Variety in a Vibe

srobertson

Pontiac Vibe GT is a high-performance sport wagon that targets young, hip buyers.

You can ride a Yamaha motorcycle, play a Yamaha guitar and drive a Yamaha boat. But did you know you could drive a Yamaha-powered automobile? I did just that last week when I test-drove a Pontiac Vibe.

The Vibe is a joint project between Toyota and Pontiac. Toyota calls their version "Matrix," and it shares major components with Vibe. It blends the handling of a small sedan with the practicality of a five-door hatchback. The Vibe is geared toward young buyers looking for a stylish, practical vehicle that gets good gas mileage. It competes with other utilitarian vehicles such as the Honda Element, Suzuki Aerio and Subaru Forester. At 171 inches long, it is shorter than the Forester is, but longer than its competitors. It is an inch and a half narrower than the Element, but wider than the others. It has the longest wheelbase of its competitors, at 102 inches, and also the most ground clearance, at 8.1 inches.

All-wheel-drive available

Vibe is available in three versions -- the base front-wheel-drive (FWD) model, the all-wheel-drive (AWD), and the FWD GT, which I tested. All models are stylish, four-door sport wagons, and come standard with air conditioning, dual front airbags, AM/FM/CD stereo, tilt steering and tinted windows. AWD models include anti-lock brakes and a four-speed automatic transmission. GT versions get standard 17-inch wheels, four-wheel disc brakes and a special high-output Yamaha engine.

The Vibe GT is a driving enthusiast's car, and is one of the most powerful vehicles in its class. The Yamaha high-revving 1.8-liter engine produces 180 horsepower at 7600 rpm when fueled with premium fuel, thanks to technologies like double-overhead camshafts, variable-valve timing and variable-valve lift. It also runs fine on regular gas, but produces fewer horsepower. It drives the front wheels through a short-throw 6-speed manual transmission -- usually found only on high-end cars. When I let the engine spin into its upper rpm range it provided thrilling performance. This engine is redlined at a remarkable 8,000 rpm, and its peak power is achieved above 6,000 rpm. Pontiac included a sporty exhaust system that provided a louder-than-normal tone that should please the performance crowd. When you put your foot to the throttle, others will definitely know you're coming, or going, depending on their perspective.

Not only does the Vibe GT rate high in the performance category, but it is also a versatile car, thanks to the sport-wagon shape and adaptable interior. Vibe is more spacious and functional than your average economy sedan. The rear seats fold completely flat to expose over 54 cubic feet of cargo space, split 60/40, and also recline several degrees for increased rider comfort. The front-passenger seat back rest folds flat to function as a work table, or to aid in loading longer items.

Two friends and I drove the Vibe up to Perryville, and I took the back seat. There was a surprising amount of legroom in the vehicle, considering this is a small car. The seat fabric was a smooth black nylon that should be durable and easy to clean. The seats were comfortable and supportive. We thought the interior was very attractive. There was ample headroom and adequate luggage space behind the rear seat, thanks to the vehicle's boxy shape. The interior felt open and spacious. Up front, the center console was nicely tapered and had rounded edges to maximize legroom. The gearshift sprouts from an extension of the front panel, thus freeing up floor space. Red backlit gauges with chrome-trim rings create a sharp-looking instrument panel.

Probably the most novel thing about the Vibe is the 120-volt A/C outlet located in the front dash. It's perfect for powering up those electronic devices, such as battery chargers. Vibe can also be ordered with an integrated DVD navigation system -- unusual for a vehicle in this class.

Safety

The Vibe earned a perfect five stars in the NHTSA's frontal impact testing, five stars for side impacts involving front occupants and four stars for side impacts involving rear occupants. Vibes come with dual-stage front airbags for the driver and front passenger, with seat-mounted side airbags an available option. Anti-lock brakes are standard on AWD and GT models, and optional on the base model.

The Vibe should get around 25 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. My test vehicle carried a sticker price of $21,825, and included air conditioning, power door locks, keyless entry, cruise control, driver's seat height adjustment, rear door child safety locks, dual power mirrors, roof rack, fog lamps, rear window wiper, center console with cell phone storage, 60/40 fold flat rear seats, AM/FM with CD and a rear cargo track system with tie downs. Pontiac is currently offering rebates and financing incentives worth up to $2,000, but they are subject to change at any time by the manufacturer. Check with Cape GMC-Pontiac for details.

Steve Robertson of Robertson's Creative Photography is a car enthusiast and former staff writer/photographer for the Southeast Missourian.