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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  An Excellent Choice - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By S Martin - February 17 - 12:30 pm

  I bought this car in Dec. 06 and never had buyers remorse. This car is very quick and my friends are impressed with the superb road holding. It also gets decent mileage (Im averaging 24 mpg city/hwy). The 6A is awesome (wont find that on Accord or Altima) and the trip tonic will hold gear even if you floor the throttle. 18" wheels typically scratch easily but the treadwall height on these tires is enough that the tires absorb impact upon curb contact. The 8-spkr Monsoon is awesome. Excellent cargo capacity with folding rear seats. No reliability issues so far - car has only needed oil changes and tire rotation. Heated seats work well and the two-tone leather looks great. Buy it

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  2001Grand Am SE 2.4L - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By rhino61466 - February 17 - 3:50 am

  I have never had any serious mechanical problems with this vehicle. I bought it pre-owned certified with 56,000. It is now up to 98,000 miles and I have only spent 700 in total for repairs, spanning five years. The only problems I had was the ignition at 98,000 miles and my power windows broke. The key to this vehicle being very reliable is preventive maintenance. If you know nothing about cars and run it into the ground like a Honda you will have problems; however, if you do the normal maintenance such as tune ups/oil changes every 5k miles, fluid flushes, and belt change you should have no problems. If you buy this vehicle and no nothing about how well it was taken care of beware.

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  All around great - 2008 Pontiac Vibe
  By Rocketman - February 16 - 6:46 pm

  Only problem Ive had was the auto trans not shifting into the next gear at the end of a 550 mile trip, but that could have been the terrain. The seats are nice and hug you so that if you drive sporty you wont slide off on sharp turns. Tons of space if you need it. I got a loaded sun and sound, auto, preferred, monotone 08 Vibe for 18K out the door because they redesigned them for 2009 and pushing the 2008s out. Get a 2008 if you can! The MPG is great, really worth it because you get a nice zip without ruining your wallet.

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  tires - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By bryanr - February 16 - 10:00 am

  my daughter had a flat 70 miles away from home.the tire was bad.the local dealer would not honor the bumper to bumper warrenty that they say that comes with every car.it only had 5,000 miles on it.they tried to sell her a new tire....for only 250 dollars...so she went to wal mart for a 60 dollar tire....pretty sad that a 20,000 car i paid for,they wouldn,t honor the so called warrenty.....be careful for the fine print....rather had all 4 tires the same than 3 of one and 1 of a different brand but gm didn,t offer me no options.....hint...hint....gm

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  NEW PONTIAC GTO - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By ROBERT PERRYMAN - February 16 - 10:00 am

  FUN TO DRIVE. ALOT OF POWER AND LOOKS. THE INTERIOR IS THE BEST LOOKING THAT GM HAS PUT OUT TO DATE.

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  Awsome New Ride, I Love It!!! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Rachepi - February 16 - 10:00 am

  I had my doubts at first, but once I got behind that wheel for the first time, I knew it was meant to be! I fell in love with this car on site, fully loaded with all the extras that I wanted and then some. I converted rather quickly as I was set on the Matrix, but was treated much better at the Pontiac dealership, glad I changed my mind!

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  i looove the vibe - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By kapekitas - February 16 - 10:00 am

  it greeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!!!!!!!!!! and i love it!!!!!!!!!!

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  Driving excitement? - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By Darkshadow - February 15 - 9:03 am

  Ive never had more fun driving a car, more complements or looks. Handles awsome,could use more torque for starts slow until you reach about 4k rpm. Information center is nice, make sure to get upgraded stereo if you want any bass, there isnt really much room to put a small sub anywhere. The tranny is a little clunky, but short shifts are fun. The MPG is more like 18/24.5 on the freeway, I dont think Ive ever gotten more than 25 except going downhill. Cheap plastic int. and rubber seals. Turns and handles like a champ. Biggest drawback is absolutley not room for anything, so dont pick anyone up from the airport or have more than one friend!!

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  Great Value - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By the_squizz - February 15 - 5:15 am

  I just want to start by saying I love this car. I bought this car with 94K miles for under $5K. I am very handy with a wrench ( I actually used to be a mechanic ), but this car is absolutely horrid to work on in the driveway. It is simply not made to be serviced outside of a professional shop environment. A great car, just be prepared to spend all day for seemingly simple repair jobs OR actually break down and drop it off at a shop for repairs. Other than that, the car is great. I have spent ~$1500 in a year and a half for repairs thus far. Remember, even tho the L67 is bulletproof, the outside accessories and sensors have a shelf life and will fail eventually. This goes for all cars.

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  Great fun car -little things at 6 years - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Charles Low - February 15 - 1:46 am

  I have loved owning and driving this car. Little things at 6 years like transmission sometimes stuck in Park (requiring an easy maneuver with a screwdriver, but still..), radio LCDs malfunctioning. But generally a very good, reliable vehicle, incredible sound system, very tight, responsive handling, low driving position, extremely "sticky" on the road. Some gaskets have needed work. I think the major Asian producers are indeed better for reliability, so its time to switch, but I have really enjoyed this car. I know the GTP is noticeably peppier, but I have never felt short-changed for power in the GT.