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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  Best Pontiac I have had so far..... - 2005 Pontiac Montana
  By J.Briscoe - August 18 - 7:23 am

  I rented the SV6 for our Grand Canyon vacation this year. With 2 12 yrs olds, a 17 yr old and 2 adults traveling together - we loved it. Plenty of room and everyone had excellent views while traveling. We were impressed enough to trade in my 2000 Boneville for a 2005 SV6. For me at 53" the SV6 in much more confortable to drive than my Bonneville had been.I commute 65 miles roundtrip each week day and after driving the SV6 for two weeks - I am very pleased with it.After 2 Bonnevilles and a Grand Am this is my favorite Pontiac yet.It doesnt feel like a minivan at all - sure doesnt look like one either.

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  Go Vibe! - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By NCA - August 17 - 10:00 am

  We bought the Vibe because we no longer needed a mini van; all the "children" were college age and had their own cars. We wanted something smaller but that could haul tons to colleges and apartments. The Vibe has fit the bill. Our Vibe also has worked well for camping trips.

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  Tough Little Work Car - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By jcmonroe - August 17 - 10:00 am

  It is a tough little work car that is cute and fun to drive. I am a big guy (6-1/2" & 245#) and I am totally comfortable with the leg and head room, even the back seat has more room than is typical in a compact car. It has adequate acceleration and very quick handling characteristics.

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  Value - 1997 Pontiac Bonneville
  By mjcsjc1 - August 17 - 10:00 am

  I bought 97 Bonnie with only 34k and have driven it 10k. It looks great, handles well and really wants to run. It has good power to fuel economy trade off. (23 MPG in mixed driving and 27 MPG on the highway) The intake manifold gasket and water pump were replaced by the dealer at the time I bought the car. I have found out that the intake manifold gasket was poorly designed and the replacement gasket is now made of a different material. Everyone that buys a used GM 3800 or 3400 V6 should check to see if the gasket has been replaced. The part is not expensive but it requires a fair amount of labor.

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  Great Vehicle - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By Aztek in VA - August 17 - 10:00 am

  I upgraded from a 1998 Cavalier. The Aztek was a great price for an SUV-type vehicle. The Aztek offers a smooth ride and the 3.4L V6 provides the power. The exterior design was a turn off for me at first, but after researching vehicles and the more I saw the Aztek, the more I like the design. It looks very cool and I get plenty of compliments from friends and strangers.

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  Overall a great car - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Stan S - August 17 - 10:00 am

  I like the car, the only complaint I have is the brake discs rusted pre-maturely, had to be replaced at 19000 miles, and not covered by warranty

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  Best car ever - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By ScottJ - August 17 - 10:00 am

  I love grand ams, this is the best yet

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  Very Surprised - 2005 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Ricko - August 17 - 2:10 am

  I was very surprised with this car. I have always had a full-sized vehicle and this is the first car Ive owned in the mid-sized class. The comfort is good, the power is amazing (almost 2 much for the size!) and it is a lot of fun to drive. Ive had it over 6 months and Im still not tired of it. I paid $11,500 for it and feel like I made out like a bandit!! ~~to the gentleman who said the ignition sticks- I was told by my Pontiac Dealer that if the car doesnt start immediately, the ignition will hold for a few seconds to try to start it and then release.~~

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  Sunfire SE 2dr 2.4L - 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Rick B. - August 17 - 12:40 am

  Car has served its purpose in the almost 10 years of ownership. The car has a pretty strong rust problem I dont notice on other Sunfires. Our body ground from the battery cable rusted out and that caused some wacky problems with dashboard lights. That was the only time it left me stranded and wouldnt start. The back speakers are an issue on all 99 Sunfires. Apparently the wiring breaks and then the rear speakers work when they make contact. Instead of finding the break, I ran new wires. We also have an oil consumption issue nobody can figure out without taking the heads off. Its been burning oil for at least 50,000 miles, about 1 qt for every 2000 miles.

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  Good car - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Bruce B. - August 16 - 2:30 am

  The Pontiac Vibe /Toyota is a very reliable and economical vehicle. Its a great substitute for a small SUV. Amazingly I average 38 mpg on mostly rural driving and 40.3 mpg on a few 200 mile trips. I was only expecting 33-36 mpg. A great commuter car.