2003 - 2008 Pontiac Vibe review

Pontiac Vibe

Pontiac Vibe interior

The front passenger seat folds flat resembling a table.

The split rear seat folds flat offering plenty of cargo space

Pontiac Vibe, introduced in 2002 as a 2003 model, is a product of joint venture between General Motors and Toyota. The Vibe is based on the Toyota Corolla platform and is powered with the Toyota engine.

Pontiac Vibe doesn't precisely fit into any vehicle category. It's a four-door tall and relatively short wagon with certain attributes of a sports car (sporty styling and available 180 hp engine). It also resembles an SUV with its tall ride, available AWD system and spacious cargo area. Yet, it's one of the most fuel-efficient models in the GM line-up.

Pontiac Vibe has a four-cylinder engine, front independent suspension with MacPherson struts and semi-independent torsion beam rear suspension (independent double wishbone suspension in AWD model). Anti-lock Brake system (ABS) is standard on AWD and GT models and optional on the base Vibe model.

The Vibe base and AWD models feature the 4-cylinder 1.8-liter 130-hp engine with variable timing. The Vibe GT comes with a high-performance 180-horsepower version of the same engine with variable timing and valve lift. The Vibe base model is available with a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission. The AWD model comes only with four-speed automatic transmission. The GT offers sporty six-speed manual transmission.

The Vibe interior offers plenty of space and versatility. The elevated roofline provides generous headroom for the front and rear passengers. The dashboard looks sharp and sporty with round gauges and chrome trimming. The driver's place offers tall seating position and easy to use controls. The Vibe's optional 115V power outlet could be very handy when you need to charge your laptop or a cell phone during a long trip. The split rear seat folds flat, offering extra cargo space. There is also an adjustable roof rack for extra luggage. The front passenger seat folds flat, turning into a table or providing space for extra long items. The rear hatch window opens separately for easy access.

The Vibe offers stable ride and good handling. The engine is a bit noisy at acceleration. An available all-wheel drive system provides better traction on a slippery road.

The seat-mounted side air bags are available as an option. In the NHTSA frontal crash tests, the 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe received five stars for both the driver and the front passenger. The 2005-2008 model has received five stars for the driver and four stars for the front passenger in the same tests.

Pontiac Vibe 1.8 L DOHC engine

The Vibe base and AWD models come with the 1.8-liter 16-valve DOHC engine with variable timing (VVT-i) - the same engine as in the Toyota Corolla.
The GT features the 180-hp VVTL-i version of the same engine with added variable valve lift. This means that at higher RPMs valves open wider, allowing the engine to breath better. This results in more high-end power. Both Vibe engines use a long-lasting timing chain; there is no timing belt. Either of these two engines is very reliable if maintained properly.