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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  Grand Prix GT Coupe - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Sweets629 - September 3 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my Grand Prix GT Coupe a few months before I got my lisence. The first time I drove this car I knew I had to have it. Not only is it unbelieveably fun to drive, but extremely reliable. I am so happy that my parents chose Pontiac as my first car.

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  One Class Ride - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By ban217 - September 3 - 10:00 am

  An exceptional value. This car offers a cadillac ride with stabillitrac, fine response, sleek styling, and all at an attractive price. The interior is impressive in terms of design, comfort, and audio Monsoon stereo. The leather seating is very nice. I highly recommend the car.

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  Great 2005 G6 Pontiac - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By E.M. - September 3 - 10:00 am

  Great on the super highways, I was pleasantly surprised how well it handled at high speeds..Even with the smaller 6 cyl engine it had plenty of muscle for passing or merging...With the seating adjustments and steering wheel option positions it was no problem getting a comfortable and safe position for the longer trips...

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  GTP Rating - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By dr560 - September 3 - 9:26 am

  This car is fun to drive, but it has been a nightmare to maintain. We have kept up the maintnance, but it is just a break-down looking for a place to happen. We dont beat it. Security system died. Alternator left us stranded. Front headlamps fell out (X2) Rattles and squeaks (dealership could not fix). Valve cover gaskets (X3) Sunroof died at 6 years ($1,500+ to repair) Window actuator died Spider-web hood paint Shifter wore out at 6 years The car only has 85,000 on it and most of these items took place in the 55,000 range. The car is truly fun to drive, but it just has not been of the quality we expected, nor does it compare to other vehicles weve owned.

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  Pontaic 2002 Aztek - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By Bingo sun - September 3 - 2:00 am

  I love it. It has some "fun" styling which tends to scare most people from it. But after they got rid of the plastic cladding, this thing is a dream. I would recommend a 2002 Aztek to anyone who want a 4x4 to off-road.

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  1995 Trans Am - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By wager03 - September 2 - 2:00 am

  This car is wonderful. It has everything you could want in a sports car. A big engine, great exterior looks, an old school exhaust tone. I have had this car since 2005 and havent had any problems with it besides a speed sensor going out, and a minor oil leak due to the fact that the previous owner didnt tighten the oil pan enough. With improvements has only come better fuel mileage and more horsepower. The car handles extremely well even at high speeds giving a feeling of complete control to the driver. The 5.7 liter LT1 while underpowered if stock, has a lot of potential. It is a hard car to find parts for though, and because the engine area is so crowded it can be a hard car to work on

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  Blower Failures - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By Ombray - September 2 - 2:00 am

  Our heater blowers keep failing. we are about to get our 6th. We dont use it much in summer and dont run it on hi very often. anyone else heard about this?

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  New Pontiac Owner, formerly Chrysler - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By Anita - September 1 - 11:06 am

  I never thought of owning anything but top of the line Chrysler, my previous vehicle being a 1996 LHS, leather interior, etc. However, I had sore knees from them being against the dash all the time because I am so short. I love how the pedals and the steering wheel come to me on the Pontiac G6 and I can now drive in complete comfort with my legs and arms outstretched. I love the way it handles and its sporty look. After 20 years with the Chrysler dealership out of town, I am now converted to a dealer in my own town who showed me this great little GT and let me drive it - well, one like it. Loved it so much, had the dealer trade for one in a neighboring town (they had none left).

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  04 Goat - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Goat - September 1 - 10:00 am

  Great car to own. Gear shift is not as smooth as the Vette or other sports cars, but is still good. Handles well on dry pavement, but gets loose easy. Not good in areas with snow. It is great quick and is truly a sleeper. Most people dont notice the car until they hear the rumble. This a great car for a mature adult. DO NOT BUY FOR ANYONE THAT IS NOT MATURE. Performance, as stated before, is unbelievable. This car rates well in its class, but dont think it is as fast as Vette or Viper. It can be modified to push 600 hp for $6000 at some custom shops. Thank you for your time.

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  My Pontiac Grand Prix GT in less than a year... - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By mohammadshakhtra@yahoo.com - August 31 - 4:27 pm

  This car is great dont get me wrong, I was just unlucky and bought a "lemon" I shouldve seen this coming as I did buy the car for only $2,000. When I bought mine I was led to believe it was in almost perfect condition. All I knew was that is had a bumper crack and that was all. But two weeks after owning it the battery went dead on me and that led to all my problems. Now here I am 10 months later and almost $2,000 into the car. And now I have to get rid of the car as now the transmission has gone out on me and I do not honestly feel like putting more money into it. I love this car so much dont get me wrong. I love the look and the speed from the supercharger. But I cant keep dumping money into it. I just thought Id share my story and to tell people dont shy away from this car! Just be careful when buying.