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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  Love It - 2001 Pontiac Firebird
  By Vinterskugge - October 4 - 12:56 am

  This review is of the WS6 Trans Am. This is the most beautiful car ever and is a lot of fun to drive. Its a shame they are not made anymore, although if they were, they would probably be ruined with a hideous new design. This is the shape that cars should be: low, wide, 2-doors, long hood. Only drawback is lack of trunk space, but the backseat is perfect: you cannot ask for a better design as far as being able to reach into the back seat from either the outside or the front seat. No problems in light snow with all season tires. Car is still like new. True muscle car driving excitement, plus unrivaled aesthetic beauty

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  Best car weve owned - 2005 Pontiac G6
  By SCOTT - October 3 - 9:50 pm

  this is with out a doubt the best car weve owned. my wife wanted a nissan altima but i looked at both and thought overall the g6 offered the most bang for the buck. my wife liked it also but thought that because she didnt see that many out on the road meant it wasnt a good car. i explained that this model hadnt been out very long. i finally rented an altima for her to see how she liked it. that took care of her doubt. this car drives wonderfully. smooth and quiet. feels like it has more than 205 hp. transmission is perfectly matched to the 3.5l v6. powerful at all speeds. i personaly like the different plastics they used in the interior theyre easily cleaned. interior looks good longer.

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  great mileage - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By frank - October 3 - 3:53 pm

  30 miles per gallon if you stay out of the supercharger on the interstates. great car so far on dependability.

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  GP GT - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By FC - October 2 - 6:43 pm

  I bought this car for my wife. Certified GM used with warranty. It offers a good drive, with excellent comfort for the leather bucket seats. Driver ergonomics are unmatched. However, with the 200 hp 3800, it feels big and lumbering. I love the rumble from the dual exhaust, but its an overall underwhelming experience. Id definitely recommend finding a GTP for more power. It has great looks and we love the silver exterior with the black leather and moonroof. Heater fan detonated recently, a costly repair without the bumper to bumper warranty. Other than that, not a single problem!

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  Texas in a Montana - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By tate - October 1 - 3:03 am

  Our SV6 has room for grandkids dogs, and all supplies needed for vacation or everyday driving! The DVD with wireless head phones is a must for trips with 5, 6, + 7 year olds.

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  Wonderful car except - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Marco - October 1 - 2:26 am

  Its been a year since buying the GP sedan. After the first 10,000 mi with zero problems, it is clear that if GM could build all of their cars this well...

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  Dont Ever buy Pontiac - 1996 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Rodney Rollins - September 29 - 3:06 pm

  Car was a disaster from the first year owned. 12 visits to the shop for brakes, mirror knob kept falling off, and visor. I have gone thru 3 radiators, 4 alternators, 2 starters, then it was determined there was a recall on the starter switch, after years of turning key repeadetly on to start, it is determined to be a fire hazard, and needed immediate recall. You think that might have something to do with all the electrical problems. 1 month after fixing the switch the starter went out again, and Pontiac refused to believe the faulty starter switch was to blame. I have since had the seat fail (my wife who is 120 lbs drove this car), and finally the engine gave out at 106k miles.WONDERFUL

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  Do NOT buy this car! - 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
  By ladyjane - September 28 - 10:00 am

  The 1995 Pontiac Grand Am Sedan SE with a Quad 4 engine is a piece of junk. If you currently have this car, plan on putting a completely new engine in it in the very near future. It will most likely be the transmission or the head gasket that goes first. I bought the car for over $4000 two years ago and will be lucky to get $500 for it now.

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  2000 WS6 - 2000 Pontiac Firebird
  By Dr. Ned - September 28 - 10:00 am

  My 2000 WS6 is the 3rd Pontiac Ive owned in a row. The car handles like a dream, it was purchased used with the skip shift eliminator already installed, along with 4.11s for the gears. The only problem Ive had is tearing through the teeth on the pinion. The stock GM 10-bolt rear axle just cannot handle over 350HP. Stock the car is 340, so any modifications and you will most likely have axle problems. Next upgrade, SLP 12-Bolt.

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  An excellent car and fun to drive! - 2001 Pontiac Bonneville
  By flyingdutchman01 - September 28 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned quite a number of cars and this one stands out above all the rest. Im at 105,000 miles now and it still runs like it was new. It has required nothing but routine maintenance. Mine is a base SE model but there is plenty of power and the ride is nothing short of supple. From my point of view it gives the Lexi, Audis, and BMWs that I pass on the highway a good run for their money, costs alot less and looks better. Great car!