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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  Pontiac has a viable Competitor - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By George - March 6 - 12:30 am

  I had the the G6 GTP for two months and its been fun. Have been a big Pontiac owner for two previous vehicles (98 Bonneville and 02 Montana) and have seen a noticeable improvement in overall quality. Fit and finish are excellent. GTP has plenty of HP for the road warrior. The layout of the dashboard and controls are perfect, although I would have preferred to have the information center in the instrument cluster rather than on the radio display. The adjustable pedals are nice so that my wife doesnt need to change the seat position. I have also notice that the headlights, although bright, dont seem to project as far. Im still waiting to see how it handles in the snow.

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  95,000 miles in first 2 years - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By 2001 Aztek Owner - March 4 - 10:03 pm

  This car has been a pleasure to drive. I love the HUD, the rear stereo controls. The vehicle is very responsive and has pretty good zip. Had 2 irritating problems in first year. A/C compressor went out and due to the miles I was putting on at the time my warranty was out and Pontiac refused to take care of the problem. Also, some kind of sensor for the fuel pump went out and again Pontiac would not help. This is a great handling SUV/SRV and it is a shame it has not taken off. If not for the extremely poor resale value I would consider buying another.

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  I Love My Torrent - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By kim - March 4 - 2:00 am

  At first, I was not looking to buy another vehicle. One of my best friends sell cars and I went to see her and I saw the Torrent on the showroom floor. Originally, I was looking at the Envoy but I felt it was a little big. The Torrent really caught my eye and I fell in love with it when I saw it. I knew I had to drive it off the lot and thats just what I did. I took the one off the showroom floor. It rides very good and easy to see over the wheel. The sound system is great.

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  New model, great experience - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Melroy Horn - March 3 - 8:53 pm

  This is a new mid size line that we found to be excellent for driving in the city and on freeways. There is more than adequate room and comfort for each passenger and everything for the individual driver is adjustable for his/her comfort, ability to see speedometer and gauges, and pedal reach. Very economical to drive with the assistance of a drivers information center, we are getting 24mpg in city conditions. It handles very well on any road condition we have experienced to date. This car is very well designed and there is no loss of head room in the back seat with the normal sun roof. We are very pleased with the G6 GT.

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  Gets the job done! - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By th3fr4nchi5e - March 3 - 4:31 am

  Bought my Vibe for $200 as a Winter beater about 2 years ago from a gentleman who definitely did not car for the car. A $50 flywheel, $300 in winter tires and alot of TLC and it was back in action. Car has ran great since and is a blast to drive. Not fast by any means but the little 4 banger screams up top and handles pretty well. Its excellent in the snow on fresh winter tires and so easy to play around in without losing control. Got the car with 91k miles, now is nearing 110k. Just the initial stuff and regular maintenance and not other expenses yet! (knock on wood) Gets around 30 mpg on the highway and low-mid 20s in the city. If you need a fun point A to point B car, buy a Vibe!

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  The first 5 years were great, now its falling apart! - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By charlesp2009 - March 2 - 2:31 am

  I have had my 2005 Pontiac G6 GT for more than 5 years now and while I loved the car at first, the last year has been less than ideal. Once the odometer passed 80,000 miles, several expensive repairs popped up, and the future doesnt look bright. Searching the web reveals that I am far from alone with these problems; and GMs recent history from the bailout to Pontiacs untimely demise makes it all the more frustrating. While its a nice looking car, and fairly fun to drive, the reliability seems like it will be a serious issue as the car ages, and there are safer, better performing, and more reliable options from the Germans and Japanese...

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  2005 Vibe - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By lauraandval - March 1 - 7:03 pm

  Bought this a year ago for gas mileage. I am a mom with two small children and a husband that stands 64", and we go everywhere together in this. Very roomy. Husband can get in and out easily. Child seats fit. And I can fit $500 worth of groceries in cargo area. I drove a big SUV and loved it, but hated gas mileage. Now I save the SUV for vacations, and make my car payment with the money I save. I am a stay at home mom who is never at home. I put 30,000 miles on my Vibe last year, and I dont know how I would have been able to afford the gas if I was driving the SUV. We love this car.

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  Decent vehicle - 2004 Pontiac Montana
  By John Wiltfong Jr - March 1 - 5:43 pm

  Leased the van with 6 miles showing on the odometer and now currently have 46,500. On long trips, it is comfortable but lacks power when I am driving over the mountains into NC.

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  Reliable, a pleasure to drive - 2007 Pontiac Vibe
  By theswedish - February 28 - 1:43 pm

  The drive feels tight and controlled. The handling is superb, it loves a twisty road. The power is smooth and good on demand. It is a very easy car to drive. Radio a lot better than my new Civics.

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  Interesting thing, this Aztek - 2005 Pontiac Aztek
  By Bri - February 28 - 11:33 am

  A surprisingly practical car. Good cargo capability (but not minivan good), good gas mileage (much like a minivans), respectable performance (a lot like a minivan). But, my wife and I werent ready for the minivan niche. Certainly a love/hate appearance, but we have the "Rally" edition, which I think gives a more pleasing flavor to the underlying Aztek weirdness. A recent (May 2005) recall on the ignition system is a must-fix; we just started experiencing the effects (kind of ironic, in a way), which include vehicle stalling. In-laws have a Chevy Equinox, which I like better. However, the Aztek might have the price advantage given its impending discontinuation and overall poor sales.