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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  Great Design But Cheap Parts - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Bob M. - February 4 - 3:20 am

  I could not recommend the 2001 Grand Prix. I bought this 2001 Grand Prix Prix GT Special edition after Owning a 1998 Bonneville. I wanted to upgrade to a sportier car, but still needed four doors. I really liked the design and options--it is pretty much loaded but soon experienced many problems. At 35,000 when I bought the car the steering rack had to be replaced. At about 45,000 wheel bearings started to go. Three so far. Along with both front coil springs breaking--one of them twice(GM parts),tie rods, etc. I don`t mind replacing brakes (even those wear out too fast) and normal wear parts, but these other parts should not wear out so fast. The car always starts and the handling is fine.

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  2008 Great Car - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By KAR - February 2 - 3:00 pm

  The 2008 Solstice is a great car and fun to drive. This year the acoustic headliner, 1 year of OnStar, XM radio, input jacks, are all standard. The handling is also great with the Stabilitrac system. The exterior design is second to none.

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  Good value - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By Kevin - February 2 - 12:23 pm

  Gutsy little 4 banger. Ive driven 80 mph with the a/c on and gotten just shy of 30 mpg. Good highway driver. Comfortable driver seat, I like the tilt/telescope wheel. I have long legs and short arms, so it allows me to get a good position. Great stereo. More room than expected in the back seat. Trunk has room in it but bad fit for golf clubs.

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  Good car but needs a recall for steering - 2004 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Jim - February 2 - 10:46 am

  Car has plenty of power whenever needed. Gas mileage is consistantly at 28 MPG highway & 22 MPG city. Would recommend if steering problem fixed.

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  Best Car Ever! - 2009 Pontiac G6
  By PontiacG6 - February 2 - 10:00 am

  I wasnt planning on getting a G6 but when we test drove one at the dealership I fell in love with it. It rides so amazingly, it has every feature I would want and more. The inside is so roomy and it is very sleek looking. It looks great on the outside too. It only gets about 21 mpg but to be honest I could car less because I just love it so much. Seriously best car I have ever owned, too bad Pontiac was discontinued.

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  A solid, fun car - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Brian - February 1 - 11:13 pm

  An excellent vehicle so far! The 3.8L V6/4-speed auto combination is among GMs most reliable powertrains and provides more than ample power in everyday driving. Power delivery is seamless, and merging onto fast-moving freeways is a breeze. More than enough room for four adults (five in a pinch), and the trunk is large with much usable space. I drove a 2003 Grand Prix 43,000 in 2 years without a single problem, and this ones shaping up to be even better.

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  For the dad who still likes excitement - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Snitz - February 1 - 6:36 pm

  I bought it new and got a 7/100K warranty that pd for itself. Great mileage and fun to drive. Typical American maintenance. That is why they lose their value quickly. But I knew this going into the deal. No serious problems with car. I think a fifth gear would be nice and a little more grumble from the exhaust. An aftermarket battery should be made available. As of now, you go to the dealership. It is either all or nothing with the stereo system too. Modular aftermarket components would be a nice option for upgrades. The leather is not up to Toyota standards and they do get hot in the summer. More front passenger leg room. The dash lights up like a cockpit (really like that!).

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  Sporty and affordable - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By Mike - January 31 - 1:23 pm

  A nice affordable 4 door sedan. The 4 cylinder is peppy but a little slow on the quick starts from a dead stop while negotiating traffic so I would allow extra time but it puts you back in the seat while passing at highway speeds. Has a a lot of nice features and safety equipment for a car in this price range. The lower corners of the rearview mirror is blocked by the back seat headrests and the blind spots are large forcing you to look over your shoulder instead of relying on the side mirrors. The buttons and knobs have a nice tactile feel to them and are easy to use.

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  Great adventure companion - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By basshed - January 31 - 4:36 am

  I bought the GP after outgrowing an eclipse to take on 4-5hr road trips with the gang. Efficency was a must, but I also like some sport with the utility and that all came together at a great price point with this car. I routinely take 5 friends on 3-day weekends with all the gear. Its never short on space or comfort with routine rotation on who sat in back. Mileage exceeds 27mpg always, even fully loaded and its quick and reassuring when pressed hard. Aside from the known hiccups which were fixed quickly and professionally - bouncy headlights notably and the PCM reflash, its been 10K miles of carefree fun-for-5 getaway adventures.

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  GREAT CAR - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Alan - January 30 - 7:26 am

  The best car Ive owned in my 63 years of living. Iam 63" tall and have all the room I need. My 100lb German Shepard comes with me on errands and seats clean up easily. Again, great car!!!