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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  Okay Car - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By ginah04 - May 14 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my Grand Prix for approx. 3 years and cant wait to get rid of it for a few reasons. First, I want to say that this car is not all bad. It has great styling and excellent handling. There are a few things I wish I had read up on before purchasing. First, the car has a lot of electronic problems. I have had 4 motors in my windows replaced in only 3 years! The car rattles A LOT in the dash area and the noises are just about impossible to get rid of, also very annoying! I dont drive the car that much (4-5 days a week) and my rotors were pitted after 18,000 miles and had to be replaced.

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  Looks over quality - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By lovehatesit - May 14 - 3:04 am

  I purchased this vehicle back in 07 it was working perfect up until about a year of having it all was well until I noticed some things going out and as murphys law fix one thing another breaks. hazard switch was the first, then the breaks, then the bearing, electrical issues, a/c, wont turn over on hot days, heat goes on smells like gas, and now my window motor. this car is a beauty....but on the in-inside its all falling apart and i cant afford another vehicle let alone the repair costs. Dont bother to get this car if you REALLY want one, you can buy mine $12k.

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  Comfort but not mechanics - 1997 Pontiac Bonneville
  By LibrnPA - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Id say that my 97 Bonneville was my favorite of all time except for all the mechanical repairs Ive had over this past year (bought it last summer). I usually get 170,000mi+ on my cars but this Bonny has 90,000 and everything leaks! Had intake manifold repaired, antifreeze leaked, tranny seals leaked and it has always leaked a little oil. Now the rear main seal is leaking and i cant spend more big bucks and im heartbroken. This car is so well engineered for comfort and handling - my 8 to 10 hr interstate trips are easier in the Bonny than my 89 DeVille. Anyone else have leaks??

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  HOW GM CARS BEING MADE - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By RONY - May 14 - 2:00 am

  CAR BEEN INSHOP EVERY MONTH SINCE BOUGHT TRUNCK LEAKES WATER HAD TO BE FIXED OVER FIVE TIMES .REAR DRIVER FLOOR FULL WITH WATER HAD TO BE FIXED TWICE.A BRACKET ON STEERING COLUMN BROKE ,HAD VIBRATION AND LOOSE STEERING. BACK TO DEALER TO FIX. FIRST DAY CAR WAS BOUGHT A PANEL FELL DOWN UNDER DASHBOARD BY BRAKE PEDAL COULD NOT SWITCH GAS TO BRAKE HAD TO FIX AT DEALER. THIRD PONTIAC OWNED IN TEN YEARS . WILL BE LAST.

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  Good Car- Very good Price - 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By TinMan - May 5 - 5:30 am

  Overall, I have been pleased with the GTP. I have owned the supercharged engine before and its a primary reason why I bought this car. It is very strong at 260 hp- although I have not gunned it too much yet- still new. The car definitely looks cool in black- almost batman -like. I get all kinds of looks from people. Lots of features plus a good, sporty look got me into this car. I also got the GM employee price minus my GM card rebate which came out to be around 25K for a totally loaded 2005 GTP. Pretty good deal for what you get. Definitely not a boring-looking Accord or a Camry..

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  Pontiac G8 Gt - 2009 Pontiac G8
  By Irish - May 3 - 1:13 am

  Have had a problem with the parking brake not releasing has been to the dealer 2 times for this problem, was told there is nothing wrong.They said they replaced it I still have the problem. Their suggestion was my wife pulled it too tight, It was only pulled tight enough to hold the car on a hill. this is probably a design flaw that Gm either is not aware of or not willing to repair.

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  Great Fun Car - 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By pwalsh - May 2 - 5:50 pm

  I just leased a GXP and Im very impressed. I just finished graduate school and got a good job so I could finally afford a nice car. I looked at the Charger a lot and was almost set on it when a friend persuaded me to test drive a GXP based on what he had read about it online. I took his advice and ended up getting one just weeks later. Everything everyone has already written here is true. I leased because I want to wait to see about the reborn Camaro and Challenger in a few years. But regardless this is a sweet car. Im 23 and I love driving it. It feels and looks like a sports car despite its sedan heritage. Loud, fast V8...good old American muscle. Whats not to love?

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  Owner, Auto Mechanic - 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Joe111089 - May 2 - 10:00 am

  The 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GT 4Dr is a real nice car. Spacious interior front and back. Comfortable ride great stereo and handles very well. Other automakers should follow suit and stop making cars so small. This is America we like to eat.

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  Garync 2007 Solstice GXP - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By garync - April 29 - 8:20 pm

  I drove my GXP very conservatively for the first 500 miles, but after that I opened her up. I am amazed at the power and handling for a car in this price range. I have owned several Corvettes and a big-block SS Camaro. Obviously the GXP is a different type of can, but it is a blast to drive.

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  Buy One! - 2003 Pontiac Vibe
  By Don Wells - April 28 - 10:40 pm

  I now have over 72,000 miles on my Vibe. I bought it used with 40k so I have no idea whether there were any initial problems, but I have had to fix NOTHING, and everything works fine. The Moon and Tunes package is great- the sound is surprisingly good w/ rds display. The car is just easy to drive. Easy to park, easy to enter and exit, comfortable seats (which still show no wear). I average 30 mpg driving very aggressively. It handles well and holds an amazing amount of stuff (considering its shorter than a Civic, its astounding) as well as hauling hundreds of pounds in the back without hurting handling. The engine is fairly refined although a little buzzy at high RPM, Acceleration is go