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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  good car but had little problems - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By got 1 of the lucky 1 - December 21 - 10:43 am

  I got this grand am With 130,000 miles on it.now it has 174,000miles. had it for 3yrs. i had to change the thermostat just once cause it was heatin up a lil. i change the oil every sungle time. i changed the sparkplugs on my own and the only tIhng i hated was the clicking noise from the hazard signal button. i changed that but still clicks a lil. sound system is great. I never had problems with the intake maifold gasget cause i changed the anntifreeze in the car. its been good to me but im gettin a new car now

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  happy owner - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By HAPPY OWNER - December 20 - 8:33 am

  I got this van two years ago because it was easy to get all my sport equipment into. I have had good luck with the van. It starts up every time on the first try. I have only had to fix a few small things. It handles well for a van. I like the larger engine it makes a big difference.

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  fun to drive, but Im disappointed - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By Wisconsinite - December 20 - 7:40 am

  2.4 l automatic with sunroof and sound package. Its fun to drive, but I think the sunroof sucks up about 2 mpg. I have never gotten over 30 mpg in the 5,000 miles Ive driven it. I drive about 80% highway and 20 small town (no traffic jams) and get 27-28 mpg with conservative driving. Im disappointed b/c I hoped Id get what others reported during the months before I purchased. The ride is really rough, too. If I knew Id get this mpg, Id probably have stuck with another Sebring with a cushy ride. Also, in order to get the roof rack, I had to pay for custom wheels, so the option was really about another $1,000. I will probably trade it in the spring for a different American vehicle.

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  Happy - 2009 Pontiac Vibe
  By 26.2 - December 19 - 8:06 am

  My 1st American-made car purchase in 30 years. That, plus GMs pending doom made me hesitant about purchasing an 09 Vibe but glad we did. Traded the AWD of a Forester for the mpg of a Vibe. Very happy after the first month. The 1.8l with std transmission is a little slow off the line but has plenty of windup once you pass 3000 rpm. Nice quite ride. 35+ mpg highway. 28 mpg in town. Yakima canoe rack fits the roof fine.

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  its all good under the hood - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By cadkins1990 - December 17 - 3:40 pm

  she is a muscle car for sure its all to mean if youre stuck in a family car from the 20th century

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  The Vibe , a Great Little Car - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By Warren Curt - December 17 - 1:06 pm

  This car has all I am looking for with the current fuel situation. I replaced a V8 truck and have cut my fuel consumoption in 1/2. It cruises very well at 75 MPH. There are numerous storage areas. It has very adequate space for 4 adults. I like the styling better than its cousin the Toyota Matrix. I would recomend this car to anyone.

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  Awesome - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By DavidC - December 16 - 8:16 pm

  My first V8. Owned many 4 and 6 cyl and turbos. I Love it. Power at any time. Awesome sound under full throttle. Plenty of comments from bystanders. THey always ask "Is it fast?" My response. Oh yeah, plenty. The build quality is not typical pontiac for this is my third to own. Styling is sleeper which I like. Dont need hoodscoops and other eye candy. Glad there is not tons of them on the road which makes me feel lucky to own one. My wife even likes to drive it and she didnt care for it at first. I took the automatic because not interested in shifting gears anymore and can still get a nice chirp shifting into second gear. Way to go Pontiac with the GTO. Thanks.

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  GOOD BUT COULD BE BETTER - 2006 Pontiac Vibe
  By CARMAX GIRL - December 16 - 3:33 pm

  This car is fun to drive and gets great gas milege. The interior and exterior are both comfortable and stylish, but the exterior paint is of poor quality. The car is also very reliable, but not fast.

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  G8 GT is Simply Amazing - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By JT - December 15 - 10:23 pm

  What a shame. GM finally gives us this wonderful car, and POOF, it is no more. I purchased my 2009 G8 GT in June of 2009 after much thought and consideration. I ended up choosing this car over the BMW 550i. I am simply amazed by the car. The stupid grin that refuses to leave my face when I am driving the car is priceless. At 64" and around 300 lbs, I find the car very comfortable. There is also plenty of room in the back seat. This car is all about the drive. It handles amazingly well, and the acceleration will astonish you. I never thought I would buy a GM product, but I am so glad I did. I am now a reformed brand snob. I love this car!

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  nice car but............ - 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By RAN1506 - December 15 - 10:00 am

  im not going to mention the dealer, but the dealer didnt put the right sticker in the window. the car is missing options that were on the sticker like abs an traction control. an the dealer an gm are not doing anything to make a dissatified person happy. i would of never picked the car would of picked the car out if it didnt have those options, due to the climate i live in. the dealer states i didnt pay for them but i think there pulling my leg. other then that the car is nice but i dont think gm is that great anymore i have a feelin that audi will be my next car.