarol - August 15 - 10:00 am

  Honestly I have always wanted a Blazer.At the dealership we around and looked at Blazers,the trucks and then I saw a black Aztek. My first intial thought was " What is that?" I have never seen one until that moment.My husband drove it first, said he really liked how it handled and then I drove it. I Love everything about this vehicle. YEs it is unusual looking but that is what makes it so unique. I bought mine at 19,000 miles on Jan 2 2003, since then I have 27,000. We took it to the races in Feb, Took the back seats out threw in a mattress. It was the perfect trip.we are very faithful and loyal group us Aztek owners.

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  Great Car! - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Dakotawyatt - August 15 - 2:36 am

  Ive only owned this car for about a week now. I researched and drooled over it for 2 years, and finally took the plunge to buy it. This car is great! The whole car is beautiful, love the comfort of the seats and LOVE the panoramic sunroof. No awful wind noise at all. The 2-toned leather interior is luxurious, and the seats fit larger people comfortably. Shifting on the auto tranny is smooth and barely noticeable, and the engine has plenty of pep in its step! Great interior space; trunk is very big and back seat has plenty of legroom for our 4 year old in his booster seat. Overall fit and finish of the car is fantastic. I highly recommend to any small family not looking for an SUV.

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  Solid car - 2001 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Wayne - August 11 - 10:46 am

  The engine is very good, with lots of power. Mine now has 147,000 with 28 mpg, no oil use between changes. The plastic intake manifold cracked at 70,000, which did not happen in my 1989 Bonneville Series One 3.8 liter engine(going strong at 212,000), which had an iron manifold. Other maintenance has been front wheel bearings at 140,000, and now the tranny started slipping at 147,000. The experienced mechanic who does mostly transmission work says the clutches go out at about 125,000. $1,600 bill for the clutches and tightening the chain. GM dropped the ball when they ended the line.