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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  complaint - 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport
  By Sean Roland - May 10 - 5:56 pm

  bad experience - had engined opened three times, twice for manifold gasket (pink antifreeze problem) Also had the catalitic converter replaced twice (again because of the pink antifreeze).. GM hesitant to deal with vehicle, suggest I dispose of it ..

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  excellent sports car - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By Paul Burkhart - May 10 - 10:17 am

  There is very little cargo room, but the car is sweet.

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  Pontiac G6 v6 - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Jim Anderson - May 10 - 2:53 am

  On a trip up north in May. I was getting mileage of 36.6 miles per gallon on I 95 driving at a speed between 70 and 75 miles per hour, handling was excelent and steady with cruise activated. Car was comfortable and seats were firm but not too firm. The whole trip of 2800 miles the gas mileage was 31.7 miles per gallon which included many miles of city driving after we arrived in NJ.

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  Yellow Jacket 6spd - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By RJ - May 9 - 1:03 pm

  This car has 1960s Muscle car performance with all the modern comforts. My last GTO was a 1970 and the 04 GTO puts it to shame in just about every way except for looks. The new GTO is reliable, fast, gets good milage (for a performance car) and is very comfortable. I drive this car all through the Michigan winter (traction control and all season tires make this possible with RWD). My zero down 24k 2yr lease is $300/month. A lot of car for the money.

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  NOT Reliable - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By JJ from NJ - May 9 - 9:50 am

  This is probably the Worst car Ive owned. Only have 27,000 miles and so many things wrong from the back window popping out, body side molding coming off, overheating, transmission problem and the front bearings shot. Not to mention the service is horrible and the car doesnt hold value. It wouldnt be so bad if pontiac cared and stood behind their product. cant wait to trade it in and get a toyota

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  Frustrated...but still love the car. - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By CRS312 - May 8 - 7:23 pm

  I bought the 2007 gt coupe edition brand new in late 06. Since then, I have had nothing but compliments on it. I really do love the car, but I had a recall on the door drains though, and now when there is a good storm, afterwards my speakers crackle and dont work right. I have been back and fourth with the dealership and they cant find anything wrong! They just keep replacing the speakers. If it werent for that I would absolutely love the car!!! everything else has been fine so far and there are 34,000 miles on it. Well you cant have your cake and eat it too I guess!

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  Excellent Vehicle, Price and Durability - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Moe - May 7 - 10:33 pm

  Ive owned this vehicle for nearly 4 years. The interior is spaceous, providing plenty of room for passengers in both the front and back seats. Never had any problems with engine, transmission or brakes. I maintain my vehicle every 3,000 miles and rotate tires per 6,000 miles. Replaced tires at 53,000. Only wish I had insisted on a sunroof and leather interior. No complaints!

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  Overlook the styling - its a great ride - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By Cool Jimmy L - May 6 - 10:00 am

  I test drove the Aztek on a whim and liked it so much I bought it the next day. Its comfortable and rides like a luxury SUV, especially on the highway.

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  Do not buy into the certified - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By raton - May 6 - 10:00 am

  I bought a 1999 grand am certified car with 22,000 miles in Aug of 2002. I thought I had got a great buy for 12,000. I was wrong. I found out that I had to replace the intake manifold gasket at a cost of $600.00. I did some researching and found out that this is a common problem with these cars. of course they had to do other things that the intake caused total in repairs coast $890.00. intake manifold normally last a lot longer than 4 years and 40,000 miles in most other cars.

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  A Dream to drive! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Beth - May 6 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car. I keep finding things that I love about it. Moonroof, hidden power supply, 115-volt outlet. The elevated seats make visibility great, and there is lots of room for backseat passengers. Though one must make frequent trips for gasoline due to the 12 gallon tank, it is a dream to drive, and makes you look forward to your next trip. Very comfortable and versatile with tons of room for everything youll take with you (including roof rack if you cant fit everything inside!).