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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  Decent Ride - 2004 Pontiac Vibe
  By MSimon - March 8 - 2:00 am

  Good on the highway. Sluggish 0 to 50MPH. Well designed interior. Great for moving things or carrying loads. 200 watt stereo below average. Speakers vibrate. Omits sulpher smell when you floor the gas pedal. 28 to 30 MPG. Tires are wearing quickly. Original equipment Continental tires will need to be replaced at 35,000 mile, despite rotaing tires every other oil change.

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  Enjoying my GTP - 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By jtc37 - March 8 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my GTP last Novemeber and up until now it has met my expectations in every way!

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  Lots of fun - 2007 Pontiac Solstice
  By J - March 5 - 8:10 am

  The car is outstanding and lots of fun to drive. This is definitely a roadster true to its sportscar heart. It feels like and drives like the experience you are looking for. If you want something to turn heads and zip around town, this is the best bet for your money. Dont be looking for a daily driver or a traveling vehichle. You can squeeze golfclubs in if you buy a small bag, but dont expect to be carrying luggage or moving large items from home.

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  Great Car - Fun to Drive - 2002 Pontiac Aztek
  By talia5307 - March 4 - 11:23 am

  I bought my Aztek almost 7 years ago and have never regretted it. It now has 98000 miles on it and has only ever needed minor repairs (brakes, etc). I love that nothing else on the road looks like it, this is not your cookie cutter car for your cookie cutter neighborhood. The ride is smooth, quiet and comfortable and the car handles well in my northern Illinois winters even with just FWD. My only complaints are that the back seats dont fold flat, but not many 2002 vehicles do. Also, the bottom of the back window is totally flat, which leaves it almost always dirty.

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  Great car if youre taking it easy - 2000 Pontiac Grand AM
  By Ceeblur - March 4 - 10:00 am

  ME and my car have a love hate relationship. I love the layout of it, the features, and the speed, but I hate the gas mileage you get on it, and also the shortness of brake life. I have heard that you get better gas mileage if you use synthetic oil. Gas mileage is fine as long as you dont hotrod it like I do.

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  not bad - 2004 Pontiac Grand AM
  By brutusbaxter - March 4 - 10:00 am

  fun to drive, accelerates and handles very well. satellite radio good option.

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  Not Impressed - 2005 Pontiac Grand AM
  By NotImpressed - March 3 - 9:20 am

  I traded in a 03 Saturn for my Grand Am. I was in tears a month after my trade. The car inside is smaller than my little Saturn, the doors curve so it is hard to fit things in the back seat that you cant fit in the trunk because the opening to the trunk is too small. The seats are not the most comfortable for road trips. It is a lot of plastic on the inside and just make me think of a cheap Matchbox car the more I have to drive it. The starter sticks more often than not and after purchasing the vehicle, I found out that this is a very common problem for the Grand Ams.

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  Very Comfortable Car: a few design flaws - 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix
  By HK2674 - March 2 - 7:00 pm

  We just drove this car for a week and drove 3,000 miles in it (with our dog). It was a very comfortable, great car with a lot of room. We drove it from Nevada to Nebraska in rain, blowing snow, gusting winds and some black ice.

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  Great car, small price - 1997 Pontiac Sunfire
  By Hayley Adams - March 2 - 10:00 am

  I loved this car and I would still have it if it had not been totalled in a recent accident. It breaks my heart that I have to buy another car now! This car handles really well, is low to the ground, sporty, and gets good gas mileage. It was a highschool graduation gift and lasted me well through college. I believe that it is a good first car for teenagers or 20- somethings. It has a youthful appearance. I would recommend to anyone. Unless youre taller than 60"!!

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  Great car - 2007 Pontiac Vibe
  By bobbo - February 26 - 12:03 pm

  Ironically I was looking at the Matrix as my final choice. I play the drums so hauling my kit was a big factor. When I saw the room with the seats down I was most impressed. Ive put 25,000 miles on and have no complaints, in fact when I told the service mgr I was looking at a Toyota he said" Well this IS a matrix with a Vibe body. Im getting between 33 and 36 mpg consistently in combo driving.