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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  The Worst Car Ever! - 1998 Pontiac Grand AM
  By GrandAmSux! - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I have nothing but problems since I have owned this car. Nothing too major but some quality issues. Drivers windows will roll down but not up, sunroof motor went bad, the brakes on this car are terrible! I will be driving down the road and it will just quit, like it is out of gas. Cannot find the problem. This will be the last domestic manufactured car I will buy. Also own a 97 Honda CRV and at 75,000 miles it drives and runs like a new car. The pontiac was worn out before 50,000!!

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  I love/hate my car - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By My Vibe - November 14 - 11:06 pm

  I love my vibe, love everything about it but recently my car was making noises and when I took it in for its regular maintenance I was informed that the whole motor needed to be replaced, I maintenance this car every 3 months. The valves, timing belt tensioner, and the rod and barrings all needed to be replaced (so the whole motor). Everyone wants $4500.00 up to $6000.00 to replace this Toyota motor. I am highly upset with Pontiac about my car. Because I love everything about my car and now I have these problems, the car has now 92k miles and I till owe $6k on the car. So I am out of a car and have to pay back $6k to the bank! I have 2 kids that I travel wi

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  Nice vehicle - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By Joanne - November 14 - 1:03 am

  I really enjoy this car. I sit up high and it does what I want it to do at about half the price of other similar SUVs. I think its a shame Pontiac stopped production of this model.

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  New Goat - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By 50+ CPA - November 13 - 10:00 am

  This is a true throw back to the muscle car era. It both sounds and performs better then my 426 hemi, 440 Plymouth GTX, and firebird trans Am that owned in prior years. Being in my fifties, I must say that the seat is extremely comfortable and after exiting the car my back feels great. This adds to the overall driving experience.

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  More than satisfied - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By medic337 - November 13 - 10:00 am

  4 adults with luggage for 2 wks took our Vibe to Maine, a 2500 mile trip. Performance was beyond expectations. Average mileage 38 miles/gal. Comfortable ride. Plenty of leg room for all, even my 62" grandson. Great handling. I love this car. Would recommend one to anyone.

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  Fantastic Crossover Vehicle - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By joecocker - November 13 - 10:00 am

  We liked this vehicle so much we bought two(his and hers). The warranty, dealership and auto are a remarkable trio. As you can tell our family is very pleased with the Vibe

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  Practical with a flair - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By JimmyM - November 13 - 10:00 am

  After 28,000 miles its still a tight machine. No problems with engine or drive train. With flat bed in back can carry lots of stuff, yet with seats up is comfortable. Im hard on brakes but havent had to replace them yet. Good styling for a small vehicle.

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  Worth It! - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By kgannon - November 13 - 10:00 am

  Our family of 4 downsized from a caravan to the vibe. We LOVE it; there is plenty of room for all of us, our dog and whatever else we decide to take along. The car gets great gas mileage and handles well.

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  well put together - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By danr - November 13 - 10:00 am

  the vibe has a high quality feel and look to it. the drivetrain is peppy, the auto transmission is very smooth shifting. handling is tight and the ride smooth and controlled. fuel economy is excellent. i expect reliability to be good considering its toyota heritage. lots of positive comments on its styling.

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  the silver bullet - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By BLG - November 13 - 10:00 am

  it has taken some getting used to b/c im used to driving a honda. but, it will be great until i can get out of school. very stylish car.