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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  4 Door Corvette - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By PFWiz - September 6 - 10:40 pm

  If you want a truly quick 4 door car with a nice size trunk and you know that rear wheel drive just doesnt cut it in the snow belt then the GXP may be the car you are looking for. Blazing fast (Car & Driver says 14.3 seconds in the quarter) with very good handling for a large front wheel driver. Yes, I know rear wheel drive is better for 10/10s driving, but be honest how often do you drive 10/10s? On the other hand I drive in the snow every winter and front wheel drive wins hands down there. The Heads Up Display is a hoot and watching it display direction to your destination from the nav system is extremely cool. Build quality pretty good, nice even gaps, no squeaks or rattles.

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  Best new sportscar in years - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By kramer - September 6 - 8:20 pm

  This is the very best new sportscar available in years! Surpasses all others for the money.

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  Love It! - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By vibe owner - September 6 - 7:20 pm

  My husband and I just got our 2009 Vibe GT and this car is so fun to drive! We have had the car for 6 days and I have put on 450 miles!

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  Love my new TOY!! - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Amanda - September 5 - 9:10 pm

  When youre a 25 year old female driving this car, you get a lot of looks! My husband and I have an El Camino and Camaro that we normally take to car shows, but after so many questions about my daily driver, we started taking the G8. The Stryker Blue paint job really sets it apart.

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  Two for two - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Paul - September 5 - 8:36 am

  After 4 problem-free years of driving a 1998 Sunfire ( bought used ), I purchased a 2005 4-door sedan in early 2005. Again, Ive enjoyed problem-free driving for the past two years. I noted several subtle improvements over my 98 model. Like many domestic products, I believe that the Sunfire has received an unfair rating from the so-called experts, who seem to be fixated on the supposed superiority of certain pet imports. The consistently very high ratings of Sunfire owners speak for themselves!

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  Winter Handling - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By irish - September 5 - 2:03 am

  I have a 2006 Pontiac Torrent and it is absolutely the worst handling car I have ever driven in the snow. The traction control light goes on but doesnt seem to help at all. Starting,stopping, and cornering are all bad. Any faster than 3 - 5 mph around a corner, and it will spin. Much worse than my S-10.

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  Great Car for the Price - 2007 Pontiac Vibe
  By Linda Goodrich - September 4 - 8:10 pm

  Ive wanted a Vibe ever since driving one through a rental agency a few years back. I am so pleased with this car. Its fun to drive and gets good gas mileage. Ive been driving it for nearly a year and couldnt be happier.

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  Beware of Pontiacs - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Ashley - September 4 - 9:06 am

  Do not buy a Pontiac, especially from this dealer (Capitol Buick Pontiac GMC in Baton Rouge)! I have only had the car for six months, and it has been in the shop over six times for the same things (broken speaker, leak in the sunroof). I traded in a 97 Nissan Sentra that had only been in the shop for repairs twice in its entire life!!! The dealership keeps on giving me the run around about the repairs. I wonder how many of the dealers have free leaks! They even made the mistake of telling me that there are several G6s that are being brought back because of the same problem!

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  A Thank You to GMC - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By john v. diaz - September 3 - 10:00 am

  With just under 100k miles and 7 years of service,the only major repair to this vehicle has been a front wheel speed sensor with a cost of approximately $500 cost. Normal repairs has been, tires, battery, and serpentine belt. Its a shame that more buyers werent drawn to purchase this fine vehicle, since 2002 is its last year due to poor sales. But recommend that any people interested in a sports vehicle of this type check out any replacement that GM may offer in the near future.

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  Special Edition TA - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By TxTA - September 3 - 10:00 am

  An awesome and rare bird- the 99 special edition convertible is wonderful- 20mpg & awesome power, with excellent reliabilty thus far!