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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  Great - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By jstar - February 27 - 4:10 pm

  I bought this car a little over a year ago and I love it. I have 150000 miles on it now and have never had a problem except replacing the alternator. I hope the newer Grand Prix is just as reliable because I think Im hooked on Pontiac.

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  Perfect to Me - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Shanes Silver GTO - February 27 - 12:36 am

  I only want to say that I am 100% satisfied with my 2005 GTO 6.0 liter. I drove alot of performance cars but always came right back to the GTO. Many dont care for it and thats fine. Everyone is entitled to say what they want. I just plan LOVE my GTO.

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  after a few initial quality problems... - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By BEanVive - February 26 - 5:43 pm

  I really enjoy this car. However, I did have a problem with a leaking sunroof when I first purchased it. After 3 repair attempts, though, I think they fixed it. Also, the paint quality could be better. The paint marks up easily. Overall, the interior is awesome (though the auto-headlights drive me crazy... the turn on in bright sunshine). It is very comfortable for short and long trips. It parks in the tightest spots, and it has good power. I often find myself going 75-80 on the highway, though it feels much slower. Wind and road noise is great for such a small car. Also, the cargo room is amazing for such a small car. Many storage spots, and it is really sharp looking.

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  Great underated sport luxury car. - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Paladin - February 26 - 4:26 pm

  This car is fantastic! GTP has power, rides smooth like a $50,000 luxury vehicle, best standard features. A bargain out there! I have owned a Porsche, Corvette, Trans Am, this car is great!! Looks great drives great.

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  PROBLEMS - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By RAY - February 26 - 7:13 am

  I love my car but this wk found I needed brakes almost ate the rotars out, the brakes made noise from day one and I was told it was dirt, 389.00 later its the brakes, they also found a noice that is a leak in the exhaust but dont know the spot, I have another GMC wiht 85,000 miles and orgnl brakes so its not the driver, I found my garage is the pits, they no longer take you to work(over 5 miles) they will not give me a lender so I am stuck taking a day off with my warrenty still good,,,

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  Best Car Ever Made - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Janice - February 25 - 8:23 pm

  The 2008 Grand Prix GXP is a blast to drive.this is my 4th Pontiac and are the more reliable cars on the road. Had a 98 Grand Am with over 250,000 on it when I sold it and it was still running a of 2 years ago (lost track of it). I love the power when you step on the accelerator you can feel the gs pulling you back in your seat.S for winter driving I had no problems in the 2009 winter here in the North Idaho. Put 4 studded tires on and went everywhere in 12" of snow and ice. The exterior could use a little more chrome here and there.

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  Its alright - 2000 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Josh - February 24 - 8:50 pm

  this car looks very nice, looks a little like a race car. However I have had problems with this car also, struts make noise when you turn the wheel, outside temperture gauge, fog light switch, And even the passenger leather seat heater burnt a hole in the seat!! And drivers heating element burnt out completely, looks nice but if you plan on owning this car for a long time, dont dream of it. This car is only 3 years old, and I cant imagine whats going to go wrong next in another 3 years.

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  Average Car but Cheap - 2001 Pontiac Sunfire
  By rsyang123 - February 22 - 10:00 am

  Bought the car b/c it was extremely cheap w/ all the discounts. Not worth very much for trade-in value. Havent had any major problems yet but numerous minor defects. Doesnt have the solid feel to it. Poor gas milage - only ~23 mpg for even the highway.

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  $$$ - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By hunter0562 - February 22 - 1:23 am

  Fun car but everytime I turn around Im putting money into it. Cant keep tires on it and Ive tried different brands. Brakes - reguar maintenance but much more expensive than a regular car. Transmission 1 went out at 84,000. Transmission 2 went out at 120,000 - and I feel the dealer didnt install Transmission 2 correctly (the shift stick was never right) and the dealer didnt do anything for me. Transmission 3 has been great (now at 156,000). Now just had a wheel crack - GM sells them for $700!I found one for $450. Great fun to drive but be aware of high performance car costs.

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  Car will come out of gear w/out keys - 2007 Pontiac G6
  By no_more_pontiacs - February 20 - 8:43 pm

  My car is able to be taken out of gear without the keys in the ignition or by pressing the brake pedal. My car was knocked out of gear 2 days ago and rolled into the street. After contacting GM, they tell me this is normal. Took to local GM dealership and they could not believe it. Still GM is saying its normal and the Shift Lock Control System, which is a safety feature, is only active when the key is in the ignition. Some safety feature if it doesnt work when the keys ARE NOT in the ignition. This just started happening and they are telling me its normal and there is nothing they can do. SO BEWARE that you car may come out of gear if bumped! Its normal.