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Writer's Notes
Test Car: Pontiac Vibe AWD
Curb Appeal: The Gen Y'ers Pontiac is targeting seem to be favoring the Vibe's sibling, the Toyota Matrix, which offers different exterior styling.
Asphalt Rating: Pontiac estimates 0-60 mph times in the low eight-second range on its GT version.
Real World: Lots of flexibility---the rear seat folds flat for extra cargo or plug your laptop into the 155-volt wall-type outlet and fold the front passenger seat to access the worktable and write the Great American Novel while parked anywhere.
Handling: All-wheel drive Vibes feature independent rears with a compact double-wishbone set-up with four-wheel disc brakes with solid rotors.
Safety: Dual-stage front airbags with two-stage deployment, optional side-mounted airbags, anti-lock brakes and all-wheel drive versions are available.
Comfort: All the basic necessities are included, although you'll have to cough up some more dough if you want a power package, a moonroof, bigger wheels or an upgraded audio system.
Inside, occupants will find themselves sitting up high in the 2003 Pontiac Vibe, giving drivers a more commanding view of the road, despite its compact size.
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It was 1948 when unknown writer Jack Kerouac coined the term "beat generation" to describe a group of free-spirited young Americans, weary from the war, and anxious to get out and explore the world, with no obligations to tie them down. It was from this idea that bohemian classics, such as Kerouac's own On The Road, were read and embraced by an entire generation.
Today, the beat subculture lives on in the form of poetry slams, where the country's freest-thinkers travel the country competing against in each other by hurtling their words in this form of performance art.
It is this independent group with this zest for life that Pontiac is aiming to target with its all-new Vibe. Introduced in early 2002 as a 2003 model, Pontiac has been asking young Americans "What's Your Vibe?" with sponsorships of events such as Beatfest 2002 and a concert tour. Ads for the vehicle play on this theme with one, for example, highlighting the Vibe's standard power outlet by showing a man playing an electric guitar which he has plugged into a parked Vibe.
To be sure, the standard power outlet is probably one of the most unique features of the Vibe---although my first thought was that it would be handy for using my laptop on long road trips while my husband drove. Not quite as "free thinking" as I expect Pontiac had hoped, but then again I don't fit the young, Generation Y group that is Pontiac's target.
So just what is it about the Vibe that Pontiac is hoping appeals to this set? Well, it's affordable, it's versatile in terms of storage and function and the GT model features 180 horsepower and a six-speed transmission.
The Pontiac Vibe shares its underpinnings and the majority of its interior styling with its manufacturing cousin, the Toyota Matrix, both of which are built at the GM/Toyota-owned factory in Fremont, California.
The Pontiac Vibe shares its underpinnings and the majority of its interior styling with its manufacturing cousin, the Toyota Matrix, both of which are built at the GM/Toyota-owned factory in Fremont, California. Where the two cousins differ is in their styling. The Vibe features a muscular design with sharp edges, not unlike, although not nearly as extreme, as its big brother, the Aztek. Packed with traditional Pontiac styling cues, the Vibe's front fascia is highlighted by a twin-port grille, cat-eye headlamps and recessed fog lamps. Like other Pontiacs, it has a wide stance with a short front overhang and large wheels.
Powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with variable valve timing, the base model Vibe produces 130 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 125 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm. Both five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions are available in the front-wheel drive versions, while the all-wheel drive version offers the automatic transmission only. The GT version features a 1.8-liter, double overhead cam, all-aluminum four-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower at 7,600 rpm and 130 lb-ft of torque at 6,800 rpm. Mated to a six-speed manual transmission, Pontiac reports that the Vibe GT achieves a 0-60 mph time in the low eight-second range.
Front suspension utilizes a leading-arm MacPherson strut design with a high caster angle, while rear suspensions of both base and GT models have a twist beam to improve handling and stability. All-wheel drive Vibes feature independent rears with a compact double-wishbone set-up. Brakes on the regular Pontiac Vibe are front disc/rear drum combination, while four-wheel discs with solid rotors are used on the GT model. 16-inch steel wheels are standard, while 16- and 17-inch alloy are optional.
Inside, occupants will find themselves sitting up high in the 2003 Pontiac Vibe, giving drivers a more commanding view of the road, despite its compact size. An added bonus too, is that rear seat passengers will find themselves with much better legroom than in most vehicles of this size and in this price range.
Several of the Vibe's most unique features are with its seating. The front passenger seat folds flat, allowing storage for longer objects, while the back of the seat is sculptured plastic resin which, when folded flat, turns into a worktable for the driver when the Vibe is parked. The rear floor folds flat at one touch to increase cargo capacity to 57.2 cubic feet. Two parallel tracks, similar to Saab's Cargo Tracks system, run the length of the rear cargo space and have eight adjustable sliding anchors to secure cargo.
Cockpit styling echoes that of other Pontiacs with amber illumination on the rounded gauges, as well as chrome accents surrounding the instrument cluster. Besides the 115-volt power outlet with a wall-type plug in the center console as standard equipment, other features include power mirrors, adjustable roof rack, fog lamps, air conditioning with filtration and AM/FM stereo with CD. Optional features include power doors locks with remote, power windows, cruise control, moonroof, premium audio system with six-disc, in-dash CD player, GPS navigation system, daytime running lights and delay-entry lighting.
---Story by Tara Baukus Mello
© 2002, Tara Baukus Mello, All Rights Reserved.
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