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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  2004 ponriac grand prix GT2 - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Bowtie guy - January 3 - 10:00 am

  One of GMs best held secrets. You get a lot of car for your money and outclasses its competion in most instances. Do your home work ,compare,test drive them, youll be impressed just like I was.

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  Could have been better - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By thepontiacdude - December 31 - 5:46 pm

  If you care about "coolness" more than "utility" than its worth considering this car. However, if you are looking for a family oriented car, I would consider cars like Accord, Camry, Impala, etc. I own a Grand Prix and I think it is a pretty good car and is a lot of fun to drive but unfortunately there are some cons that stand out.

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  Return to American - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Jon Meine - December 30 - 4:50 am

  After more than 12 years in Japanese Sports Touring upscale cars I have returned to domestic and am astounded at the degree of technical sophistication and build excellence that have been incorporated at a very reasonable price point. Viva American!

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  Better than good, but not quite perfect - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By CEN19 - December 26 - 12:06 pm

  JD Power rated this vehicle as a good buy for reliability and I have to agree. Ive had only two minor issues that were quickly corrected under warranty. Very comfortable around town and on the highway. Acceleration with the supercharged engine is excellent, as is braking. This is a large vehicle, so handling is good but not great. Fuel economy is in the low 20s with mostly highway driving; nothing close to the 28 mpg listed on the window sticker. Interior materials are a mix of good to cheap, with some areas nicely padded and textured; others are cheap in feel and durability. Red illumination of instrumentation is very appealing. All controls are easy to operate and very intuitive.

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  Fun and Pretty, But Impractical - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Heather - December 24 - 9:26 am

  This is my first car with a loan. Despite the fact that I did about everything wrong when buying from a dealership, this car has turned out to be a decent deal. My only regret is that I bought it because it was pretty rather than researching it before I signed on the dotted line.

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  love my car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By j - December 23 - 5:03 pm

  I love the performance and the look of my car, it really turns heads. I have had strangers come up to me and ask about the car. They have all been impressed, no one else in my little town has one yet.

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  I love the look of this car - 2005 Pontiac Aztek
  By reedrat - December 22 - 10:00 am

  I wish they had kept the body cladding of the earlier models, but this is one cool looking car. It is fun to drive, safe, and comfortable. Interior quality is much improved over 2001, which haf poor fabric. Im surprised some find it ugly or weird looking, but that makes it a great used car buy.

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  Oops I did it again - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By VROOM - December 22 - 10:00 am

  Can you believe I traded an Accord for this!?! Loved the looks, paid for them in quality. Once I put CERAMIC pads on all 4, aftermarket rotors and calipers on, brakes lasted a little longer. Wheel bearings junk. Drive train great, everything else is ensuring AC Delco workers their retirement pay and keeping the Dealerships repair dept busy. Almost got rid of it, but was upside down and paying on repairs. 110,000 miles and no problems (except brakes) in last 50K.

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  Love It/Hate It - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By fyoung5 - December 19 - 8:30 am

  This car is so much fun to drive. I love the space inside and the way it sits higher that the average car, and has plenty of space for a car seat. Having said that, the very best gas milage I have ever gotten is 31 mpg, and that was entiely highway at just under 70. I dont drive conservatively in the city, which is why the 20 - 25 mpg city didnt bother me, but it is nowhere near the 30/36 advertised. It also is horrible in the snow. I have lived in upstate NY all my life and snow has never bothed me. I am going to buy snow tires this weekend and hope it helps. All in all I like the car, but have had a lot of disappointments.

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  GTO 04 - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By GTO 04 - December 17 - 9:33 am

  I recently purchased the GTO. I cant believe the performance that this car puts out. I was originaly looking at Corvettes and BMWs, but when I test drove this car...WOW! Just with the exterior design had a little more punch to it. All and all, awsome car.