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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  So Happy! - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By ginandtonic45 - April 3 - 10:00 am

  I was SO hesistant about buying this car. I was downsizing from a Chevy Blazer and wasnt sure I wanted an American car again. I had to test drive it three times. But I love it now. Its reliable - good in our winter snowstorms - and incredibly fun to drive, even if its only a 4 cylinder. There is a ton of storage space and it will make a great "baby" car in a few years. I get tons of comments on it - how cool it looks interior and exterior.

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  Get the Vibe (GT)! - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By desertf8 - April 3 - 10:00 am

  fun little vehicle to drive-very sport good rear seat room for 3 children love the chrome interior excellent features

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  Steady As She Goes - 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
  By MNKittyMao - April 3 - 10:00 am

  Bought used 11/1999 w/ 30k miles. Had great sporty look w/o high price. Basic package. No probs, just reg maint. Now has 100k+ miles and still runs/handles great. Learned from previous cars the hard way.. take care of them, they will last a lot longer (esp oil, the blood of a car).. and the more bells and whistles the more to go wrong.

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  add to my other review - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Doug - April 3 - 2:46 am

  Reviewers complain of the small truck well that is our safety regulations which makes it ultra safe for rear end collisions. Also it has a larger tank at 18 gallons which takes up the trunk space.....the Australian version probably has a lot more room in the trunk. Also i got 27.5 mpg with a/c on a trip in the summer. the fuel mileage gage is off by 10% often when i check my mileage the old fashioned way.

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  i love my car - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By bethne - April 1 - 4:20 pm

  Had this car since 1999. Original owner. Replaced alternator once, brakes twice and had some work done on catalytic converter. Also passenger side mirror fell off pretty easily. Enough bad though. I love this car. Im very hard on vehicles and this one has held up really well. 120,000 miles, most are in town. Pretty good gas mileage, about 33 mpg. Handles great in snow and ice. Very comfortable on long trips. Heating and cooling system is wonderful. Lots of storage. Drives really well on back/country/mountainous roads, including dirt, gravel, and mud.

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  "06" GTO - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By Mark Howell - March 30 - 10:40 pm

  This car is great! It handles very well. The engine has a LOT of snap to it. Under the hood is a well organized engine compartment. The seats are the most comfortable seats Ive sat in. The sound system is very good, but it would have been nice to have an auxiliary plug for an I-Pod. The craftsmanship on this car is outstanding! The 6 speed shifter had a longer throw than I liked, but after I installed a B&M Short shifter it performs extremely well. I love the "Spice Red" paint on mine. I wouldnt trade this car for anything!

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  08 Pontiac g6 4dr sedan - 2008 Pontiac G6
  By steve - March 30 - 8:36 am

  Just picked up this 08 g6 value edition over labor day weekend. I compared many cars in this segment such as Accord, Altima, Sonata, Fusion, just to name a few. This G6 had the best style and more power compared to the rest. How reliable this car will be remains to be seen only time will tell I guess. Standard OnStar and 4-wheel disk anti-lock brakes is also a big plus as well.

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  05 GTO 18 in wheels 6 speed stock - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By doug - March 30 - 4:20 am

  reviews forget to add the 18 in wheel options with high performance tires. and the larger PBR brakes on the 05s. I have not seen a magazine review that actually tests one with the higher performance tires/wheels which is certain to improve handling!! Get one before they are gone. The design is a sleeper and mercedes like styling to be a later classic.

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  I dont see the outside behind the wheel - 2001 Pontiac Aztek
  By okiechemist - March 30 - 12:03 am

  I bought my 2001 Aztek in October 2001. I have really enjoyed it. I did and do catch a lot of comments from friends about its looks but I just commented that "When Im driving the car I cant see the outside." Incidently, the same people who give me the hard time are also the ones who request help hauling things, or wanting to use my car for trips (it does have a lot more room).

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  better than expected - 1998 Pontiac Grand AM
  By tmister - March 29 - 10:00 am

  This car has been surprisingly reliable. Maintenance has been non existant with the exception of routine upkeep. With about 160000 miles, it is still running strong. the v-6 has plenty of power to spare. She always starts with ease. I bought the car as economy transportation, but it turned out to be much better than expected. I have passed the car on to my kids. I would recommend this car to any friend.