Pontiac Vibe question

[Buick92]

I recently test drove a fully loaded Vibe with AWD and an auto tranny, this thing was soooo slow, I had soccer mom's yelling at me to get out of the way, any Vibe owner's out there? I really like the look but I think my old buick would leave it in the dust.

 

[Tosh]

Yeah, you should be looking at the fwd version with the 180hp engine and 6spd manual. Tops my recommended list.

 

[Mr Nice]

Isn't the Pontiac Vibe and the Toyota Matrix the same car? The AWD and the Auto trans eats up ALOT of power from this engine. Get a manual trans.

 

[olympic]

I own 3 base model auto Vibes, they're used in a taxi fleet. While the acceleration isn't exactly neck snapping, they'll keep up with traffic just fine and pull out and pass on the hiway OK. I've never test driven the AWD model so I can't comment on the difference but the extra weight and parasitic loss has to be significant. I equip my cars with winter tires and they go through deep snow just fine. The only way to get stuck is to drive through a snowbank deep enough to hang them up on. Even with AWD you'd be stuck, or atleast tear off alot of plastic GFX and undercarriage panels in the process of getting out. So my advice is to save the $3k premium for the AWD and buy a good set of winter tires and wheels which will help you stop as well as go. If you can handle a manual the 5 speed should have more pep and the 6 speed GT is pretty darn quick.

 

[rjundi]

All its competition blows this thing out of the water. The Subaru Forester and Honda CRV are great. The engine fitment is anemic considering the auto tranny and weight/friction of AWD. Even a fitment of the 180HP motor would do little as this is just a high revving torqueless motor.

 

[Blue_Goose]

Not to mention that the AWD version only has a 11.9 gallon gas tank....my 1.8L FWD isn't the fastest thing going but can cruise at 80+ with no problem. Great car if you need to haul stuff...seats fold completely flat...no little rise form the back of the seats...believe me it makes a diff

 

[burnout]

Doesn't the AWD model only make 118hp? My friend has a 2006, and I agree.. it was HORRIFIC in the acceleration department.

 

[Buick92]

Maybe the FWD version is the way to go, thanks.

 

[racer12306]

this is a similar thing to the dodge neons (132hp). the auto is a complete dog but with a manual the neon is ok. i just looked up the specs on the new vibes. and the awd does only have 118hp, less than the fwd model. the gt looks pretty decent with 164hp.

 

[glennc]

It's funny, not long ago 132hp would have been quite a little rocket. The original, legendary, Sentra SE-R, one of which I owned, had 140. An early Civic, with 60hp or so, was a really fun car to drive and didn't seem at all slow in regular driving. As for awd, if you ask me it's a great big waste of money and resources. People have become convinced they need it, or at least want it, and it's just another escalation in the equipment wars that costs money and weight, and probably provides a false sense of security more often than a useful one. - Glenn

 

[rjundi]

With reference to 132hp being a little rocket it really depends on the weight of vehicle eg hp/weight ration. A vibe is much heavier car compared the Civic, Sentra SE-R example, as most any modern car is due to all the niceties, sound insulation, more substaintial structure, safety equipment (door beams, air bags/controllers), power equipment, AC and specific to the vibe AWD.

 

[Pbert25]

Toyota's(and the Vibe) don't like ethanol. Make a chemical soup of Prestone Gas treatment,Chemtool and MMO. Works just fine in 2004 2WD Matrix(AWD vibes and 4WD Matrixes need the help they can get[118hp])

 

[21Rouge]

quote:

---

I recently test drove a fully loaded Vibe with AWD and an auto tranny..

---

On a side note I have heard and read that the there will be no 2007 Vibe with AWD.

 

[warrior pilot]

I have a base model vibe w/5 spd. I love it. Its really just a Toyota Corola with a taller body and hatch. I can fit my MTN bike in it . I really like the 35 mpg. You wont see that in a Subaru or CRV. And the oil filter is right up front and it wont dump on you and no ADBV needed. The AWD model looses power cause the exhaust must travel around all the AWD components so it looses 7 HP and weighs 200 lb more. Love it.

 

[caprice_2nv]

We had to put an engine in a customers vibe under warranty. The block had cracked and leaked all the coolant out. Anyone else seen this or was this just a freak thing? As far as AWD goes, if I had a loved one out driving in a storm i'd feel much safer with them in an AWD. Way more control. My dad makes my mom take our Safari awd van anytime the whether is ******. It doesn't even have the greatest tires but never slides around at all in icy or snowy conditions. It all depends on how good of a driver you think your loved one is, and how much you would miss them if they got dead :-)

 

[rpn453]

I wouldn't have thought a Vibe would be too bad, but it would likely require frequent full-throttle. If you don't mind just FWD, the Mazda3 is worth a test drive. For AWD, maybe an Impreza would suit you better? Lots of torque in that 2.5 flat-four and decent fuel economy. I love a good 4WD/AWD system in the winter, but no matter how good the AWD system is, I can still stop and turn WAAAAYYYYYY better on snow and ice with my FWD on studded snow tires than any AWD on all-seasons! Too me, that's safer. And I'd have to be totally hung up to get stuck.

 

[JohnBrowning]

Guy's what are you expecting from this car? It is built on the Carolla platform and has the same engine choices wich = anemic!!!! If want a sportier car and want it a lot of bang for the buck look at the Scion tC. The Pontiac Grand AM and Grand Prix are going to grossly out perform the Vibe!!!

 

[warrior pilot]

Yea the grand am is nice but you wont see 35 mpg and forget about loading a mtn bike or a new TV set into it. Scion ? Now thats something to consider if you are talking about the big box on wheels. I think the vibe delivers what it promises. Toyota Corola reliability with a big tall hatch that will swallow most anything you can lift. Did I mention 35 mpg ! LOL

 

[Norm Olt]

Check out the new Toyota RAV4 and its new V6 motor! THE "CUTE UTE" WARS HEAT UP! Cheers!

 

[MolaKule]

quote:

---

Yeah, you should be looking at the fwd version with the 180hp engine and 6spd manual. Tops my recommended list.

---

I'll second that!