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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  Great inexpensive Pontiac SUV - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By John - June 15 - 1:06 am

  I recently bought the new Torrent Suv and really like the car. I really think you get a lot of car for the price. Gm continues to step it up and bring itself closer and closer to Toyota quiality. I would higly reccomend this car to anyone looking for a fun, smaller suv.

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  Miss the old grandpix - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By angel - June 14 - 10:33 am

  Love the smooth and quite ride. Its was so quite i accidently tried to restart it a few times oops! My bad. but it never hurt the starter. I really miss the car and may get another after seeing one on the road today. I bought mine brand new in 2001 and replaced it in 2007 to buy my daughter a used car. She liked it and learned to drive in it but wanted something smaller. when i got rid off it i racked up 160,000. mostly highway miles to and from work. the only problem i ever had was one power window motor which i fixed myself.Never had to do a timing belt because it was chain driven and never had to replace any CV joints or driveshafts. Just normal wear and tear items.

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  Excellent Crossover with some drawbacks - 2006 Pontiac Torrent
  By Kevin - June 13 - 8:16 am

  I have to say that this spacious SUV is very comfortable (including the spacious back seats) and very fun to drive. I have never really struggled with the cargo aspect of the car, and it is a good look inside and out. I love taking this car anywhere (beach, road trips, etc.). However, I have had trouble starting up the car especially on short trips. Sometimes, it doesnt even start the first (or sometimes second, or third) time! That is outrageous for a brand new car. Granted, I havent had them look at it yet, but I have heard the same thing from other Torrent drivers. Also, the cup holders cannot be used with the hand break up, which is a pain when you live on a hill.

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  Unreliable garbage - 1997 Pontiac Grand AM
  By cetdas760 - June 12 - 2:23 pm

  I replaced the electric motors in all four windows, the transmission, alternator several times, chews up front brakes and disks every 20,000 miles, fuel injectors clog, no seat supports, noisy, chews up tires, no turning radius, arrghhhhh!!!!

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  Great Car, Great Fun! - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Steph Jordan - June 12 - 10:30 am

  I love my Grand Am, I have gone across the country in it, and it has been a pleasure to drive, very good sound system, handles very well!

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  Fun Car to drive - 2005 Pontiac Aztek
  By trevelyn smith - June 12 - 10:00 am

  This a fine car to drive. My wife likes the way it drives and that tells me Something,because she only likes her caras a rule.

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  cool kar - 2005 Pontiac Bonneville
  By alanfor2 - June 12 - 10:00 am

  this car is a tank! but sooo comfortable. it rides very nice. a very nice design.

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  Gone but not forgotten - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By wmath44 - June 12 - 10:00 am

  Car was totaled in rear end collision July 2. Liked the gas mileage,30mpg at 75mph with air on.Poor excelleration on freeway on ramps.

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  Pontiac Quality - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By 2004GrajdAm - June 11 - 7:46 pm

  I have over 22k miles on my Grand Am and I did not expect it to not have any problems. This car is fun to drive and it feels solidly built. My only complaints with the design is that the rear seating is a little tight for adults. My only mechanical problems are a spring that broke in back of the drivers seat and that the fog lights stopped working. Both of these are minor and I will have them fixed at my next oil change. The engine has been smooth with not even a hint of any looming problems. Do not purchase anything else until you try the Grand Am.

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  nice ride - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By larry krapp - June 10 - 11:43 pm

  This car has been the best riding car and no repairs. I wish that GM had not stopped making this car