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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  Best thing since sliced bread - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By blaze5222 - April 3 - 2:26 pm

  I just bought my wife a 02 grand prix gt.... and it rocks.... sure since it is used and has about 65000 miles on it.... there are a few minor issues... but for a used car, I never would have thought I would feel safe sending my wife the 150 miles to the beach without me..

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  Good VIBErations - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By V8Vdub - April 3 - 1:40 am

  Versitility in a small package. Power and milage are great, Nice Ride for a short wheelbase car.

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  Good Vibes - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By Skychief - April 2 - 11:53 am

  Very nice little car. Wonderful and fun to drive around town. Handles well. Doors close nicely. Seems to have been built with quality with good attention to detail. Im a big guy and I fit in it just fine. Its amazingly roomy inside.

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  AWESOME! - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By JoyB - April 1 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my car for 2 years - no problems at all! It handles great, rides great, etc. It durability saved my life ... Id by another one in a heartbeat!!!!!!!

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  Lots of Muscle - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By Richard Smith - March 31 - 4:06 pm

  Going from a 1991 Trans Am GTA to a 2006 GTO is like moving up to the penthouse suite. The GTO embodies raw power and a fun factor that is off the chart. Once you hit the gas in 3rd and 4th gear you had better be strapped in because the car takes off like a rocket; have some fun with a unsuspecting passenger. The ride is much different from other muscle cars, its nimble and handles the road like a mid size sedan. Thank you Pontiac for reviving a legitimate modern day muscle car.

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  I just got it - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Buzz - March 30 - 1:00 pm

  I have had mine only 1 week now, so some of the above questions couldnt be 10s only cause I havent owned it long enough to test the gas mileage. But I plan to do so. Loving this car in automatic transmission. I bought it with 8500 miles on it fully loaded for a steal. Mine is an eye catching agressive Victory Red, driving it reminds me of the Pontiac Fiero I once owned. This car far exceeds that car. Maybe next years vacation will be me and my Solstice making the run from Boston to Phoenix.

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  Could be great with some improvements - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By ajax - March 30 - 10:00 am

  The pontiac 2002 Firebird TransAM coupe has the looks that make you just want to stare at it when you see one. I suspect the Ram Air would put most sports car lovers over the top with envy. There are some negatives that come with the acolades. Three issues in particular are the way the car idles when standing still with the car in drive and foot on the break.( shaky ). The second problem is the Rotors warp frequently. Suspect bad manufactured pads cause extream heat friction that cause the warpage. The third item is the Head lights make alot of noise when closing them. ( Bang! ) Otherwise a great car looking car with excellent speed when you need it most.

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  Passenger Side Crash - 2003 Pontiac Grand AM
  By crashkid - March 30 - 10:00 am

  I bought a 2-dr GRAm GT (Black). While driving on the hwy a woman started coming in my lane. When I swirved to miss her I lost total control of my vehicle (Steering and Brakes !) hitting the contrete barrier on the hwy, crossed 4 lanes of traffic before I was hit in the psgr side door by a F-150 truck at 70mph. No one was with me, that person would have been dead. My "drivers cage" held up The psgr door was pushed over to the console. I do not visually remember hitting the wall or by the truck but I do remember the feeling of the brakes pulsing (ABS) and not being able to stop, and cranking the steering wheel with no control.

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  Head Turner, Tire Burner - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By Ramdy Walker - March 30 - 8:56 am

  I was actually waiting on the new Camaro, but have been keeping my eye on the "Goat" since 04. When they came out with the hood scoop and the 6 liter LS2, I could no longer wait. Extremely pleased with my decision. The GTO drives like a more expensive sports car, runs like scared cat and is priced like a family car. Ive had no problems, even though, Ive heard about the front struts going bad. What I really like about this car is, it is a real sleeper. I enjoy being on the road with a car that is virtually unmatched by other cars in its class. I would highly recommend a GTO to all my Dodge and Ford friends.

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  Review - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By candice - March 30 - 3:43 am

  Love car other than minor defects that we have come across that dealerships seem to not be able to fix such. The car acts like its going to die at times or stall out. We have taken it 6+ times and dealer ship never fixes the problem.