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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  Solstice in Michigan - 2006 Pontiac Solstice
  By 9966 - March 4 - 3:20 am

  I debated between the Solstice, Mazda, and Sky. I had a car on lease, and let the lease buyout sway my decision. I now have a 2006 Solstice, it had 3,300 miles when I bought it. I now have 8,000 miles and am totally happy. My only regret is it has very little space for anything except me a passenger and a couple cups of coffee. I had the opportunity to drive it on a 500 mile trip, and love it. Top is easy to raise and lower, and tight as a drum. I wanted a fun, sporty, stickshift, good handling, quick sports car like the old MGs and Austin Healy and that is what I feel I have. I kid Vette owners it is a halfavette - cylinders, size, and price! But a lot of fun.

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  Awesome Aussie-Gett one quick! - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Dvick - March 2 - 1:03 pm

  Bought this car in July 09; blows away my friends BMW 550i for 1/2 the $$- Have 13k on the car, absolutely love it- cant beleive GM is gonna pull the plug when they finally got it right. More interior room than a BMW 750i, More trunk space, super comfy, great handler, V8 hauls. Have had all the imports, BMW, Merc, Lexus,Infiniti, this one tops them all. Enjoy driving it so much I took the family to Vegas in it, 3k miles total, averaged 24 mpg @ 85+mph loaded to the gills across the desert! In town expect 15-16 mpg. I am seriously considering buying another just to mothball for when I run this one into the ground! GM- PLEASE keep this car, maybe as a Chevy Impala? Try one, youll love it!

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  I love my 99 Trans AM! - 1999 Pontiac Firebird
  By MSPOOKIJO - March 1 - 4:33 pm

  Ive had my Trans Am for almost 9 years. I have 225,010 miles on it and I still love it! I am going to have to get a new car within the next couple of months because Im on the road so much and I need something with better fuel economy - if they still made them Id get another one though!

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  Its a great car - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Brian Faust - February 29 - 2:20 pm

  I test drove the new GT Mustangs then decided to give the GTO a shot. Wow.. what a car. The quality of workmanship from the quality paint job to the stitching on the shifter boot and all points in between makes this a superior vehicle. The suspension is tight and handling on windy back roads is excellant. You will feel any rough conditions due to the stiff suspension. Breaking distance is good and acceleration through the gears is awsome. The Blaupunkt sound system is is top notch. The only negatives I have are the wheels are just so so..Im definately going to upgrade them and the trunk space is tiny-- golf clubs bearly fit.

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  Asteck - 2004 Pontiac Aztek
  By Satreethawk - February 28 - 10:00 am

  Trying to re-start the car after it has been shut off for a few minutes is really hard. Also the back air foil is right in the line of sight as you look in the rear-view mirror.

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  2000 BONNEVILLE REVIEW - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By kimmyb - February 28 - 10:00 am

  We were exceptionally pleased with the quietness and handling with this car. Also pleasantly surprised with the mileage we are getting 28*29 mpg highway.Very impressive for a 3.8 Liter engine. It is better on gas than our 1997 Lumina was!

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  Pontiac GRAND AM - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Ethan Atkinson - February 28 - 10:00 am

  Have had no problems relating to the engine, anything else under the hood. The only complaint-the AC, especially important where in Georgia, does not blow very cold when you turn it on high, just harder air. I have taken the car on two long trips and the car was great, and comfortable. The back seats arent the best but they do their job. The only bad thing about this car is its resale value. I regret buying it from a dealership and not a private party. I am now stuck with a car that I owe 10000 on and can only get $5-6000 for trade. I will probably keep it as long as possible though.

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  back to my youth - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By tony - February 28 - 5:33 am

  just purchased the vehicle. one word to expain it, awesome. first timr behind the wheel i smiled and thougth about my youth when i owned a 1971 chevelle 454. not only does the gto sound better, it also does everything ten times better than my chevelle. for the price in this day and age, best buy possible keep your foriegn sporst cars and even the new mustange, 3000 over sticker. the GTO is back and better than ever. pure american muscle and sound.

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  favorite car in 26 years of driving - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Scott - February 28 - 3:36 am

  Ok, i have had a lot of cars! 3 brand new ones and 25 used. This is my first Pontiac but I have had many GMs. The first time i drove it i new i was going to buy it. Sounded good, seats and interior are like a cockpit of a jet plane. The only negative is its really hard to accelerate without the front tires breaking loose. This is my favorite vehicle of all time. I would highly recommend this car to anyone that likes a sporty sedan with a great motor, great looks, great comfort, and a great exhaust sound.

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  No more GMs for me - 1998 Pontiac Trans Sport
  By No more GMs for me - February 27 - 5:46 pm

  We bought this Canadian vehicle in at a Western Pennsylvania auto auction. We got it at less than 14,000 miles. We were delighted with it until 41K (6K out of warranty). Then, with no warning, the engine leaked coolant into the crank, two bearings spun and we needed to replace the engine - $4000! After politely but firmly requesting that GM should pay at least a part of the cost, they essentially told me to pound salt. The regional rep wouldnt even talk to me! Letters to GM basically said drop dead. Turns out my cousin had the same van, a year newer, with 48K - engine failed. My daughters father in law had a Buick that failed at 5K with the same engine. NO MORE GMs FOR ME!!!!