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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  Fast and Furious - 1999 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Chip McGirt - November 28 - 10:00 am

  I love my Grand Am. I love the acceleration for a 4dr midsize sedan. With 170 hp underneath the hood, it has decent power to go along with a decent ride.

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  Fun so far! - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By funsofar - November 28 - 10:00 am

  Bought car from son 47000 mil. He had it for 3 month. Insurance to high. Switch for fan speed n/g, clutch on a/c compressor noisy except when engauged. Will take advice and change fuel filter. Brakes noisy.Fuel milage 18 in city.

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  The Grand Car Grand Prix - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Thom Morrison - November 28 - 10:00 am

  For the past five years I have driven the Prix line Pontiacs as my company cars.I have had a total of eight in five years 75k and on to the next car.Excellent on gas,fun to drive,great traction on snow or wet pavement.I have driven just about everyones mid-size as rental cars but can not wait to get back to the airport to pick up my Prix!

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  A decent "cheap" car - 2009 Pontiac G6
  By partsman99 - November 27 - 1:01 am

  This is a decent car. Not a fan of all the plastic everywhere, and the very thin hollow sound of the doors when you close them, but other than that not a bad car. Key fobs = terrible! Theyre expensive, and do not last long. The 3.5L has more than enough power, and never ceases to amaze me. Car is VERY quiet; you can barely hear the engine rev. Excellent fuel economy: hwy averages around 28, with as much as 36 on a long road trip. The controls are easy to read, and arranged well. The seats start to get uncomfortable after 5 hours in on a road trip. In short, if you are looking for basic transportation that is dependible and capable of passing slower cars, this is a good choice.

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  Knew What I Was Getting - 2008 Pontiac Torrent
  By czuchster - November 26 - 10:00 am

  There are some squeaks here and there, especially with the steering wheel, but I read the reviews before I bought the car and I knew what to expect. The only disappointment has been with the gas mileage, which hasnt quite been up to the EPA estimates. Even my Hondaphile and Toyotaphile friends have been impressed with the comfort and looks of my Torrent. On the safety front, I was in an accident three months ago that sent two other drivers to the hospital but I didnt get a scratch, or even feel sore the next day. I cant rave enough. Ive looked at trading it in for something with better MPG, but I cant find anything Id give up for Torrent for.

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  Nice for what it is. - 2009 Pontiac G3
  By Small town fool - November 23 - 8:33 pm

  Tried to get a Vibe but for the price, this was better. Great handling and fuel mileage.

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  Fun to Drive But. . . . - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Antelope Mike - November 23 - 1:20 am

  First 50K this car was a blast! Had a 1997 Mustang V6 before, but traded it in for a family car when my daughter was born. I wanted a more pratical car yet sporty as I had only owed sport coupes (all sticks)before. The GP-GT was the perfect car for me. I chose it over an Accord, Maxima and Camry. However, the last 44K (currently has 94K on it)has been another story. First the transmission (seems like a popular complaint) went out. Unfortunately, didnt have extended warranty. Then a power window, the ABS is malfunctioning causing the brakes to shudder when applied until the ABS turns itself off. I have also gone through 3 "seven year" batteries. Too bad, because the GP-GT is so fun to drive!

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  Great car, Bad transmission - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Fire Red - November 23 - 12:40 am

  The transmission is the only thing that is bad on this particular vehicle. Everything else gets exceptionally high marks. The transmission failed approximately 6 months ago. I took it into my local dealership and they quoted me $2,500.00 I contacted Pontiac and they told me to send them the information. As of this writing they have yet to respond to my enquiries. Since this happened to me I started Googling this issue and have since found many strings speaking very poorly of these transmissions.

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  Home Depot Fun Runner - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Rycknj - November 22 - 2:00 am

  I dont have a family, but my first fixer upper home. I havent found anything yet that I cant get into it. I have the moon and tunes package which is great around town and on the road. The car is comfortable on long trips and my mileage is 29 city and 33 highway. I think thats because my average speed is 85 MPH on the highway. Love this car!

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  Money hungry Montana - 2000 Pontiac Montana
  By F. Mauritz - November 22 - 2:00 am

  My Montana has been a big disappointment. The electronics that drive the transmission shift mechanism were a constant problem during the first year. The electronic "brain" made some very hard shifts on a couple of occasions before a new circuit board was put in. The transmission shelled out just after the warranty ran out and I suspect the hard shifts contributed to the breakdown. It has spent a lot of time in the shop for minor fixes that stem from poor factory workmanship. This is my last Montana and probably by last Pontiac.