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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  Fun, fun fun. - 2006 Pontiac G6
  By JULIANK - April 6 - 9:40 pm

  Bought this car to match the fun I have with my motorcycle. I use every hand and foot to shift and brake with it and I wanted a car to match that level of involvement. This G6 GTP is a hoot to drive and it goes like a fireball when I put my foot into it. Lots of fun but can get well over 25 mpg when I drive like my wife does.

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  over all - 2003 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Roxanne Jordan - April 5 - 1:46 pm

  This has been a very good car. over all repairs were good. In 5 years 1 front strut replaced,Motor for powered windows and fuel pump ( my fault for running on emtpy). Other reviews show that the fog lights have gone out and it has to do with the wire harness mine also has the same problem.I have to get rid of it for it is to close to the ground for getting in and out and it is a very rough ride. Not a car for someone with children.

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  Fun to Drive - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By Good to Go - April 4 - 3:30 am

  I love this car! I compare it to the Subaru Outback because of its versatility. Ive only had it two weeks but I can tell the gas mileage is great. Only problem Ive come across is putting gas in the tank. The pump constantly shuts off like its full even when I just start pumping. Very annoying, takes 10 minutes to fill tank. Anyone else have this issue? I checked on recalls or campaigns and found none. Other than that, great car.

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  My first car! - 2004 Pontiac Sunfire
  By L33y4 - April 3 - 5:50 am

  I recently bought this car used with only 50,000 km on it. It was extremely cheap, and thats why I got it. Its my first manual transmission, and its so fun to drive! Nothing has gone wrong yet, and hopefully wont for a while! Though the 2 middle air vents dont work. I didnt realize it until after I got the car. Im sure its fixable though. Before this I drove a cheap little Korean car, and compared to that thing, the Sunfire looks and feels like a $40,000 car! I will never drive foreign again! American cars have more fun features to offer with better quality too! Besides the body lasts forever on American.

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  Awesome Family Vehicle - 2001 Pontiac Montana
  By Julie - April 2 - 6:36 pm

  We bought our Montana because we has small children and wanted the convenience of the back seat access for car seats. It has been a wonderful van for us. Love the easy cleanability of the leather seats, the access to rear seats, the ease of lowering the back seat for more cargo space. We have had no major repairs. We have taken good care of our van and had regular maintenance, which makes a world of difference. All mechanical systems still working great. Its a comfortable van, easy to drive and great for families.

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  nice when it starts - 2001 Pontiac Grand AM
  By mandy00000000 - April 1 - 2:00 am

  I love this car I really do, when it starts. We bought this car a year ago with 7800 miles on it and have 35000 on it now. Soon after I bought it I had troubles with the car starting. It usually takes 2-3 times to start (not all the time) Ive taken it into the dealership 3 times about this and they just tell me that its a computer quirk and there is no cure for it. I would have no complaints if it would just start the first time.

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  It has been a dependable car - 1995 Pontiac Firebird
  By Suzy67 - March 27 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car used in 97 and wasnt sure how good it would be in the long run but was pleasantly surprised. I have had to have the fuel pump replaced,the alernator belt replaced a couple of times, and the egr valve replaced. That is it for major work. I read a couple of reviews that dogged this car and had to respond!! It has done me well! It has been an overall great car for me an has held on to is resale value well. I would reccomend it to anyone.

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  Lauras review - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Laura - March 26 - 11:23 pm

  Needs cup holders in the back seat. also I have noticed that when you turn the steering column pops. I only had 25,000. miles on the car when this happened. the dealership said there were a lot of problems with this in a lot of there Pontiac made cars. Other than that I love my car, its very sporty but I can still carry my kids with me.

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  Dont buy the 2000 Grand Prix - 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By Bill12215 - March 21 - 10:00 am

  My 3rd GP - getting worse. My 1990 was a good car traded in at 60,000 miles. My 1994 developed transmission problems at 50K miles but toughed it out until 100K when it finally failed. My 2000 is terrible. The front windshield gushed water when it rained after 2 weeks - was missing about 4 inches of caulk. The radio died. The replacement died. After 2 years more water leaks coming in from the roof. The interior lights will no longer go off - fuse pulled. At 50K miles this cars transmission is failing worse than the previous one. Its made it to 60K miles but it wont make it to 70K. Its a fun car to drive but I would not recommend it.

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  Avoid - 2002 Pontiac Bonneville
  By nothappy4321 - March 21 - 10:00 am

  The trunk leaks. I used a garden hose and found that water is making it through the weather-stripping and streaming right down into the spare tire well. The back passenger floor also gets wet when it rains, probably bad weather -stripping. The drivers side window makes a groaning noise when I power it down. The car clunks when making turns. I thought the clunk was due to the intermediate steering shaft which the GM claims he fixed but now Im being told its a bad front strut bearings.