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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  Still going! - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By jodan29 - February 20 - 10:00 am

  I cant say enough how I love my 2000 GT and will miss it when I retire it. Almost 300,000 miles and the trans is just starting to worry me. I drive 52 miles one way to work. Have had my share of problems, some covered by warranty others not. Still has the original exhaust and engine. Dont like that the black is a matte black with no sparkle; shows scratches too much. Interior has held up great. All I can say is if you keep it maintained it will not disappoint you. Sad to see Pontiac go under. :(

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  Great Car - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By Gene - Massachusetts - February 20 - 5:23 am

  Having been in a Grand Prix GTP I got used to the power of the supercharged 3800. This car is equally impressive and maintains 26+ MPG highway if I behave. Good traction ... 60K miles on original tires. Leaking spoiler (3 times to dealer)a nagging issue with no other quality issues. Brakes replaces after 24K and I am not hard on them. Dealer said its normal for this car. Good stlying, comfortable on highway and a blast on side roads. Looks like Pontiac is moving to smaller sized cars so being a big guy this may be my last Pontiac unless they change their focus. High end stereo and all the goodies make this a fun car to own. Great tire wear ! Some balance issues as tire wear though.

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  Still going strong - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Silver bullit - February 19 - 11:33 pm

  This is my 2nd grand prix. I had my 1st for 125K. This one has 106K so far and I intend to take it to 130K or so. Just like the last one, the acceleration, handling,braking & traction control have always made me feel confident on the road. Some of the cheapisms are getting on my nerves. The maint record has been good, but not stellar. Outside of reg maint, I have replaced a ball joint, valve cover gasket, rr calipers, intake manifold, hood latch, struts and a few switches, seals & sensors in the 7 years I have had it.

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  Glad I found this car.... - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Toni - February 19 - 11:26 pm

  I love my G6 and everyone I know loves it too. For the first six months my son and I said "We love our new car" all the time. Great inside and out. Ive had the car almost a year and still loving it. I think I made a very good choice. Saw the car in the showroom and that sold me. I cant wait to see what you come out with when I need another one. The car is very easy to drive, lots of power, sharp, enjoyable, looking forward to seeing how it holds up for the future. Cant say enough about the car. You will enjoy it...

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  Kind of worried about this car... - 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By tina_2 - February 18 - 6:50 am

  This is my second Grand Prix. I bought a 98 GT new and kept it until 2007 when I purchased this one preowned. Already having some problems with this one though and it has me worried that it will not last until it is paid off. Problems are with brakes & rotors and currently my blower motor is not working, wont know why until it is checked out Saturday. Pretty good gas mileage for the size of the car and enough power to keep me happy.

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  Repairs plus Repairs - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By Kevin M. - February 17 - 12:10 am

  Just lost the tranny the other day with only 62,000 miles and most of the miles on the vehicle are highway miles. The heating system has been a disappointment from day one. Power Window and Door Locks have been more problems that what they are worth. Over $800 were spent on trying to diagnose why the service engine light was on, only to have it come on again and have the dealer say a valve is going out in the transmission, but it wont hurt to drive it - right? The van was religiously serviced but apparently the American quality just isnt there. I have a problem when you pay over $25,000 for a new vehichle and it has major system failures only after 62,000 miles.

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  Birthday Gift - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Clark - February 15 - 4:03 am

  So I got this car for my 16 birthday and with 150,000 miles on it. It now has 185,000 miles on it. I love this car because its kinda fast and has great styling. However, it is not practical for me because I commute 40+ miles a day and there for it uses way to much gas I find this to be a very durable car due to the three wrecks in a month span and its still going strong however I cant wait to get a different car hopefully with better gas millage to bad Pontiac didnt work on that

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  Zoom - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By jrp - February 14 - 10:00 am

  This car hauls, Looks good , and is a great value.

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  40th Anniversary GT - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Shawn3778 - February 14 - 10:00 am

  About 1800 miles and no complaints. We love this car. The 40th anniversary package really turns heads. I added a gold pinstipe and tinted the windows. It is sweet. Handles and rides great. Pleanty of room I am 64" and have no problem with the interior. Back seats are a little low head room wise. FUN FUN FUN FUN. Buy one if you can find it.

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  Yellow Sunfire - 2005 Pontiac Sunfire
  By DD - February 12 - 6:20 am

  Needed an economical car for a daily commute of 160 miles. This one has exceeded my expectaions on all fronts. Initial price was great, economy (33- 36 mpg)is great, it is a zippy passer on two lane roads, and the yellow coupe draws more attention than the vet I owned years ago.