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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  Gas is Holding me Back - 2001 Pontiac Firebird
  By onoshedien01 - March 21 - 4:06 pm

  Overall performance when I first purchased car was excellent. No repairs needed. Maintenance was kept up from previous owner. Great condition inside/out. Bought at 65k. Take curves like a whip. Engine was eager to drive like a bat out of hell. Now at 121k still runs good but maintenance is needed.

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  A super car. - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Darb232 - March 21 - 12:33 pm

  My wife drives this daily many miles. Has been very reliable. We had a little trouble with the stereo when we first got it. None since. The only other problem has benn brake rotors getting warped and making car shake at times. We have replaced rotors twice and pads three times. No other problems.

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  Great fun car to drive - 2004 Pontiac Bonneville
  By balckgxp - March 18 - 1:36 pm

  This is a great car for the money. Much less than any comprable import. Very large and roomy. Handles great with lots of power. Has 275 hp V8. Highly recommend the car, great value

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  Nice car - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By riker93 - March 18 - 3:31 am

  I just bought this car Feb. 8, 2013, so I havent had it long enough to report any major problems. It runs great, and was well taken care of by previous owner. It looks almost new, no rust and the engine is so quiet. It handles very well, and takes off quickly. Gas mileage isnt bad, so Im not spending too much there. Its got all the options I could think of, so as long as I continue to take care of it, Im hoping to get a lot of miles out of it.

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  My GTP - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By cervellione - March 17 - 10:00 am

  I had a lot of trouble right off the bat with my GTP. With not more than 3000 miles on the car it completely broke down on me. After several trips to the dealership it was finally fixed and I have not had a problem since. I absolutely enjoy the power the car outs out, and the interior cannot be beat. Overall, the grand prix GTP is an outstanding vehicle and my next purchase coming up in about 6 months will be another GTP as well.

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  another pontiac failure - 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
  By phxSuns - March 17 - 10:00 am

  I bought a used 99 sunfire pontiac, expecting to get a great american vehicle. I have had major problems with the accessories, whereas the machine and the transmission are great. Mostly I expected a better Fuel Economy, and a better heat endurance from the vehicle. This car made me think of an european vehicle for next purchase.

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  Bobs Azzy - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By fsop2-8 - March 17 - 10:00 am

  Fun Car to drive. Great storage. Supper Handling!!! Drives more like a sports car than an SUV

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  Good Car - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By spd98 - March 17 - 10:00 am

  I have loved this car although it was abused before I took ownership. With a little bit of work it turned out to be a great car. I am trading it in on a slightly newer GTP model.

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  I Love My Vibe - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Animale - March 17 - 10:00 am

  All I can say about my Vibe is WOW. The car ride is solid,verry quite for the most part. The gas usage is great. The colors offered is out of site its hard to choose. The interior options is great, with all the options that is offered their is nothing to want for. I get a new auto about every 18 month and I can honestly say that, I will mostly likely get another vibe,this is one on the nisest car I have ever owned.

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  Very Great Car - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By Matt - March 17 - 12:53 am

  This car is great. I had a Saturn and this car is great. The design of the car is really a car that GM seems to have done right. I think that the one thing that needs to change is that keyless Remote need to come on the value package. But all in all fun to drive and looks great