Acting as a harbinger of things to come, Pontiac’s latest attempt to change its image is the snub-nosed crossover Vibe. Looking and sometimes acting like a Transformer, the Vibe is one tough all-around urban warrior.
“Pontiac has a rich heritage,” says Pontiac/GM spokesman Rick Crooks. “The Vibe is the beginning of a renaissance that we hope will bring in a whole new audience.”
The Vibe certainly aims at the active, young crowd that needs a compact car, station wagon and SUV all rolled into one. And the Vibe succeeds.
The rear seats fold flat to reveal a plastic-lined bed that can pretty much hold anything from Ikea. The sturdy upholstery and top-notch interior design is the best Pontiac has put into a base model in a long time.
The chrome-edged cluster of gauges, well-laid-out controls and three-point steering wheel scream import, not good old General Motors.
The driver’s seat rides high, and with the shifter mounted underneath the center environmental controls, the Vibe feels like a minivan–that is, until you take a sharp turn more typical of sport compacts.
“The crisp handling and performance was essential to bringing in a youthful audience,” Crooks says.
The tight handling is impressive but is poorly matched by an underpowered engine in the base model. An upgrade to the 173-horsepower GT would be well-advised.
All-wheel drive also is an option but not with the GT engine. Our test car without AWD found its tires spinning on sub-freezing morning commutes. The rigid frame, however, takes bumps easily, and the rugged little vehicle feels as safe as its five-star safety rating would suggest.
The only deficiency inside is a bulky rearview mirror with map lights that aren’t needed. Every time the driver wants to flip down the visor, it bumps into the rearview mirror, easily knocking it out of alignment.
Such a little detail can actually be dangerous and is quite a contrast to the amount of time spent on the stylish and otherwise ultrafunctional cockpit.
Outside, the dual spoilers on the already heavy rear hatch are simply ugly and detract from the aerodynamic shape. Either way, the looks might garner snickers from the uninitiated.
But the real reason to purchase the Vibe is the versatility. Not only do the rear seats fold flat with the rear bed but so does the front passenger seat, revealing a desktop for commuters or added space for lumber, surfboards or whatever else an ad exec can imagine for a commercial.
The biggest surprise, though, is the Vibe’s size. This new-wave wagon is 4 inches shorter than a new Honda Civic sedan. That makes parking an afterthought.
The Vibe has all the compartments you would ever need, along with a standard electrical outlet for desktop computers, blenders or other household items desperately missed in any car.
If drivers can live with the engine, the base model is a great value right off the lot. But for those who want serious performance or AWD, the price tag tops $20,000, and that puts the Vibe among stiff competition.
RedEye road test
Pros: Versatility, sharp cornering, interior looks
Cons: Not much pep in base model, funky looks
Parking: City-friendly size makes this snub-nosed wagon a breeze to park.
What a valet says
“This would go right in the lot. It’s kind of funny looking, to be honest,” says Billy Lebeter, a valet at a Bucktown restaurant that will remain nameless. “You’d expect a couple with kids to drive it. I wouldn’t buy one, I can tell you that.”
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Edited by Cara DiPasquale (cdipasquale@tribune.com) and Kris Karnopp (kkarnopp@tribune.com)
