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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  A Review - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By GT Owner - April 16 - 2:30 am

  Has proved to be reliable and comfortable transportation but not the "fun to drive" vehicle I was lead to believe it would be by several automotive reviews.

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  Road Trip Okla. to Calif.Wyo.& Back - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By Keith Cole - April 15 - 11:20 pm

  This vehicle was loaded w/4passangers a top carrier w/luggage fought lots of wind maintained better than 29 mpg.great little Vehicle.

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  Zippy econo X-ovr - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By kent - April 13 - 2:56 am

  Very zippy smooth-good bang for the buck, handles like a sports car. Utility of this car is very good. Mileage is on par for 1.8 toyota engine. Nice fit and finish. Premium sound system. Sounds sporty, I like driving very much with auto trans-not a dog.

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  Ecotec Terrific - 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Frank1946 - April 9 - 4:20 am

  Every option available in 2002 makes this car a fun and satisfying sedan, engine and 4 speed auto trans are simply the best, 2.2 Ecotec runs excellent and shifts very well. Wanted to buy a 2003 or 2004 but sedan was canceled by GM.

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  2007 Pont g6 gtp - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By occupational_hazard - April 4 - 6:06 am

  Picked out the GTP on test drive. Nice handling car. Kinda cramped for a tall person. Im 64" and can drive in it somewhat comfortably. Headlights maybe need a little more power or maybe adjusted to cover more range. Moonroof and Monsoon radio were nice add-ons.

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  Luv the Aztek - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By Pami1968 - April 3 - 2:00 am

  The moment I hopped in the car for the test drive, I knew it was mine. I feel such joy driving it. Drives smooth - the V6 engine has lots of pick up. Never had a thing go wrong with the car in two years. Yeah, some people think it looks weird, but once you drive it, you will be a convert!

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  i have a sunfire 97 - 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
  By davidjr - April 3 - 2:00 am

  this david and i have a 97 pontiac sunfire and it is a 1997 and i have thought that the brakes wear to tight but i was not sure becuse i had just put some on and i feel it did not do no good becuse before i got the good brakes when i hit thge breakes before i had felt a shaking sound and i had them changed but i still feel the same thing after about 2 weeks let me know what you think and also i have when i hold the brake and turn the wheel in side of the car is hard to steer

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  After 8 years of ownership... - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Dyzzispell - April 3 - 2:00 am

  The way I rated the car was based on where it stands now after 8 years. It was very reliable for me overall, but now the mechanical problems showing up are hard to diagnose and treat. Also, dash lights began burning out after about 5 years.

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  Satisfying Formula - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By SilverBullit - April 3 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Formula new when I was only twenty five years old. I was completely impressed then and continue to be to this day. The car has been extremely fun to drive. It was reasonably priced at the time of purchase. I still consider it a great performance bargain. I have been very satisfied with the car. It has been very reliable over the years. Maintenance costs have been very low. The only problem I had was a faulty headlight motor, but that was replaced under warranty and has been problem free since. The car is very durable and reliable. This car is a great buy for the money and has a fun factor of nine out of ten. I love it.

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  New Owner - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By GR - April 1 - 6:13 pm

  I recently bought this car and it was exceptionally well kept cosmetically and poorly kept mechanically. I spent some time and money bringing it back from the dead, but it was well worth it. I now have a very sexy car that is both fun and easy to drive. The car handles very well, but the 160 HP 3.4 liter engine leaves the car notably underpowered, thought the 5-speed helps to make up for that a bit. The interior is well laid out and comfortable, though getting in and out can be a little awkward with the low profile. Exterior design flows nicely and really looks fast. All said; I really like it overall, but recommend the Formula if you want some power to go with the looks.