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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  3 years old & still fun to drive - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By T&J in FLA - June 18 - 10:00 am

  After 3 yrs and 45000 miles its still fun to drive. Also with 2 growing boys theyve never complained about not having enough room in the back seat. People say its ugly but have you noticed that alot of the high end suvs are starting to look a lot like aztecs?

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  The sunfire is Hot!!! - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Lavicius - June 18 - 10:00 am

  The sunfire was my first new car and I must admit that it wasnt the car that I had planned on getting. Once the sales rep suggested that maybe I should give this car a test drive. I was in love!!! My sunfire is fully loaded and black, its beautiful adn the ride is soo smooth. I travel a lot and the mileage that you get per gallon is wonderful. I love my Sunfire, I love it so much I named mine, her name is Baby Girl.

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  Cool Sunfire - 2001 Pontiac Sunfire
  By tfr - June 18 - 10:00 am

  Greatest vehicle I have ever owned great quality, never had a problem

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  Good blend of style and function - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By mike - June 18 - 6:46 am

  The Torrent was appealing to us for its superb styling, as well as capable functionality. The much-maligned 3.4L V6 is plenty powerful for normal drivers, while fuel economy for us is commonly BETTER than the EPA sticker estimates. Handling is decent, and I have no complaints about the feel of the electric-assist steering. The interior is beautifully styled, but it could use some tightening up in some places to make it top notch. Overall, we could hardly be any happier with our Torrent.

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  So happy - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By J-ME - June 17 - 9:43 pm

  Buying this g6 was the best idea i had this year. Fun to drive. Quiet interior and effortless shifting. Gas mileage is rewarding me now with the high prices.. 24Mpg in heavy city driving! Arrive with a :)

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  Fun to drive, many repairs - 2003 Pontiac Bonneville
  By kirkhemphill78 - June 17 - 11:04 am

  60,000 miles, rear air shock bladder broke, $360. 65,000 miles, mass flow air sensor, $205. 70,000 miles, paint started peeling off hood and below gas cap, did not fix. 70,000 miles Service Engine Soon light, cracked vacuum line to gas tank, $105. 85,000 miles, upper manifold gasket and PVC valve, $895. 85,005 miles, throttle position sensor, $169. 90,000 miles, Service Engine Soon light, replaced gas cap, $105. 95,000 miles, replaced vacuum control valve, $169. 112,000 miles, replaced catalytic converter, $140. 125,000 miles, rebuilt transmission, $2,200. Not enough room to show all.

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  Extreme oil consumption - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Diane - June 16 - 2:30 am

  I was so excited when I purchased this car. It was everything I wanted and still do. However, around 54,000 miles in (I purchased it when it only had 100 miles) I took my car in for a oil change. No problem, then less than a 1000 miles my check oil light came on. I took it back to the shop that changed my oil and was told that there was NO oil in there. I am now at 73,000 and continue to have problems and Pontiac has been "working on it" for this entire time. Going in for service every other month is time consuming. I drive less than 15 miles to work per day and am using a quart of oil every 1000 miles. Hoping for a solution because I sure love the care otherwise.

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  Excellent Car - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Paul McGuire - June 14 - 4:40 pm

  Perfect car for a college student. Excellent gas mileage in the city (32+mpg) and more than enough power 0- 60Mph in 7.2 seconds (5 speed manual). Although the interior room is minimal (not good for people over 6 ft) the car is good enough for me (511). I have put 26,000 miles on the car in less than 6 months and have had NO problems. If you take care of this car it will last you forever. Several mechanics have told me I could easily hit 400,000 miles. This car out ranks any import in speed, reliability, and **cost of ownership.**

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  Watch your speed - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Driver999 - June 14 - 12:50 pm

  This Pontiac is a real go getter, but watch your speed or the cops will say gottacha. The performance, both passing and stopping is very responsive. However, the interior could use some work. Particularly the cupholder which border on being unusable.

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  Jackpot - 1997 Pontiac Bonneville
  By hosie - June 13 - 9:03 am

  My dear bonneville just crossed its 174000 mile mark. Not a single major repair since I owned it. I have driven this car for Boston to San Francisco and back. The most comfy ride ever. You can never go back to a smaller car once you have driven this. It gives me 26+ mpg. A no-fatigue drive. I have used and abused this car and it sure takes a beating. The car fits a 10 ft long piece of 2x4 lumber completely with the trunk closed. Highly recommended.