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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  Have had one month and 3rd review - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Rod - October 28 - 10:26 am

  It has been a month since I bought my G8 GT. I thought right after I bought it, "Gas prices are going out of site, what did I do?" The answer after thinking about it and a month with the G8, I dont need steak every night, hot chili and hot dogs are just fine. The fun of driving a real car that has great performance, is more fun at age 61 than a Japanese car that gets 30+ mpg. The fact that what ever situation I get in I can get out of. Can a Honda Civic that is stock accelerate out of a situation? Hell no. Or stop as fast as the G8. There is more to a car than gas mileage. Ability to handle any situation with power brakes or acceleration can save your life.

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  Stuff that shouldnt break does - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By D Hyde - October 26 - 4:10 pm

  This car is poorly built. The drivetrain so far (50K miles) is fine, but just about everything else has been a disaster. After just a year, both power window motors broke, which cost >$800 to fix. The original brake shoes wore out after only 10K miles, yet the 2nd pair is still fine after 40K. On the roof the clear coat is bubbling and peeling, which started when the car was only 4 years old. The radio sometimes does not turn on when the car does. The whole body is tweaked, so sometimes the doors wont close. Several wheels and the back axle are bent. The suspension is way too soft so the weight distribution is impossible to manage, causing poor handling. Mine doesnt have anti-lock brakes..

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  Best GM car I ever owned - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Jon - October 25 - 5:53 pm

  Love this car, bought it new and have 70k miles. I live in the country with dirt and rocky roads. Has decent ground clearance for a care that is pretty sporty. For a performance car it gets between 24 and 26 MPG depending on how heavy my foot is. Torque steer is a little much when you put your foot into it(I know this is a problem with front wheel drive cars). Have had very few problems.

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  MY G6 - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By JUDI PAYTON - October 24 - 7:36 pm

  I love the styling of this vehicle. It has good crisp lines and the color i bought, stealth gray, is easy to keep clean and looking great. Driving in the colorado mountains has been a delight with this vehicle. It climbs right up the mountain for me. Being a short legged person, i especially like the controls that bring the brake and gas pedal up to me rather than having to sit on top of the steering wheel to drive. Overall, i am very pleased with the vehicle.

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  Love it - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By scott - October 24 - 4:03 pm

  I have put 21,000 miles on my car and consistently get around 30 MPG. 80 highway 20 city. I have read the reviews and all the people complaining about radio, seats and engine performance, and other stuff. Let me tell them and you, do not go cheap, get the GT loaded up. The only option I did not get is the automatic. I did not want it. This little car handles just fine in the snow too. Traction control is very helpful. I have had no trouble with it so far. (8 months) If you are thinking of buying one, do not hesitate. Just go buy one.

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  amazing quality - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Micha - October 24 - 2:03 pm

  This is my second Pontiac Grand Am and I love it. It does not give you an iffy feeling on driving distances, it is very reliable, little maintainance needed. I would recommend this kind of car to anyone at any time.

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  Not enough Power - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By Ballsaga - October 24 - 10:00 am

  i have found the firbird to be a dissapointment, if you are looking for something that goes, buy a trans-am, pay the extra money, i wish i did.

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  The Ultimate Sleeper - 2000 Pontiac Firebird
  By Richy Rich - October 24 - 10:00 am

  If you ever pull up beside a quiet sounding Formula Firebird, dont test it. This is the fastest car Ive ever drove. And most the people I show it to assume its a 6 cyl. because of the stock exhaust. The Firebirds are some of the best looking cars on the market, and the 350V8 Really backs its up.

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  Uncomfortable seats, but good car - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By J Rex - October 24 - 10:00 am

  I didnt do enough research and Im regretting it. It’s a good car, but when commuting two hours/day, some things I don’t like. The seats are uncomfortable in shoulder width. I don’t have wide shoulders, but only one fits in the center part of the seat. The other is on the bolsters. Wearing down the cushion may help. I’m too high. Can’t believe that seat doesnt go lower. When I put the visor down, it blocks my view. I’m 56" Getting in/out is more difficult than in my Civic. The steering wheel gets in the way. Great power. HVAC good, but back window fogs. Back window is difficult to see out of when raining.

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  So far so good - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By RAC - October 24 - 10:00 am

  So far I dont have any complaints with the vehicle, but I would have enjoyed it more if it were rear wheel drive. The GTP has more power than a front wheel drive vehicle can handle. That said, this car is still fun to drive. The gas pedal response is great. I get a lot of compliments about the style both inside and out. I wanted a Infinity G35, but now I have a new car and money to finish my basement. I did take a little hit in performance, but not a whole room full of furniture worth. I saved over $10,000 by my decision.