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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  Wasnt my first choice - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Rod - October 17 - 5:36 pm

  Needed a car, needed a deal, Gm announced they were giving an $4000. rebate on the car. This car was not on my radar as I looked at Civics, Scions and others.... So far I am very pleased with the engine, it takes the mountains with ease and the mileage is very good. The seats are horrible. fit and finish is fair... Room inside is poor. Handling is very good and is fun to drive. Styling still sets it apart. Resale is horrible... Overall its a terrible buy as a new car but a steal as a used car....

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  Dont waste your money - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By ptg - October 17 - 3:13 pm

  I bought this car with high hopes getting out of a high price for repair VW. Well good thing this car came with a great warranty because I used it 4 times already. My clutch had a manufacturing defect which made it pop off the plate twice leaving me stranded. So they put in a new clutch plate. Then my rotors went at 9000 miles and had to be resurfaced, which they called normal. Ive had cars go 30k and not need that. This car just feels poorly made overall. Its peppy for a 4 banger but the handling is too loose and the transmission shifts awkwardly rough compared to my old cars. I really wouldnt waste your money. Ill definitely never buy another Pontiac again.

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  AZTEK - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By Firsttime user - October 16 - 10:00 am

  Best part of the vehicle is the gas mileage with over 10,000 miles on the car we are averaging over 27 miles per gallon which includes city as well as highway driving. Really handles well and is comfortable.

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  Pleased with my Montana - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By Carol Kincaid - October 16 - 10:00 am

  No problem with my Montana. Of course, we always have had the regular maintenance performed and that is the only thing it has required.

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  A pleasure to own - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By michael A DeLisio - October 16 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my Bonneville in Oct. 01 and have had no problems with .It has plenty of power and good fuel milage .the ride is comfortable and the interior is pretty quiet.

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  Nice Car that is no longer built. - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By SILVER07 - October 16 - 12:53 am

  I had an 02 Volvo S60 prior to this car. I liked it overall, however it was to the repair point ($2100 was a bit much) so I had to make a decision to keep or trade off. So I thought about what kind of car I would like to replace it with. Knowing the reliability of the GMs powerhouse 3.8 a.k.a 3800 v-6, I wanted a car with that particular engine. The Grand Prix and I think the Buick Lacross was the last of the 3.8. Well being in my 20s I didnt want the Buick, so I did a search on Cars.com website and found a loaded up Grand Prix. I tried the G6 and didnt like it, so I bought the GP as it is larger. It has been good so far. Love the purr of the 3800! Hope it goes to 200,000 miles!

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  99 Grand Am... love it, and hate it. - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By maryjane0909 - October 15 - 2:23 pm

  The car looks fantastic. Drives great, and its fast...its gotten me a ticket or two. i fell in love with it until about a month after i had it. it hit 100,000 miles about a month ago. it over heats, leaks coolant,and has a security light problem. Often, it only starts when it feels like it. I get stranded on a weekly basis. Also, when the car gets hot, it goes haywire; i lose power steering, i cant accelerate the car, and although the car is still on, it appears to shut down completley....while im still driving it!

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  cool - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By denver jessie - October 15 - 2:38 am

  really like

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  Not Happy - 2009 Pontiac G6
  By Kim - October 14 - 12:33 pm

  I bought my new car on October 3rd and it has 53 miles on it and it broke down on me on October 4th. It was the fuel pump. I am very upset that a brand new car broke down the 2nd day I had it.

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  Fun little sports car!! - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Brandon - October 12 - 2:36 pm

  I love my grand am, but have had some problems with it. The window motors absolutely suck. I have had to replace both sides twice. The mirrors are also pretty flimsy. One of them broke off while getting a car wash. Otherwise i love driving it. It has a decent sound system and is very reliable.