The Pontiac Vibe is a bit of an anomaly in General Motors’ product portfolio. Built at NUMMI, a Toyota-GM partnership facility in California – Toyota’s only UAW plant – it neither looks nor feels like anything else in Pontiac’s slightly confused lineup. On the surface, it’s a Toyota with Pontiac badges. Is this another example of badge-engineering gone awry? Or is it a chance to sample Toyota engineering with a bit of Pontiac flair?
Let’s get this out of the way: The Vibe is a Toyota design built in a joint-venture factory. Ignoring the Pontiac grille and badging, it looks like a Toyota, it feels like a Toyota and it drives like a Toyota. Unless you scraped the Pontiac badges, you could feel confident about servicing and repairing the Vibe at your local Toyota dealership (training must have been easy for dealerships that sell both Toyotas and Pontiacs).
The Vibe was designed with its almost identical platform mate, the Toyota Matrix. However, unlike many badge-engineered vehicles, including some of the Vibe’s cousins at the Pontiac dealership, the Vibe and Matrix really don’t look alike from the outside. Where the Matrix is busy, yet anonymous, the Vibe has a chisel-edge appearance that culminates in a Jeep Compass-style raked D-pillar. Our test vehicle was fortunately devoid of the clunky optional roof rack, giving the Vibe a very pleasant, clean overall appearance marred only by trendy clear tail lamps. For the record, our photoshoot location in no way reflects our opinion of the vehicle. Really. We just feel at home in stinky places here at Leftlane.
Inside, things get a little more Toyota-y. If you’ve been in any recent Toyota product, you’ll recognize most of the switchgear and fonts, as well as the materials. It looks and feels nothing like any other Pontiac, which is both a good and bad thing. The design is contemporary if a little odd – the dash bulges in places a dash shouldn’t bulge and the inset instruments feature logically round speedo and tach with a bizarre rounded-off rectangle for the fuel, coolant temperature and odometer. To say the least, it feels like a modern Toyota interior – a design language that has worked well for Toyota. Materials are generally pleasing, though again they scream Toyota and not Pontiac. We’ve seen good things come out of GM interiors lately, so this is not an insult to either manufacturer.
The Vibe is a comfortable five-seater with a decent amount of space out back in an easily cleaned (and also easily scratched) plastic-covered cargo area. A Monsoon-badged subwoofer robs a little space but sounds pretty good, so we think it’s a fair trade. It’s optional, anyway.
Fire up the 168-horsepower, 2.4 liter inline-four cylinder in our mid-level test car and you’re greeted with a very distant throb from the same engine that does duty in thousands of Camrys across the country. Slip the Toyota-smooth automatic gear lever back into drive, push the go-pedal and you’re greeted with modest but acceptable power, especially low noise levels and slushy-smooth shifts. The handling won’t inspire, but there’s more steering feel here than you’ll get in a Corolla and the ride is just a bit firmer thanks to the optional 17 inch wheels. Overall, however, you guessed it: It all feels very Toyota-like.
The Vibe makes a pretty good Toyota, then. It’s a pretty good car in its own right, thanks to a pleasing blend of comfort, refinement and practicality. And, at least in our eyes, it’s a better looking car than its Toyota-badged twin.
So it’s a good car, then. But is it good for Pontiac?
Pontiac is perhaps the least-focused of all of GM’s brands. Though Pontiac has been around for more than 80 years (initially as Oakland), the late ’70s and early ’80s hit the automaker harder than any of GM’s other brands – even Oldsmobile, which showed some promise before the General pulled the plug.
Pontiac’s product portfolio is as ethnically diverse as they come.
At the top, those who have wandered into a dealership will find the Australian-designed and built G8 (and, in a few months, they’ll find the new G8 ST helping water down the brand). From the bottom working up, you’ll soon find the Korean-designed G3 (a curious addition to a lineup that’s supposed to be moving upscale), the “otherwise-known-as a Cobalt” G5 and the dated – but at least unique to the brand – G6, among a couple of other badge-engineered products. And, mixed in there somewhere, you’ll get the Toyota in Pontiac clothing otherwise known as the Vibe.
Our advice to GM: Either invest in Pontiac with cohesive designs, both inside and out, or give it up. The brand is stretched about as thin as it could possibly be, resulting in a bevy of products that share only a red badge and a dual-snouted grille.
Words and photos by Andrew Ganz.
2009 Pontiac Vibe 2.4 base price, $15,710. As tested, $21,145.
Sun and sound package, $1,285; Preferred package, $1,070; Five-speed automatic, $1,050; Air conditioning, $950; 17 inch alloy wheels, $495; Destination, $585.
10/29, 6:41 PM
posted by:
murderedout
“Built as part of a Toyota-GM partnership in California at GM’s non-union factory” -LLN
Get your facts straight LLN! The NUMMI plant in Cali, IS UNION!
NUMMI employees are represented by The International , United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) Local 2244.
UAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NUMMI
[Leftlane staff: murderedout, thank you for pointing out the error. We made a simple mistake in the editing process and we've corrected the story to reflect the truth. Thanks!]
10/29, 7:06 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
Nice backdrop. Someone have some bad clams for lunch?
10/29, 7:20 PM
posted by:
tyler_is_aero_tt
This looks really good on the road.
10/29, 7:34 PM
posted by:
DrFill
Better than the Matrix now
DrFill
10/29, 7:37 PM
posted by:
jayjc08
I really like the looks of it. They took a bit more effort to differentiate the Vibe and Matrix this time around. Although I would like to see a completely different dashboard, and some other structure related changes, they look fresh and good.
Only products worth keeping in the Pontiac Porfolio: G8, Vibe, and G6 coupe/convertible.
10/29, 7:37 PM
posted by:
MurcieMe
The Vibe is far better looking than the taffy-pulled lumpy look of the Matrix. Overall this is a pretty good car for the segment. I wouldn’t buy one myself, but I don’t cringe when I see one around town like I do when I see any recent Toyota product.
10/29, 8:19 PM
posted by:
DrFill
From the BTW file:
It lloks like GM will court a real merger partner, and not Chrysler
On hands and knees, but it sounds like am epiphany to me.
Time to bring in a professional
http://www.reuters.com/article/mergersNews/idUST7920920081029
DrFill
10/29, 8:23 PM
posted by:
murphy1
agreed jayjc, that would be a good lineup, less the sportruck….in its place a coupe version of the g8
10/29, 8:43 PM
posted by:
A4
15 grand? wow thats a decent price for this little hauler…
10/29, 8:45 PM
posted by:
A4
and they do look pretty sharp on the road, i agree with that
10/29, 9:28 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Andrew, excellent summation of Pontiac’s dilemma but I could have said it far more economically. As in GM, either sh*t or get off the pot.
10/29, 9:59 PM
posted by:
PW
I drove a last-gen Vibe as a rental car a year or so ago. I have to say that I liked it, and I think it’s a good value. As for this new Vibe, it looks to me a lot like the last-gen Matrix. The interior also hasn’t changed much at all from the last-generation except for better materials.
10/29, 10:00 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
^Is THAT why they chose that particular backdrop?^
10/29, 10:03 PM
posted by:
Andrew
beastus, I think it was the tamales.
murderedout, thanks for the catch. Don’t know how that one slipped through. We’ve fixed it with what we meant to say. You know how it goes…
johnny, I think you’re reading into our photo shoot location a little too much. Or maybe that’s what we had in mind all along?
10/29, 10:38 PM
posted by:
Thunder Chicken
Did you know you can fit three adult great danes into a Vibe? I didn’t know either (there are few objects on Earth capable of containing three great danes), until I saw it on my way to a dog show…
BTW, you can also fit three adult bullmastiffs, a beagle and a Jack Russel terrier, plus four adults and one child, into a Town & Country. I was one of the adults.
10/29, 11:50 PM
posted by:
carstuff
Hey, the Solstice is nice.
G8, G6, Solstice, Matrix. Drop the G3 before it comes out. Do not need it with $2 gas. Pontiac SUV’ is pretty much gone soon. G5 is great if coupe only and gets a performance engine. Then again it gets 37 mpg so it may be the vehicle of the future?
I think the issue is the GMC/Buick/Pontiac did not have any high mpg vehicles. Vibe only gets 32
10/29, 11:55 PM
posted by:
cereal
As much as I’m impressed with the Matrix design language (especially looking at the OTHER models in Toyota’s lineup), I’d say this one takes the cake.
Now if the ignorant Americans who won’t buy this because it’s a Pontiac will step up, do their homework, and BUY this thing already, then I might just see more of this on the road.
-eat your cereal
10/30, 1:20 AM
posted by:
howsmydriving
Vibe shmibe, Matrix shmatrix. They’re the some friggin car. Don’t be a schmuck, buy whichever one is cheaper.
10/30, 3:10 AM
posted by:
Stinky007
I like this Toyota also!
10/30, 8:47 AM
posted by:
Fromes
Spent a lot of time in both the Last Gen vibe and the current one and can say the current version is light years beyond the old one. The 2.4 engine moves the car well, even up hill where the old car use to struggle, overall a step in the right direction, to bad this car isnt badged as a chevy or a saturn instead of a Pontiac.
I just think that instead of GM giving Pontiac rebadged Aveos, Cobalts, and Toyotas, GM should have given Pontiac the Astra, call that the G5, saturn could have done fine with a gusied up cobalt. Pontiac needs to stay focused on being a sort of performance divison with sporty but still practicle vehilces, like mazda, or to a farther extent BMW. The G8 and Solstice are good editons to the brand, but The G3, G5, G6, and the up coming G8 ST don’t make any sense. Pontiac should redesign the G6, make it more like an American TSX then a cheap Mailbu. Make it Lighter (maybe just give them the Cruze instead of Chevy?) and use the 260 hp 2.0l unit from the Solstice GXP instead of the 3.6 V6 that every other GM uses. Take the Astra from Saturn (I know its to Late) and give it to Pontiac, add a high performance version with athe turbo charged four. Instead of a G8 truck, Make a G8 coupe, sell it has a larger, more mature version to the Camaro. Then simpy walk the G3, G5, current G6 and the horrible Torrant out to pasture along with who ever thought they should have pontiac badges on them and shot them all in the back of the head, there Job done, Pontiac is back and now represents the brand that sold GTOs and Firebirds, not Montanas and Aztecs. I know I know, Keep dreamin….
10/30, 9:27 AM
posted by:
oldraven
Fromes, I think the Astra was the right choice for Saturn. The entire purpose of that brand is to be a Domestic brand with Euro styled vehicles. The G5 should stay, but it should get unique sheet-metal, like this Vibe does next to the Matrix. If the number of Sunfires on the road is any indication, I’d say Pontiac can be successful in that segment, if the car is styled right. The Sunfire and Cavalier were always obviously related cars, but you would never mistake one for the other on the road. It was badge engineering done right. The same can’t be said about the Pursuit and Cobalt twins, just as it will be with the Wave and Aveo. As for the Torrent, Pontiac never should have had one. The G8 ST is undeniably cool, but also undeniably not fit to be a Pontiac. The word ‘Utility’ should never have come close to the red arrow. If it has a box and it’s a GM, it should be a Chevrolet or a GMC.
IMO, if PBG dealers want a sub-compact, they should have a Geo branded Aveo, not Pontiac. Maybe just call it the Geo, and only have the one model. The name obviously resonates with the new fuel miser crowd.
10/30, 9:32 AM
posted by:
tins
Damn, I was really hoping to get mine with a yellow porto-potty, yellow is much sportier!
10/30, 11:53 AM
posted by:
Fromes
thats a good point Oldraven….so why doesnt the G5 and the G3 have different sheet metal? can some one at GM please explain this??
10/31, 10:38 PM
posted by:
monte
I’ve had enough time behind the wheel of both auto and manual versions to know they are some of the most boring cars to drive. I guess some people (most) are fine with just getting from point A to point B. But you couldn’t get me to own one. I must agree though, the new model is much better.