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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  Wow - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By paul5671 - February 27 - 2:00 am

  A thrill to drive, excellent handling, smooth ride, comfortable. Poor fuel efficiency, but what do you expect? Small trunk, but not a high priority for this type of car. Exterior styling is a bit conservative but Im much more glad it is not overdone.

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  Good car, Resale Not Good - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By pontiacdude4 - February 27 - 1:25 am

  2007 with 85,000 with no problems, minor issues. The engine rattles with AC on, steering wheel issues under warranty, radio knobs wear off. But the interior, although plasticky, lasts and the seats covers are durable. Seats are tough, not very comfortable, exterior styling is great, interior pretty good, too. Automatic start is great. Mileage is good, I have the 4 cylinder and get 25 overall (22/29??). For a 4 cylinder its fast. Have XM Sirius which is awesome ($16/mo), I recommend it in any vehicle. Depreciation, though, is off the chart, I am very upside down. Best to buy this car used with 40-60,000 miles for like $7 grand.... Im selling mine, taking a hit, getting nervous bout miles.

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  Good car but room for improvement - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By 06G5GT - February 26 - 5:33 am

  My 1st car and just clicked over 13000k and so far the car has been good through the summer and very reliable in winnipegs -40 weather.Brakes rust really badly and look terrible behind the revealing rims.This car is tough to upgrade power wise without putting alot of money into it,it can handle bolt ons but anything more and you will need new injectors and a tune that will void your warrenty.Premium fuel is recommended and it shouldnt run without it if u want optimum performance, but with the price of gas its getting harder to afford the extra 10-15 cents per liter.Gas mileage is so so i get about 24mpg all city.Overall very good car in 5 speed very fun and i recommend it!

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  The Muscle Car Lives! But not after 2002 - 2002 Pontiac Firebird
  By Marcman - February 25 - 10:00 am

  An affordable Big Boys Toy for those that want to be a Rebel in an era of four bangers and dull styling.

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  Nice - 2007 Pontiac G5
  By CMG673 - February 24 - 11:46 pm

  This is the first new car that I have ever owned. I have the GT with premium package. It is fun to drive, and I have had no problems with it yet. I drive a long way to work, and this car is great on gas. If you are thinking about it, go test drive one and fall in love.

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  Loving My Liquid Red G8 GT! - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Mitch - February 24 - 3:56 am

  I bought this car after test driving a handful of cars. This one put all of them to shame, including a Camaro SS that I test drove! The interior is slick and once you get used to the climate and audio controls, its easy to get to the stuff you want. On the outside, the car looks absolutely fantastic. I love my 19" machined-face rims. I have gotten so many looks and so much attention from people! From stares on the street, to people staring at me from their cars, and even one guy pulling up next to me and honking at me to roll my window down so he could ask me about it! This baby hauls too! You will pay for all the fun with your gas, though. I dont know, I think its totally worth it!

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  Fun Car with a load of go - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By albertschmitz - February 22 - 10:00 am

  Great car so far. The only major item was the fuel pump that is inside of the tank however 400$ and 2 days later running fine again. It is nice to see that they put an access in the trunk so that the tank did not have to be removed from the car. That I am sure kept the $ down also. Car is a pleasure to drive for extended miles and the fuel economy on the road is in the 24-25 range and 19-20 around town type of driving. Good for the type of engine in it.

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  GT Grand Am 1999 - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By GTGrandam - February 22 - 10:00 am

  Bought when they first changed body style. Unibody construction is much better than the older type so much more solid built. Problem areas front brake rotars need turning if vibration. Have 43,000 miles and almost 5 years. Chg one battery, alternator, window washer pump and window regulator for elect windows Still Warranty. Owned various other Grand Ams this best except no V-8 like early 70s Most problems occured after mfg warranty so always purchase ext. warranty if plan to keep car longer than 3 years and 36,000 miles recomended.

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  Utilitarian yet sporty - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Phillip Fox - February 22 - 10:00 am

  I purchased the Vibe specifically for its versatility, but I also wanted to have a little fun driving it, so I went with the GT build. Ive yet to come across a home improvement project or purchase that I havent been able to haul home in the Vibe. Ive tiled my kitchen (6X4 sheets of backer board fit perfectly), relandscaped the yard, hauled home a dinette set (the rack on the top came in handy there) and a headboard. Then theres the sporty side - the car handles like a dream. It sits high enough to see over the other compact cars, yet theres almost no sway. The steering is extremely tight and the acceleration is just awesome.

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  Awesome Car - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By mrsfink - February 22 - 10:00 am

  Love this car! Style, speed and up-to- date features. Comfort is a big asset to this car. Luxury in a Pontiac is all I can say!