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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  Pretty Strong For The Money - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Sportscarnut - March 11 - 10:20 am

  This is my company car, and I have only had it for a month, but here are my first impressions. The engine is strong (especially above 4000 RPM), and the transmission is the best 4 speed automatic I have ever driven. The ride is reasonably firm for a domestic while not being overly harsh. The interior room is very good for a car in this class, and the exterior styling is fine if not a tad subdued. My only real complaint is the quality of the interior pieces. The door panels and the console are made of inferior quality plastic. It looks like something you would expect to find on a Yugo (pretty bad). Made sure to poke around at the interior before you buy. It is way under Honda/Toyota.

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  This is my favorite toy. - 2008 Pontiac Solstice
  By ccaffrey - March 11 - 1:54 am

  Ever since I first seen this car in a magazine, I thought that it was the most beautiful car that I had ever seen. Having to always have some kind of muscle car, I didnt buy a Solstice until they put the turbo in it. Then, I installed a K&N filter and finally, I had the GM turbo upgrade kit installed. Now my 2008 GXP will scream. Imagine 300 hp in a go cart. I love everything about it except, no spare, not console, no trunk space and the location of the electric windows. My Solstice is Blazen Oranage and I had tinted windows installed and that little touch really added to the beauty of this little screamer. Garage kept in winter. My every day car is a Toyota 2012 full loaded FJ.

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  Purchased new - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By drava - March 10 - 6:29 am

  I now have 114,000 miles on car. Am very satisfied, It handles like a sports car, feels like a sport car, performs like a sports car with its hi tech engine and 6 speed trans. I wish a supercharger was available, Did you know that the GT engine is the same base engine used in the Lotus Elise sports car? I understand the engine is built by Yamaha A supercharger is available for the engine by Lotus plus it has a special software to control the valve timing I have replaced only normal wear items ie clutch, brakes, tires, struts Did have powerwidow problem ie glass coming loose from regulater, but they did have a recall on that

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  a fair grand prix - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By aldinero - March 10 - 2:00 am

  my gt is a good handling somewhat noisy car.doesnt ride very well but the front sears are comfortable.good brakes and good visibility.

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  My 2nd sunfire - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By HowardPM - March 10 - 2:00 am

  I actually had a 2000 sunfire before this 2003 one, I really like the changes, the new engine is great, I got every package available. The Onstar is cool, it was pretty fun when I called to register it they told me I was the first person ever to call with a sunfire. I also love the XM radio. Only problems Ive had so far are a rattling in the car that the pontiac place cant figure out what it is. A slight defect on the left turn single lens and its now been 2 months since they ordered a peice to fix it. Also there was a rip in the back seat, Ive been waiting 2 months for them to fix also. This is really a dealership issue not a pontiac one though.

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  Twisted Thoughts - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Sonny - March 10 - 2:00 am

  I was always a 2 door sports car kind of guy, but this 4 door Grand Prix SE is very sharp looking to the human eye.Chicks dig the car, and it has alot of room in it.Very comfortable for the long drives.However, I now hear engine noise at 25000 miles, The dealer said the pistons need to be replaced, and this is common in this model of car.Who needs to buy a new car and have this kind of problem right off the bat??? I always have second thought about this car.Talk to the service dept. in Pontiac before buying this car.I never beat on my vehicles, so tthink about it.Thank god for warranty.

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  Great Car - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Michael - March 8 - 2:43 pm

  I recently went out and bought a red Pontiac G6 for my wife. She loves everything about the car. It is smooth quiet and easy to drive and it looks great. I have a co-worker who had just bought a new V6 Honda Accord and then saw my wife’s G6 say “I wish I had one of those.” My wife’s G6 has the 3.5 V6 it has a good amount of power and gets great gas mileage. The interior is very roomy. All of the audio and climate controls are big and easy to use. My wife loves the interior’s look and feel but it does use some cheaper materials than it competitors. I would have say that people shopping in this segment should take a serious look at the G6. It is a great car especially for the money.

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  Cheap but bad quality - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Allan - March 5 - 4:53 pm

  Bought this car in 2003. Already I got water in the trunk, funny noises comming from the engine and the sealing on the doors/windows are not tight anymore. This car is made to last 5 years and then thrown away.

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  love my bonne - 1999 Pontiac Bonneville
  By aerial - March 4 - 10:00 am

  My car carries a load comfortably. The only trouble Ive had with it is having the transmission computer reset every other year as it suddenly starts shifting gears roughly. I love the comfort, the ride and the reliability.

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  I LOVE my Grand Am!! - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By rebelgirl423 - March 4 - 10:00 am

  I intentionally went looking for this car. I rented several Grand Ams in the year prior to purchase and just loved them. When I found the one I wanted I grabbed it! I drive ALOT! And have put a lot of miles on this car without ANY problems. I have now managed to put over 97,000 miles on it and have had NO major maintenance to do. I honestly believe that the traction control has saved our lives more than once on winter ice, snow, and rain.