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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  Unbreakable - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By JK - May 8 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car 4 years ago with 20,000 miles on it and it is up to about 110,000. So far the only failures were a belt tensioner ($100 fix) and two of the digital display lights in the radio went out. The car runs like the day I bought it. Mechanically, it seems indestructible. The body and paint are both solid too. I tend to neglect the body and on the rare occasion I wash and polish it, it always looks like it great. Not only is it well built, but it is very comfortable. With some years on the Vibe name now, more and more reviews are from people with 200k+ miles and I hope to be one of them. When the day comes to replace this, I only hope its twin, the Toyota Matrix, is still around.

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  Satified - 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  By 2005 Vibe - May 5 - 1:03 pm

  I own a 2000 Toyota Camry, which I love. I bought my wife a used 2005 Pontiac Vibe. I knew that part of the Vibe was built by Toyota, much like their Matrix. I was convinced that the Vibe was as good as the Matrix, and cheaper, so I bought it. My wife is very happy with this car, and so am I.

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  Awesome Coupe! - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By NYPontiacFan - May 4 - 3:06 am

  After 5000 miles, this car is fantastic. I had a 2000 Grand Prix GTP coupe that I traded in for this (didnt like the new Grand Prix). And for it being smaller than the GP, it has a bigger back seat! Love the looks and design. If this is the direction Pontiac/GM is going, they should start gaining some market back in the US. Got many many looks and comments with the car. Only thing I had to do was buy snow tires and smaller rims for the winter. Upstate NY has the nickname "The great white north..." ;-)

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  Ts review - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Tom Gallo - May 4 - 2:00 am

  I owned a Grand Prix SE before I bought the GT2. I was happy with the old car but when I test drove the new model I couldnt get over how much improved it was. The ride is better, the handling is better, it has better pick up and the styling inside and out is an improvement.

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  So far, so good - 2007 Pontiac Vibe
  By lovin it - May 4 - 12:36 am

  Love mine and love fuel economy, averaging 27.5 mpg city. Seats fold down easy and lots of storage/hauling room. Good acceleration when needed. Will keep this fuel efficient hard worker for a long time.

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  The Tank - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By robob - May 3 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this vehicle as a leftover 2001 while I was looking for a 2003 Vibe. I was able to get $3,000 in rebates and $3,160 off the list price. I took a trip to Daytona Beach, Florida last month and the comfort was excellent with an abundance of room for everything. As the owner of a Trans Am, I say it could use about 35 more horsepower but the mileage would suffer. The trip average was 22.1 mpg overall with a high of 25.2 on one tank with the speed kept below 65 mph. Start looking at 75 mph and that figure will drop to the high 22s. Again, if you can get someone in one the features will win them over.

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  I love it - 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
  By grandamdriver - May 3 - 10:00 am

  Well. I just love my new Grand Am (well, new to me). No problems yet, handles well, looks awesome, great fuel economy (well, good for me, since it is twice as good as my old car). It is just an over all fun car to drive!

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  Red Firebird - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By flybigrc - May 3 - 10:00 am

  The car drives very smooth on the highway and with the T-Tops off is a blast in the summer. I have not had any major problems that were not covered by the warrabty. The catalytic converter was replaced a rear pinion seal and a steering sluid seal. All covered under warranty.

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  Versatile, reliable, affordable - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By emilymode - May 1 - 2:10 pm

  I bought mine in July 2006 and have had no problems so far (except for the front window bolt recall replacement which GM took care of). I drove from New York to California with this car. I absolutely love my Vibe.

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  Looks like a $30,000 Car!!! - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By Jason - April 30 - 6:06 pm

  I bought the 2009 Pontiac Vibe GT for my wife last week and so far its been the best car either one of us have owned. For $21,000 you get so much for your money plus the advantage of great gas mileage. Its really quick with the 2.4 L GT engine and the 18" wheels ride smooth. The interior is so sexy with all the leather accents and styling. The exterior is eye popping and catchy. Its a very stylish ride and we love it so much. Also the XM Radio and OnStar is a plus!!!