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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  Uh oh - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By Holly - September 6 - 10:00 am

  Bought this car with 19,000 miles on it. Replaced mirror covers several times. Uncontrollably shakes while breaking. Clicking sound when turning and now with 61,000 miles on it my engine smells of burning and a metal rubbing sound with acceleration. Highly upset and do not recommend to anyone.

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  Post recall thoughts - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By WTH - September 6 - 12:33 am

  Much better than the previous model. Much more comfortable. Much peppier. No problems merging on to hi-ways and fun on back roads. Great in rain and snow. If you have a strong ego its more car than youd ever need.

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  Whitetrees Review - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By whitetree_5 - September 2 - 3:56 pm

  This car is lots of fun to drive, but completely impractical. I put this car through heavy use, but even taking this into consideration, the car is unreliable. Parts break on this thing left and right. If you want this car, be warned, it is beautiful but very high maintenance.

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  Great car, if it would quit breaking - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By prettygtp - September 2 - 5:57 am

  I bought this car with 113,000 miles which is lower than any other car I have owned. In its defense, I bought it from an auction so who knows how it was taken care of. But it ran great! It was super fast. Then things started breaking, exhaust, window switches, suspension, leaky valve covers. I had a bad feeling but never wanted to sell it when the transmission decided to blow. The first gear totally destroyed itself. Will not own one of these again, going back to my mustangs which get 200,000 miles on them before they go out.

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  Better than Basic - 2007 Pontiac Vibe
  By Jello - September 1 - 10:56 am

  I bought this car as basic transportation 2 years ago, and it has exceeded my expectations. I average 34 mpg with my 5 speed, and have gotten over 40 on the highway. The car is cheap, and cheaply built, and I miss my Avalanche for durability and quality, but I love the gas mileage and the small size. Even as small as it is, we never have an issue getting all our stuff in it - even when taking three boys to their football games. Several of my friends have Vibes now, too, after seeing all the things I do with mine.

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  Montana SV6 3.9 L GREAT VAN! - 2006 Pontiac Montana SV6
  By Mom, Dad & 2 teens - August 31 - 9:06 pm

  The 3.9 L engine is real peppy. I had a 2000 Montana with a 3.4 L engine that had the Dexcool leak problem. Still it lasted me 138,000 miles before being totaled in an accident. Had to have my Montana Van back, so I chose the SV6. Teens love the DVD & wireless headphones. I love the remote start. This Van offers a lot of features for a good price.

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  OK, but not great - 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By ferrisfan - August 31 - 10:00 am

  Overall, a good car that suffers from typical GM problems. The alternator went out at 30k, and there is a noticable grinding noise in the bushings when hitting bumps. The engine has plenty of power from a dead stop. Sometimes when trying to pass at highway speeds, there is a lag in the availability of the supercharger. Installing Goodyear Aquatread 3 tires has really improved handling/cornering!

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  Great car, lacks options. - 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Todd J. - August 31 - 10:00 am

  As a 26 year old male, this car is a perfect fit. I bought a 2002 GT for the great looks, great power, Great space, and fantastic cornering. However, even at the high end options there are options missing that I would like to see (see below) I will definately buy another Grand Prix in the future, the new body looks interesting...

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  Good for the Price - 2005 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Dee - August 29 - 2:43 am

  Dont get me wrong, I love my car. But the only thing I have a problem with is the back window noise. It sounds like the windows are down slightly when youre doing interstate driving, gets pretty annoying. Other than that, its roomy, sporty, and has great take off.

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  Only thing wrong w/the sunfire - 1999 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Jessca91 - August 28 - 10:00 am

  I have found, as same with everyone I know that has this car (conv. 2 dr. gt sunfire) that the lights are really dim in comparison to all of the other cars on the road. A friend of mine and I both drive with our brights on, and have never been pulled over.