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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  Like Two Bats Out of Hell! - 2008 Pontiac G8
  By Richie - July 21 - 12:46 am

  I have followed this car since I heard about it being available in the US. Overall this car is the best bang for your buck if you want a sport sedan. I looked at a few imports and some other domestics but the G8 won hands down dollar wise. The engine is excellent. I live in NYC and the gas mileage is low in the city (10-12 mpg) and when the highways are packed I see the same results. But when the highways are clear I see 20+mpg easy. For daily driving the suspension is fine, seats are comfy, exhaust is quiet but open up the engine and it sounds sweet. I had this car for about 2 months and I still smile when I turn her on.

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  Love it /HATE it - 1999 Pontiac Montana
  By Number One - July 20 - 10:00 am

  We bought this new and had it dealer maintained regularly since new. First 2 years OK, then PROBLEMS. Electrical, electrical, cooling system, intake gasket, etc... We love the van when it works but became more and more afraid of what would break next. Sounds like a fairly common problem - check the messages on some of the other boards. We took a hit on our trade but dumped it to buy a NON-GM minivan. Sad and too bad - GM we must part ways. Previous Pontiac was not much better - I guess now we learned. CANNOT recommend this van unless you want to just sit in it without driving anywhere.

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  Good Car for College - 2001 Pontiac Sunfire
  By SarasSunfire - July 20 - 10:00 am

  Its no Honda Civic, but it gets good gas milage and is real roomy.

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  Love this car - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By MJ2 - July 19 - 10:33 pm

  I have had Pontiacs since I got my license (ok, forget the 69 Dodge Dart), but have also been loong at BMWs and Acuras. This is by far the best bang for the buck. Every time that I have gone in for service (nothing wrong) or a car wash, the car receives compliments galore. Get over the import hype, and you see a vehicle that is (hopefully) the new beginning of the American auto industry. Worth every penny.

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  A lot of car for the money - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Todster - July 14 - 5:06 am

  This is a phenomenal vehicle for the money and overall I am very pleased with it. My only complaint is the fact that the vehicle left the factory with a defect (hole) in the gas tank. It was discovered after a 1600 mile trip to Las Vegas. After repair I contacted Pontiacs customer service division about the problem from the safety standpoint and they really didnt seem to care. I love the car, I do not care much for Pontiac Motor Divisions so called customer service. I will probably not purchase another Pontiac product due to this, but the car is a lot of fun.

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  Not soooo bad... - 2000 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Jonny the freak - July 13 - 10:00 am

  I wouldnt say its a so bad car ; its OK for the price, offers acceptable performance (I have the manual transmission) and seems reliable for now (it has about 40000 miles). I didnt really have problems with it except that when I stalled (yes it still happens :P) the engine had problems to restart when hot but a visit to the dealer and everything was fine. The only thing I dont like about it is the gaz mileage... it seems poor for the only 115 hp it has... but at least the gas tank has a good capacity !

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  ALL GOOD - 2002 Pontiac Grand AM
  By JamesMIV - July 13 - 10:00 am

  I love the my Grand Am, just wished that I could have affored the Grand Prix. The only major maintance that it need was a replacement of the lower intake manifolds. After it was replaced I got better performance from it. All in all the GrandAm is a good starter car, but if you have the extra money I would recommened the Grand Prix GT just because of the larger size and increased performance.

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  GTO - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By Dean Wheatley - July 8 - 3:13 pm

  I needed a sports car with back seats that actually had some performance - and thats one thing this car plenty of: performance. The vette V8 engine is the reason that you buy this car. Fit and finish is good (as good, if not better than the vette) but handling is, unfortunately, nothing to write home about. The suspension setup is a bit too soft and the tires are nowhere near grippy enough to keep traction. With 400 ponies, you need the traction! The stick shift is just awful and the stick shift is just OK (no overdrive ). Despite is many failings, I believe this is the best bang for the buck. Tighter handling than the gt-500 and almost as quick. A bargain!

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  Goin GTO - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Tommyson - July 4 - 10:00 am

  Very comfortable while sitting in drivers seat. Downside to me is gas mileage and some styling. Although the performance makes up for any dissapointments.

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  Ultimate Sleeper - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By sleepercity - June 26 - 3:30 pm

  Love this car. Was looking for a toy and almost went with a Vette, but have always loved sleepers (cars that surprise without looking like they should). So much fun and the expressions are priceless, although not usually around to see them unless I catch a light further up the road. My overpowering thought when I leave someone in the dust is google it. G8GXP. Sooo much fun, yet very drivable and comfortable on the road. Best MPH on a trip is just under 25, but like others have said, who cares. BTW, I have the 6 speed manual. The drop down wouldnt let me choose.