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 Pontiac - 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Vetdoc - June 23 - 2:00 am

  I have all GM vehicles and my Grand Prix is my favorite. It is a 99with a 3.8 V6 and it has 54000 miles on it, but it loks and feels new.

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  Terrible in Snow! - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Barbara Tirone - June 23 - 2:00 am

  I absolutely loved this car when I bought it in April. I loved it up until the snow started to fall. This car has terrible performance in snowy/icy conditions. Has anyone else experienced this? There is another gentleman who I work with and he feels the same way about his vibe. I have never owned a Pontiac before, and by far this is the worst car I have ever driven in the snow/ice.

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  Awesome - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By carbwatch2 - June 23 - 2:00 am

  PUrchased for the sole purpose of commuting long distances and to have fun while doing it. Car is very comfortable on long hauls. My wife got the AWD version. So, we have "vibes" for each other...

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  Happy leaser - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By JAK.1 - June 23 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is great. For the price of the lease this vehicle is outperforming my expectations. Great ride and handeling. Good engine performance with decent fuel economy.

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  Cant wait to sell - 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport
  By Gayle - June 22 - 5:43 pm

  Manifold repaired, electrical problems everywhere, interior heating and cooling does not work, engine light, air bag and abs sensor lights on, worst vehicle I have ever owned The handling however is the best I have had even over a Honda Civic Family owns a 2000 Montana - same problems so GM is not listening or caring

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  Not a bad car, I like it. - 2009 Pontiac G6
  By Adam - June 22 - 9:00 am

  This car is fun to drive. The engine is powerful. It kinda lack stability when you take of fast. The exterior looks really good, but the interior lacks a lot of options. GM need to step their game up a notch with the pontiac interior. if you want a luxury car, dont buy this. If you want a car with options, dont buy it either. buy the pontiac if you like a smooth sport ride.

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  2001 Aztek - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By Mot76 - June 21 - 10:00 am

  I like riding in something thats different from the rest. The more I look at my Aztek, the more it grows on me. The fuel mileage is great for a vehicle like this with all wheel drive. The interior is well layed out and spacious. It has more room than my friends Four Runner. The sound system is one of the best I had yet!

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  AWESOME POWER! - 1998 Pontiac Firebird
  By Matthewhogue - June 21 - 10:00 am

  No matter what you think you know, you have no idea till you drive one. Go test drive one, your adrenaline will be pumping so high that you will write a check in the car on the way back while trying to still drive it. They lose value fast, so get a used one.

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  Good second car for Van owner - 2002 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Mengson - June 21 - 10:00 am

  I needed something small and sporty to hop around in when not in the mood to do so in my van. I got it, and it was at a great discount that offset any depreciation in value. Nice overall package, without feeling too cheap, or looking too typical.

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  Fun, Comfortable, Great Value - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By da-star - June 21 - 10:00 am

  Great Car! Test drive one if you have not done so. GT is pretty powerful, but GTP is amazing. No one in the streets expects so much power out of this baby, and they are always in shock when you demonstrate. I own a 99 GTP with 45K miles and had almost no problems (replaced both window lift motors). Quality has been better than expected. And the fun to drive this car is incredible. The car is so much fun that my wife hurries to leave for work so she can "steal" the keys. This is absolutely a Great Value: Fun, Comfortable, Good looking.