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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  GM ... Never again - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Pedro Mendes - September 28 - 10:56 pm

  Ive had my car for three years. While I love the look and style of the car, Im extremely disapointed in the quality. So far Ive replaced or repaired the following : Jan 06 - New Struts R&L Apr 06 - New hubs & alignment Jul 06 - Rattle in head liner Oct 06 - Machined rotors Nov 06 - Water in head light Jan 07 - Replaced handle on seat and repaired rattle in trunk May 07 - New transmission (6 spd) Jun 07 - New front brakes (After market) Oct 07 - New steering colunm and inserted foam behind surge tank. Jan 08 - New windshield wiper motor Aug 08 - New driver side window switch Sep 08 - Transmission mount replaced (broken) Jan 09 - New bearing in clutch Warrenty ... pheww

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  98 Trans Am M6 - 1998 Pontiac Firebird
  By Jon - September 27 - 10:20 am

  Everything youd want out of an American muscle car. The in-your-face styling, the mean exhaust note, and enough torque to peel the pavement up. This car is so much fun to drive although I wouldnt recommend driving in the wet/snow often cause you will spin the tires constantly. This is a great car to pick up if you love American performance. Get on with the potent LS1, slap on an exhaust, intake, pulley, and cam along with a few suspension mods and you will never want to stop driving.

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  Braking down slowly - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Kaitlin - September 27 - 6:43 am

  I have a 1999 Pontaic Grand am se. I got the car with 50,000miles on it. It now has 117,000 Still run Like the day I got it. But it 11 yrs old And it satring to show it age. Bothe head gasket were replace, Wheelbearing, And now its been stalling out and having problem with the fuel lines. Over all I think GM made a mistake in stopping the make of this car and Pontaic...

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  Hot ride - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By J. Holliday - September 27 - 3:03 am

  I’m the original owner and I now have 7 years and 95k on my GP. I disagree with others’ statements that this car has a poor build quality. My problems have been few and far between: all electronics are fully functional, haven’t had to replace window motors, no problems with AC, leather seats in great condition, transmission shifts seamlessly, no squeaks or squeals or other undesirable noises, no badges or moldings have ever fallen off, 54k out of first set of tires, still have original brakes (unbelievable), no engine troubles or bad oxygen sensors, sound system better than the premium system in my Dad’s Lexus, my brother’s 2000 Accord has had far more problems. Acceleration as good as new

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  BULLET PROOF - 2001 Pontiac Firebird
  By THE FURY - September 26 - 7:06 am

  YOU KNOW,I HAVE TO SIDE WITH THE OTHER FORTUNATE OWNERS OF THE UNTOUCHABLE WS6. WHEN COMES TO THE REMARKS THAT YOU EDITOR PEOPLE ARE MAKING ABOUT CHEAP THIS AND POOR THAT, IT MAKES ME WONDER AS WELL ARE YOU SURE YOU WERE TESTING A TRANS AM OR WAS IT A 1980S TURBO SUNBIRD. THE ENGINE IS IN A CLASS BY ITSELF, AND THE BRAKES.....LETS JUST SAY I WASNT THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION STOPPING FROM 90MPH AGAINST THE SO CALLED "ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE" (540i) TO BE EXACT!!!!

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  what I think of my Pontiac Montana - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By Harold Bryant - September 25 - 7:46 pm

  I bought the vehicle new. It has 51000 miles on it. Tires are about a year old. Im 76 years old and am wanting a new one like it. It has an extended warranty good until august of this year.

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  Fun & economy! - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By happytoes - September 25 - 1:50 pm

  I am loving my 2008 Pontiac G6 convertible with greater mileage than I expected (32 MPG hwy/22 city). Just so fun to drive, & observe the admiring glances at the car. The acceleration, relative quiet of ride, on-command manual transmission, sound system, fit & finish are up to the most finicky standards, for the price range. Such a great value..I am very happy with this car (former Buick LaCrosse CXL owner)

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  Vibe Baby Vibe! - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By Nate - September 24 - 12:00 pm

  This car has mojo It has both fit and function. Best of all, Im getting no less than 29 mpg highway with a full load and AC running out of a 2.4 L 5 speed automatic. I give it a 10 for the price.

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  A winner - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By Bill - September 23 - 2:20 pm

  We purchased the Vibe after much research, to replace our 2000 Impala. The Vibe has great interior room. Functional and fun to drive. The 2.4 motor has enough pickup when merging into traffic. It looks good too!

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  Fun to drive and comfortable - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By Gene Pafford - September 22 - 2:00 am

  I wanted a SUV that was easy to get in and out of, Also wanted good milage and I have have both. Very comfortable and I am getting 22 mpg mix of in town and hiway.