Young families need versatile cars that offer economy, practicality, sporty looks, and a fun driving experience. Small hatchbacks are ideal for the family driver. They're less expensive than bigger vehicles, but spacious enough to haul kids and groceries while small enough to fit into tight downtown parking spaces. A perfect example of every advantage of this class is the Pontiac Vibe (also known as the Toyota Matrix).

What makes this car such an outstanding choice is that the platform its built on is the Toyota Corolla --- one of the most proven reliable and economical drivetrains on the market. The Vibe has also been around for four full years now, so all the new model kinks have long since been worked out. The car is assembled on a joint Toyota/GM assembly line in Fremont California, and the Vibe's engine and transmission are both built in Japan by Toyota. The appearance of the two cars is slightly different, but mechanically, they're identical. This means that if you buy the Vibe, you'll experience the same long-term durability that a Toyota owner gets. The buying decision then centers on which look you prefer, which nameplate you want, and which dealer may offer you the better deal.

The deal part of that equation is the one aspect of the Vibe that troubles me. The Toyota Matrix has a base MSRP of $15.4K, while the Vibe starts at $16.7K. Why the premium for the Pontiac version of the car when most people probably have a higher opinion of the Toyota brand. Are there significant advantages that you buy when you get the Pontiac?

I don't think so. I sure don't see 'em. And I am looking.

The base Vibe gives you a few little perks (like a power mirror control), and the Vibe has a more extensive menu of options (like XM, electronic stability control, engine block heater, OnStar, leather seats, etc.) that are unavailable on the Matrix, but the only difference I see that might make me want to pay a couple hundred dollars more for the Vibe is the much better warranty that GM offers. If I were actually planning to buy this car and keep it til it died, then it might be worth getting the 100,000 mile GM warranty behind it instead of Toyota's more limited 60,000 mile warranty. Peace of mind for a couple more years of (hopefully) economical, trouble-free driving. But it's the same basic car --- just rebadged --- so while I like this car, and I do recommend it, I highly recommend that you directly shop it against a Matrix that's as closely equipped as possible, then let the dollars and common sense tell you which one is the better deal. Unless the Toyota dealer tried to jerk me around with add-ons and overhead, I'd probably lean towards the Matrix.

The pricing is all academic at this point. Today I'm driving a Pontiac Vibe, not a Matrix, so let's see how the GM side of this dynamic duo goes about its business.


Styling Aesthetics and Practicality...
The Vibe has a sporty look to it, and its family branding is apparent by the wedged front end that bears an unmistakable common design and balance with larger cars like the Pontiac G5 and G6. The car's lines are clean, and it has an aerodynamic look that belies any suggestion of tedium. The raked roofline is accented by the small rear cargo area windows, and though it has a roof rack, it lacks runners on the roof surface that might protect it from any strapped down cargo. From the back end, the taillights remind me of those on the lower-end Saturns, and I prefer the brighter lenses and chrome accents that mark Vibe's fraternal twin, the Toyota Matrix.

One thing I really like about this car is that the rear hatch window can be opened separately from the lift gate. Makes it nice for those occasions when you need to run down to Lowe's for a few 2x4s, fence posts, or even for just retrieving groceries without the bags spilling out the hatchback onto the driveway. It enhances the practical utility of the vehicle, in my opinion.

The Vibe looks pretty good, but side-by-side with the Matrix, I like Toyota's looks better. The Matrix back end definitely looks crisper and better defined than the Vibe, and I like the understated front end of the Matrix, which reminds me of a little Highlander. The net effect is that the Matrix comes across with some SUV flavor and you get the suggestion that it would be a fun, weekend getaway car. The Vibe however, seems to be saying that it's got a car heritage and that it prefers to stay on gentle, well-paved streets. Again, just my opinion, mind you, but that's what my eye is telling me.


Interior Comfort and the Riding Experience...
Pontiac ads tell you the Vibe will seat 5. They lie. It's a car that really works best for younger families who won't be doing too many long, cross-country trips. 4 passengers is pretty much max for this ride. The interior is well designed, has a good set of creature features, and has impressive specs in certain aspects, but the net effect is one of practical utility rather than plush comfort.

Up front, the headspace is remarkably high --- I get four fingers worth of space over my head in this car --- unheard of in such a small vehicle.Tthe legroom actually works even though there's not a lot of horizontal stretching room for the tall driver. The fact that the seat seems to sit up a bit higher than normal for a small car makes it so your legs are situated more like they would be in a chair than the stretched out position you'd have in, say, a sports coupe. I'm six feet, and I feel perfectly comfortable driving this car. It feels more like a CR-V than a CRX, but there's a lot of people these days who seem to like that driving position, so this car might be a good choice if they want a small, commonsense vehicle with at least a hint of SUV driving dynamics.

The seats are fairly firm, and I like the lateral support, however I don't particularly care for the rough, canvas potato sack feel of the upholstery. My kid says, "Daddy, these seats feel spikey!" One person's "rough" can be another kid's "spikey". Take your pick, or come up with your own adjectives...the thesaurus is full of 'em!

The backseat generally lacks any comfort features (no rear vents, no rear A/C outlet, etc.) but it's got ample hip and headroom for a 6-foot adult (again, that would be me trying to ride in Junior's spot). With the front seats pushed back, space is tight, and I have to put my knees to the sides, but if they're forward even a notch or two, I'm good to go. I can see four adults riding in this car for up to 2 hours. Any more than that, and you're probably going to face mutiny from the crew, but for shorter trips, it's a perfectly usable space. The doors open wide enough that I have no trouble getting a child safety seat into place, and of course, it does have seat back latches. (Hey! Quit groanin'! Dads have to worry about things like that!)

Drivers seat ergonomics are generally excellent. The dashboard is slick looking and well laid out. (It's also nearly identical for both the Vibe and the Matrix --- the only real differences are the Pontiac logo or Toyota logo on the steering wheel hub, and the implementation of the radio controls). The shifter is mounted up on the dash, versus down on the floor as used to be universal in small cars. I like the steep incline of the door-mounted controls --- makes it tough to "bump" a window open, and I like the very solid feel of the steering wheel and the high quality look of the dash materials. GM has had perennial problems getting its small car dashboards to look as good as Japanese (or lately, even Korean) small cars, and its refreshing to see a GM-branded small car that has none of the cheap, low-grade, easily scratched plastics that cars like the Chevy Cavaliers or Saturn Ions of quite recent vintage have had. GM doesn't seem to be able to entirely abandon the plastic though --- I still don't care for the Chiclet-brand buttons on the car's stereo controls, but a generally appealing aesthetic makes up for that.

One feature that's kind of neat is that there's a 110 volt A/C outlet on the dashboard. Yep! You could bring just about any household appliance you want with you on road trips. Strap the big screen TV to the roof and let everybody on the road watch what you like! Bring the George Foreman grill and broil up a few burgers as you tool down I-70. Oh, what the heck, bring the Waring and let your passengers mix up some chilly frozen margaritas on the way (just don't imbibe yourself, okay, I don't want to encourage anyone to drink and drive....you could spill your drink all over the interior...Hmmm...though you could always pack the Wet-Vac just in case). Not sure I'll ever use a 110-volt outlet (since I already have adapters for the cell phone, DVD player, and handheld games), but I think the concept has potential.

The primary cluster of both the Matrix and the Vibe are essentially the same, and both suffer from the same problem of "too much in too little real estate". The speedometer, especially, cries out for larger presentation and more readable-at-a-glance labeling. Of course, like any car you buy, you'll get used to that quirk after a while, and a glance is all you'll need, but if you get this car as a short-term 2-3 day rental, you'll never quite get used to it before its time to turn in the keys.

Cargo hauling potential is abundant with the Vibe. It's pretty decent with the back seats up, but fold 'em down and you get a whopping 54 cubic feet of storage space? Can you imagine how much beer a guy like me could carry home in a car like this?? I wouldn't have to go back to the Beverage Barn for another WEEK!

Not only do the back seats fold flat for real flat-surface stowing, you can also fold the front passenger seat down flat too, giving you enoiugh space to actually fit an 8-foot long item into the car. Of course your wife will then have to ride up top, so stock up on some packing straps even if you are planning to stow things inside, out of the rain.


Power and Performance (Sort Of)...
Oh, man! Sometimes the sublimity of my own wit amuses even myself! There I go actually using words like "power" and "performance" when I'm talking about a Pontiac Vibe!! Man! Hold on a sec while I wipe the tears outta my eyes! Thanks...

While the Pontiac Vibe has a solid feel, great braking, and firm, precise steering, it's a 126-pound weakling when it comes to raw power, since 126 just happens to be the car's horsepower spec as well. Both Matrix and Vibe have the same 1.8 litre 4-cylinder engine cranking out 126 horses of "power". I'd be lying if I told you that I knew just exactly how fast (or slow) the Vibe was when taking off from a green light, but suffice it to say that old men in hats driving Dodge Darts were leaving me behind. Okay, so I could almost keep up with the geriatric crowd, if I had to make an educated guess on this car's potential, I'd hazard it was doing maybe 11 seconds on a 0-60 acceleration. Honestly though, what's it matter? The car is plenty powerful enough to get you up to 65mph on a highway on-ramp, though it is sluggish on a hill.

There is a benefit to the smaller, lower horsepower engine that's used in this car: fuel economy. The 2007 Vibe is EPA rated at 30 MPG city, 36 MPG highway. That's a good 50% improvement over the dismal specs posted by most small SUVs these days, and even though the EPA is migrating the numbers downward for the 2008 model year, the Vibe will still come out doing roughly 10MPG better than a Toyota RAV4. And that's the kind of performance number you can take to the bank!

I do like the driving feel of this car. The steering is precise and it has a great feeling of road connection. The transmission seems very well behaved. I get a couple small kerchunks when doing a fast acceleration, but its otherwise smooth as polished glass. There's a bit of buzz and hum on the highway, but I think we all expect that on a small car, don't we? For its class, the car feels impressively solid and relatively quiet.

In its base configuration, the Vibe comes with a 5-speed manual transmission, though it's more common to find the 4-speed automatic (which is what I've got...nigh on impossible to find a stick in a U.S. rental fleet...darn it!) The Matrix and Vibe both have a GT option, that gives you a peppy 180-horsepower engine and a 6-speed manual transmission, but alas, it is indeed the tame, mainstream flavor Vibe that I'm driving.


Reliability, Safety and Other Practical Kinda Stuff...
The great thing about the Vibe is that it's essentially a Toyota Corolla. What that means is that you get one of the best drivetrains in the auto business. You get dependability, reliability, and low long-term ownership costs. I occasionally say bad things about Toyota, but one car you will never hear me speak ill of is their Corolla --- this is, quite simply, the car that really built and that really justifies Toyota's bullet-proof reputation. It's no speed demon, and it's not glamorous, but my oh my, does that thing run! A few years ago, smart car buyers were snapping up Chevy Prisms as used cars for one simple reason: they too were essentially Corollas under the hood, and people who bought them got Toyota dependability at a lower cost because new Prism owners took a bigger 1st year depreciation hit than did Corolla owners. That's the recipe for great value potential, and smart used car buyers today should keep an eye open for used Pontiac Vibes. These will be cars that deliver low total cost of ownership. I'd bank on it.

Crash test results on the Vibe/Matrix are good (5-star) for front impact and front seat passengers, but 4-star for side impacts. The base level vehicle includes a very sparse set of safety features, and a more expensive, higher-line vehicle with included ABS, airbags, and traction control will likely spin as a better overall deal for you than adding these features to a more spartan Vibe or Matrix (I would especially compare this car to an Audi A3 if you want a nicer, more powerful, safer vehicle...albeit with a higher price tag.) As always though, you should compare safety claims and comparisons for yourself. I recommend starting at: www.safercars.gov and www.iihs.org

Although the MSRP on Vibes starts at $16.7, with automatic tranny and destination charges, a 2007 Vibe will have a bottom-line sticker closer to $19K. It's now end of model year though, and GM has had $1,000 cash back deals on Vibes, on top of whatever dealer discount you may be able to wrangle. But again, I stress that you should look at the Vibes and also look at the Matrix --- they're clone cars, so buy the one you can deal on.


Ye Olde Bottome Linee...
The Pontiac Vibe is a practical car with enough space for the active young family. It's strong point is long-term value and dependability because it's really a Toyota in Pontiac clothing. Of course that means the downside is that the car has to compete head-on with Toyota, and when it comes down to it, you just might be able to swing a better deal over there. No matter the nameplate, it's an enjoyable car to drive and a solid choice for a smart buyer. As always though, your mileage may vary, objects in mirror are closer than they appear, and always wear seatbelts.

See you on the road!


Amount Paid (US$): 19000
Condition: New
Model and Options: Base, auto