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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  Too many issues - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By H.Lapham - March 22 - 12:56 am

  I have had too many problems with this car. Shortage with the turn signals was the only recall on this that I got when there should have been plenty more recalls on it. The seat belts locking up(when they shouldnt),left high beem does not work now has a short in it, all my gauges on the dash board dont work, my drivers side window has a short in it and my locks have messed up on it before. I feel sorry for anyone who has bought this hunk of junk.

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  Wont get fooled again - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By mv - March 9 - 10:00 am

  Bought my 1999 Montana new in 99 and since then have had to repair/replace the entertainment system , power door , and transmission and the vehicle doesnt have 45000 miles on it. Was hoping to drive it into the ground (10 years or more) but I dont believe gm builds anything of that quality any more. My previous vehicle (a new 94 gmc jimmy) had an engine which seized at 60k under warranty but the dealer couldnt fix the engine properly and I had to dump that gm headache too. Until gm starts building with a little quality in mind I wouldnt consider their products . If you want a minivan spend a few $ more and buy a Honda like Im going to have to .

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  Not worth your money - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By fla2000 - March 6 - 10:00 am

  Save your money, do not bother with a Grand Am. I have had numerous problems with mine, some within the first year. Original battery cracked open and acid leaked out (within first year), blinker went out after a few minutes of driving each time (1st year), oil leak, coolant leak, replaced factory radio, etc. Need I say more? Also, beware that youll need the "ultra high performance" type of tires, so when you go to replace them it costs a fortune.

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  Something EVERYONE should read b4 buying - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By BridgetJ - February 14 - 10:00 am

  To make a salty story saltier, I bought the car on 07/02/03 it is now 09/20/03 and I have spent over $1500 in repairs. The car had one owner, so I paid cash thinking I was getting a deal. WRONG. I had to have my freon replaced, and it holds 2.5 lbs so that was the least of my worries. The blower resistor failed, coolant leaks, all kinds of noises caused by front and rear suspension, gas tank reading isnt totally correct. Ive also had to have the spark plug wires and spark plugs replaced, normal maint... yeah, BUT found out the wires were bad to begin with.

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  Disappointed - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By clatimri - January 27 - 4:30 am

  I really thought this would be a great family vehicle. I bought it used with only 9000 miles on it.The front end needed many things replaced. The ride....very rough in the driver seat. Rode in the back with children, it was the most uncomfortable seat I ever sat in. The bucket seats..cheap..material leaves terrible ring stains from even water....those seats were uncomfortable too. The rode noise was horrible. We always had to turn radio up or dvd player up louder to hear it. I have always been a dedicated gm buyer..........no more pontiac vehicles for me.

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  Boo hoo - 2001 Pontiac Montana
  By bonnie - January 25 - 6:10 pm

  Seems like everything that could go wrong has, trouble with wipers, front and back, air conditioning, brake valve, air cond, again., plastic bearing, and they now say I need to replace head gasket still I am paying on the bank loan for another year and a half, not sure if I want to risk not fixing the van because I do not have the money, or chancing I might be able to hold out until it, s paid for

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  Not a top choice - 1998 Pontiac Grand AM
  By 95Light - January 9 - 10:00 am

  I am still looking for the excitement that Pontiac talks so much about. The seats are awful and with the SE you are surrounded by hard plastic which doesnt aid in comfort. The engine (4 cyl type) does well and so do the brakes but the chassis lets these down. The transmission broke at 75K miles and the altenator died 1K miles after. All in all I should have bought the Honda or Toyota for a little more money. Very plain car.

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  GM - NEVER AGAIN! - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Patio - January 9 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is not designed for longevity. At 37,000 miles the transmission need to be replace. It consistently experienced electric problem with interior swutches and exterior lighting. The water pump failed and finally the head gasket went resulting w/ water in the oil.

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  CHRISTINE - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By cooper3517 - December 21 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle seems to have a mind of its own. The radio changes channels by itself. The vehicle shuts off when sitting at a light. The hatch will not open with the remote unless you pull up on the hatch with your hands. Not enough leg room in the back seat.

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  Hunk O Junk - 2007 Pontiac Torrent
  By Mike - December 19 - 8:20 pm

  Most unreliable vehicle I have ever seen! I have a rent-a-car for the 5th time in less than 2 months....all for the same problem. Talk about incompetent. The stabil-a-trac light comes on and I lose power almost causing accidents every time. I almost got rear-ended yesterday. Please do your homework beofre buying this vehicle. I think the mechanics that are working on it are borrowed from Toyota if you know what I mean. Thank God I leased this junk piece.