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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  Three weeks old - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By paradox - May 24 - 10:00 am

  Purchased this car three weeks ago and am still in awe at the value for the money. Factoring in the rebates and end of model year discounts available this was by far the best value. Sure you can spend thousands more for faster, bigger, louder, or sleeker but look at the big picture. Think about when gas goes back up to over 2 bucks a gallon your getting nearly 25mpg!

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  2003 gp limited edition - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By mkpolley - May 24 - 10:00 am

  ive had 3 other g.ps 87,99,and 2003 never had a problem with any of them. this is the first gtp i have had, good looks with the limited edition package.if you have the extra 2000$. very fast and good rebates. got a 30,000 car for 23,000.

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  very good - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By seby - May 24 - 10:00 am

  I dont belive that I was just "lucky" but in 3 years (more than 75.000 km) I didnt have any major problem. The only "problem" was related to the "experience" of the guys that are doing my maintenance ...

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  Bad Almost All Around - 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
  By native - May 24 - 10:00 am

  This car is sooo much fun to drive - when it wants to drive. I had it for five years and spent at least half of what I paid for it (bought it used)in repairs. Tons of electrical problems: windows dont go down, doors dont lock, lights just shut off on dark highways...Then it had this problem where it needed to rest after being driven. Wed have to pop open the hood and let the car cool off for an hour before it would feel like starting again. Oh, then the power steering went. Repaired it. Went again. Repaired it. Went again. It ate alternators... But because I loved the drive so much, Id still buy a 2004 and chance it.

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  I feel sorry for those other moms - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By ahtoone - May 24 - 10:00 am

  For someone who never wanted a minivan, I sure cant live without mine! I researched them all. The Montana extended was the only one (at the time) to have 8 seats that can all be moved around. The engine and all the major parts have never had to be serviced. The brakes wear out fast and the cup holders broke right away. The rubber seals on the doors keep rotting out even though I keep my van in the garage! The kids seat belts have been replaced twice. Overall Im VERY happy with the van. Its dependable and the important parts have always run well. Its roomy, comfortable, and with the suspension package upgrade, it drives like a sedan, not a van.

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  SunfiresFine - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By newoldtex - May 24 - 10:00 am

  Well designed sporty looking, fun-to- drive yet roomy car. Well thought out, with convenient features. Exceptional left leg room, and plenty of head room, is skip sun roof. Only negative, seat belt strap location due to door post behind you. Of many past cars, I am enjoying this one best. JHS

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  Brake Eater - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Minnesota Bound - May 24 - 10:00 am

  This car was a 2000 at the end of the model year. First 250 miles, complete change out in transmission. Sun Roof has never sealed correctly. On my 4th set of front brakes in 57k miles. Switched to Ceramics…expensive, but seem to last longer with out the black front tires. Trunk lid leaked until missing gaskets replaced. Radio is better suited for AM only. On the plus side. Not you fathers Bonneville. Performance on the SLE is surprising. Gas mileage, outstanding. Feels like you are flying a jet at night with all of the gages and computers. Power drivers seat a must on this car. Great handling with correct tires in the snow and ice.

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  Small Problems from the Start - 2003 Pontiac Montana
  By dcrambler - May 24 - 10:00 am

  Great deal when you factor in both the Montana Vision and regular factory rebates. Walked away with the MV FWD for less than $21K after GM card maximum credit allowance. Overall build is less than desirable - have had door handle, rattle and lug cap problems in the first month plus horrible warranty service from a local Pontiac dealership. Still couldnt pass up the overall low price when compared to the Odyssey.

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  Its been a champ - 1995 Pontiac Grand AM
  By PstarD - May 23 - 11:56 pm

  So let me begin this by saying that I love this car. This car has been in my family for 12 years. This is my first car which my father gave to me when I turned 16. He bought it used and the person before him beat on this car. Over the years my father has put a lot of miles over it due to traveling a lot for work and also going through the long Chicago winters doesnt help the car, but let me tell you this car was always reliable. Its had minor breakdowns like belts breaking but nothing major. The car has over 200,000 miles on it and it has had a lot of parts replaced due to maintenance. But after everything the car still runs like its always ran.

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  Fantastic reliable car - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By A Andrews - May 22 - 11:10 pm

  Before the Pontiac Vibe was out on the market, I saw a report on Popular Mechanics, and I knew this was the car I was looking for my wife. It had all that she needed. Although being a totally new car, just knowing that it was basically a Toyota Corolla, that was all I needed to know, so, as soon as it was out, I ordered one. Made the right choice!