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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  Gotta love it - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Gman2003 - April 27 - 2:00 am

  I just bought my GTP limited and think it might be the best car I have ever owned. It is fun to drive and has tons of power. The design is awesome and the interior is nicely equiped. It is just an awesome car!!!!!!

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  2002 Grand Am - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By JDogg27 - April 27 - 2:00 am

  Very good car.I have the 2.2 4 cyl w/ manual tranny.Awesome car to have with a stick shift.

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  03 pontiac aztec awd - 2003 Pontiac Aztek
  By sassymom - April 26 - 9:13 pm

  Bought my yellow Aztec in used had everything in it. High mileage but have not had any major problem, just normal wear and tear such as brakes tires, and wheel bearings.

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  Hot Car But Needs a Chrome Grill - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By Lisa - April 26 - 7:43 pm

  My previous car was BMW Z4 3.0. So far, I really like the GXPs performance. The exterior is hot! My only beef with the exterior is the black grill -- it looks cheap! Why not keep the same chrome grill as the Solstice? The interior is sleek -- the seats hug you. However, there is no storage space. I cant even find any place to keep my garage door opener. Ive noticed that the window controls are in an awkward place -- inevitably, my elbow triggers the windows. The biggest pain is the manual top -- miss the Z4s automatic top. There is no trunk space with the top down. Wish they offered navigation system as option. But cant beat the price and bravo to Pontiac for its cool design!

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  Sound system hurts ears - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Nancdir - April 24 - 11:00 pm

  When the radio is on regardless as to the volumne the drivers window has to stay open or I get this horrible vibrating, and my ears literally hurt. If only the back windows are open the rear window by the speakers also will vibrate from the wind. The dealer stated that it is normal and nothing can be done. !!!!!!!!!!!

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  Plain Jane. NOT!!! - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Vinnie C. - April 24 - 5:20 pm

  Ive owned Pontiacs, real Pontiacs, my 1st was a 69 gp. Had a lot of fun in that car at 18 yrs old. Now at 37 yrs old Im having more fun driving than ever before. The look might be plain Jane but the performance is not. Besides the original gto was an ordinary tempest with a 389 engine, not flashy just powerful. Ive driven lots of "performance" cars & this car performs with the best of them all for a $33k out the door price. I miss those old Pontiacs but I wouldnt trade this new one for one of them. They never got 24 mpg hwy with the a/c on at 75 mph, & not to many of them didnt overheat with the a/c on. Dont forget the 400 hp 6.0 that sends the car down the track at about 13.1sec. Awesome car!

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  the hot one - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By greg ihrke - April 24 - 3:43 pm

  This is one hot ride. From day one it has been outstanding performance. Dont buy an automatic transmission get a 5 speed. Why 37 miles to the gallon, it shifts smooth and has cruise control. It comes with everything I need.

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  Best Ive owned - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Sam - April 24 - 4:10 am

  I have not had any repairs outside of normal wear and nothing prematurely. It holds the road well and it never lacks power. With good tires well balanced, its smooth far beyond the legal limit. Ive only undercoated once, and the body is still solid. I purchased this car, off lease, just over a year old. I typically only keep a car 2 - 4 years, but Ive had this one 5 years and dont have any plans to trade yet.

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  Pontiac 3.8L transmission - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By hymark - April 22 - 1:06 pm

  Excellent car, transmission went at 120,000 miles, had it rebuilt, still the same problems, no one can find the problem 12,000 miles later!

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  A great car for the money! - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By gpfan4life - April 22 - 2:00 am

  The Pontiac Grand Prix GTP is a great car for the money. Peformance, looks, and comfort are great, not to mention the good gas mileage for a performance engine. I would recommend this car for a person that needs something practical yet fun and fast.