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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  Our Aztek - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By j321979 - February 11 - 10:00 am

  We love our 2002 Pontiac Aztek. Love the preformance and versatility of our vehicle. Had a playstation 2 put in. Highly recommended!! Great vehicle for those who want a SUV for the price of a mid-size car!!!! The rear seats are great!!!

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  Aztec - Like It - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By Tough Customer - February 11 - 10:00 am

  In some ways we just love it. Great road trip car - storage, decent hwy mileage, sit up high, corners pretty well. Looks cool inside and out. Can carry lots of stuff but its not a minivan or just another SUV.

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  My 1996 Grand AM GT - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By BLHall - February 11 - 10:00 am

  No major problems. Great Car!

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  Value - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Richard Papp - February 11 - 10:00 am

  Only owned this vehicle for a cople of months, but enjoying it tremendously. I have owned almost every model of Pontiac over the years, and this one rate high. For what I paid (under 12K$), this is more car than any other brand out there. Performance and driveability are exceptonal for this class. I dont know how EPA mileage ratings can be so low-I routinely get 7.6L/100 KM in the city and have never used more than 8.8L/100. Highway drops to 6.6L/100KM or better. There is no comparable value on the market.

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  Vibe - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By uskiwi - February 11 - 10:00 am

  The Vibe is great to drive. When I dorve to Canada, I got 36 mph gallon which I thought was terrific.

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  vibe GT black - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By blujkts - February 11 - 10:00 am

  Fun, practicle and still a lil sexy for a semi-grocery wagon.

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  Problem Car - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By suzid - February 11 - 10:00 am

  The car has been in the shop every month for the last six months for something different every time. And it was in the shop at least every three months before that, once the warranty ran out.

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  Power for cheap, crap reliability - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Neil - February 9 - 8:33 pm

  When I purchased this car in 03 with 40,000 miles on it, it was about 5 years old. Being a GM car, I expected it to run into some nickel-and-dime type problems, but got more than I bargained for. I was told that the 3800II engine was ultra-reliable, but came to learn that from 97-99 roughly, the plastic intake manifold was suspect to cracking and coolant leaks, leading to VERY expensive repairs. Read below for specific problems/etc.

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  Harley Davidson Of Automobiles - 2000 Pontiac Firebird
  By CHIEF TA - February 9 - 2:00 am

  Thundering exhaust, tire smoking torque, sexy curves - all with 26 MPG on the highway! Too bad everyones so hooked on the boxy dullness of SUVs that theyve allowed these cars to die.

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  The problems are just starting - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Lori Roberts - February 9 - 2:00 am

  I just reached the 38000 mark and am replacing the window regulator ($300). I have filled my coolant twice in the last 3 months. My brakes make this noise that cant be fixed (a rubbing like noise). I have thoroughly enjoyed my car up until this point. After looking through these reviews and the similar problems Im thinking about getting rid of it now.