When it debuted last year, the Vibe marked the beginning of a new era for Pontiac, and for General Motors. The Vibe is currently bringing a new, younger buyer into Pontiac showrooms. A change the manufacturer who 'builds excitement' needed. With an appealing presence, good road manners and purposeful amenities, Vibe is helping Pontiac accomplish its goals. For GM and Pontiac, Vibe represents an opportunity to reach younger buyers who lead increasingly active and varied lifestyles. A vehicle like Vibe is a natural fit - a bold, athletic crossover that's the right size for transporting friends and gear. Vibe is offered in three varieties: Vibe; Vibe GT; and Vibe AWD. The base Vibe costs about $17,000 and includes air conditioning, dual front airbags, AM/FM CD stereo, tilt steering, a rear seat that splits 60/40 and folds flat, a front passenger seat that folds flat for carrying extra-long items, and a 115-volt, two-prong AC power outlet for plugging in household devices. For 2004, there's a new supercharger option, XM satellite radio and new colors. The 2004 Vibe could be a sports car, a sport hatchback or a mini SUV-crossover. Vibe's interior roominess and flexible seating configurations take the best aspects of all the categories and combine them with performance to provide consumers with unique attributes. The base model is quite peppy thanks to a 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine, which produces 130 horsepower. This base engine red lines at 6000 rpm, yet still gets decent fuel economy - estimated 29 mpg city/36 mpg highway with a manual transmission. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on the base engine and a four-speed automatic is available. The all-wheel-drive version is available exclusively with the automatic transmission. The high-performance Vibe GT also features a 1.8-liter powerplant, however, it's rated at 173 horsepower. The power comes from a combination of changes, including modified heads and the VVTL-i system that increases the intake/exhaust lift when engine speed is excellerated. As I mentioned earlier, for 2004, the base model Vibe gets a big boost with a newly available supercharger kit. Installed at Pontiac dealers, the supercharger is designed specifically for Vibe's base 1.8-liter engine and is fully warranted for the same period as the Vibe. With the supercharger, the Vibe will gain 7.5 pounds of engine boost and an approximately 35-percent increase in horsepower and torque. Although our base Vibe tester didn't include the optional supercharger, we did find its 1.8-liter engine to be quite peppy. But operating the high-revving engine up around its 6,000 rpm redline, we experienced quite a bit of engine noise in the cabin. While the Vibe is fun to drive, it's definitely not a sports car. It is very versatile, though. Vibe has a very roomy and functional cabin. An example of Vibe's handiness is a 115-volt standard power outlet with a wall-type plug. Located in the front console, it will enable owners to plug a laptop computer, cell phone charger, portable vacuum, air compressor or electric shaver right into the front console, without an adapter. Vibe also features two 12-volt power outlets, one on the dash and one inside the console. Another unique feature is that the front passenger seat folds flat into a worktable or surface to accommodate cargo up to 8-feet long. Those that use their vehicle for more than just commuting will welcome Vibe's versatility. And for those that want even more features, Vibe offers a host of options. Our Vibe tester's price came to just over $23,000 due to a Power Group Package, automatic transmission, 17-inch wheels/tires, anti-lock brakes, XM satellite radio, Premium Monotone Appearance Package and Sport Package.
2004 Pontiac Vibe
Engine: 1.8-liter (130 hp) I4
Transmission: 4-speed automatic
Drive Type: FWD
Fuel Economy: 29 city/34 highway
Base Price: $16,485
As Tested: $23,260 (includes $560 for destination)
Website: www.pontiac.com |
