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:

• 

  Love my Grand Prix - 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By mgcoupe - November 21 - 2:00 am

  I love my GTP Grand Prix. The supercharged engine is great when having to pass. The exterior design is very sporty. Once this one dies I plan on buying another one but hopefully not for a long time.

• 

  BEWARE! - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Joro - November 21 - 2:00 am

  Car seemed to be a good deal for the money and the reviews were positive. Actually later found out that is sucks on the Crash test peformed by experts. Also at 20,000 miles needed a new oxygen sensor, and Now I am having front end problems. Feels and sounds like the front end of my car is going to fall off and that the whole front suspension is giving out! All this at the turn of 20,000 miles. What a YUGO deal!

• 

  A real Import Intimidator - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Eddy - November 21 - 1:26 am

  I purchased this GT version being less than one year old at a great price. This car has solid feel with no lack of power when required. The interior design is comfortable with all the treats of leather, sunroof and power seat. I enjoy the ride on 17" tires as it handles well. I came from a Grand AM GT and this feels much better. I went on twisty roads on my way skiing and it was awesome, power to come out of corners on the uphill. You dont need to push this car as it comes on easy. I have had imports before and the 4 bangers dont do it. The V6s are over priced and limited supply. The fit and finish is top notch.

• 

  I love this car! Exept... - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By LoverofALLPontiacs - November 20 - 1:16 am

  I love all Pontiacs. This is my second Pontiac. My first one, 96 Grand Am GT, was crap. I decided to try again. There are many electrical problems, which is typical of Pontiacs. The lights for the controls on the dash work when they want to. Minus the electrical issues, I love this car. More than most Pontiacs. I am 22 and do not feel like I am driving a grandma car because the sporty styling makes up for it being a boat.

• 

  1999 3.8L V6 automatic - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By abcizdaman - November 19 - 10:23 am

  I just recently went on a road trip from the Hi-Desert, CA to both Phoenix and Prescott, AZ. The care handles very nicely and is fun to drive. The only thing is it made my back sore after driving 300 miles. Its not really a car built for comfort, especially for a tall person like me whos pushing 63". It has awesome styling and pretty good acceleration for a V6. It gets alot of head turns, especially at night with its stylish headlights. Without any additions it tops out at 118 to 119mph. Im sure with a supercharger and/or turbo it would max out around 130 to 150mph. Im just guessing though. It comes standard with a crappy stereo system that has alot of issues. I changed it out

• 

  Great driving car - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By mikie22 - November 19 - 2:36 am

  Fantastic! Excellent handling and it gets better miles per gallon then the v- 6 I traded in (25mpg). Sport red is just right and Onstar is great.

• 

  Sporty family car ! - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Cameli family - November 16 - 10:00 am

  So far, we really enjoy this car ..... we have owned 3 other Pontiacs and never had any trouble with any of them. We love the new design of the 2004. It has more power than you would expect and it is a very smooth drive.

• 

  SUNFIRE worth a look in this class!! - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By gkxp - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I just bought a 2003 Sunfire with the 2.2L Ecotec. The Sunfire is quiet at idle and quick with only a slight rumble from the dual exhaust during acceleration. If you are in the market for a Cavalier or Ion from GM, I would definitely also check out the Sunfire. Also if you are looking at a Civic Coupe, I would STRONGLY recommend a visit to test-drive the faster, more stylish and better equipped Sunfire!

• 

  Good Lil Pontiac - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By PontiacGM - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I change my oil whenever the light goes on and have rotate my tires a few times. I have put on new front brake pads once around 30K miles and a new set at 60K miles. The battery is now giving me a problem at 60k miles. The lil 4 cyl still gets me the speeding tickets I have been looking for in a vehicle. Although this is a commuting car, the stereo with the CD player still sounds great. This has been one of the best lil cars I have ever owned. I just do not like the miles that the odometer says I have. Other than that, I do recommend highly this car.

• 

  06 Torrent AWD - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By dekes1 - November 15 - 7:40 pm

  Overall impression: Rides excellent, feels closer to a sedan than to a truck . Handles suprisingly well for an SUV but is still a 3700 pound vehicle so its no sports car. One of the best looking SUVs on the road in my opinion, similar to a Lexus RX330 (but not as smooth as the Nissan Murano). It would be nice to see a sporty version with a bigger engine and dual exhaust but overall this is a great value SUV.