PONTIAC Vibe Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

The Pontiac Vibe was a compact 4-door hatchback with a sporty styling. It offered lots of versatility due to the powerful engines available, along with impressive cargo space and great fuel consumption.

Larger than the model introduced in 2003, the crossover-like hatchback was taller than many other cars and still drove like a sedan, with a good precise steering and a good suspension.

The profile of the Vibe got us thinking about a coupe shape, due to the rising belt line and the sloping roof line, but it was still a 4-door wagon.

The Vibe was also available in a GT trim level and had a more aggressive look with the roof spoiler, the large fog lamps, the lower intake ducts and the polished exhaust tips.

The GT models were equipped with standard leather upholstery and a 3-spoke steering wheel.

Standard on the GT models was the 2.-4-liter engine developing 158 hp and users could choose between the standard 5-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed automatic transmission.

The ride with the GT model was improved with the multi-link independent rear suspension that provided a better driving control.

The trunk space could be extended by folding all seats besides the driver’s. All seats were folding flat to ease carrying long items.

The base price of the GT was around $19,000 and could come with an optional $700 sunroof.

The Pontiac Vibe was a compact 4-door hatchback with a sporty styling. It offered lots of versatility due to the powerful engines available, along with impressive cargo space and great fuel consumption.

Larger than the model introduced in 2003, the crossover-like hatchback was taller than many other cars and still drove like a sedan, with a good precise steering and a good suspension.

The profile of the Vibe got us thinking about a coupe shape, due to the rising belt line and the sloping roof line, but it was still a 4-door wagon.

The Vibe was also available in a GT trim level and had a more aggressive look with the roof spoiler, the large fog lamps, the lower intake ducts and the polished exhaust tips.

An all-wheel-drive system was also available and was mated to a 4-speed automatic gearbox only, unlike the front-wheel-drive that could be mated with a 5-speed manual gearbox as well.

Inside the cabin of the Vibe were high quality plastics, although the design was not out of the ordinary and was nothing luxurious.

The trunk space could be extended by folding all seats besides the driver’s. All seats were folding flat to ease carrying long items.

The standard features on the Vibe included ABS, traction control, 6 airbags and the On-Star system that included automatic crash notification and stolen vehicle location assistance.

The most basic model had a price of around $16.000 and could go up to $20.000 for the most equipped Vibe.

Pontiac introduced the Vibe GT in 2003 as a mix of more vehicles, creating one of the best crossovers on the market, but it was too daring for those times.

Toyota and General Motors joined forces and developed the Matrix for the Japanese automaker and Vibe GT for Pontiac. This kind of cross-brand badge engineering process was unusual for competing companies and more often seen between brands within the same family. But the Matrix/Vibe GT was a daring task, and both manufacturers understood that failure could be supported better if shared, and that was exactly what happened with the duo and was one of the reasons why the Pontiac brand was axed as a brand.

With the GT version, Pontiac aimed at the hot-hatch segment. It just tried to offer something different and more useful for its customers. In the GT trim level, the Vibe featured body-colored bumpers and side protections. In addition, the door-mirror caps were no longer black, and at the front, the bumper received a more aggressive styling with an apron on the lower side flanked by two round foglights.

Inside, the driver was welcomed by a similar ambient as the rest of the Vibe's range, albeit the binocular-style dials featured red lettering and needles. The high-mounted gear stick, placed on the center stack, was unusual but came in handy. Although it was the top trim level, it didn't get the sat-nav system fitted as standard. The front seats received higher bolstering to keep their occupants in place during high-speed cornering.

Under the hood, Toyota's 1.8-liter engine received an upgrade from Yamaha. Thus, it could pump out more power than its siblings, and it was paired exclusively to a six-speed manual. Last but not least, it was an FWD-only affair.

Pontiac Vibe was the result of a common project between General Motors and Toyota. It was the most fuel-efficient GM car in North America until 2008.

General Motors offered a partnership to Toyota in 1984 in its Californian factory. The result was known as NUUMI (New United Motor Manufacturing Inc.). It was a factory that lost money for both partners until 2009 when it was shut down by Toyota after GM pulled back due to the closing of the Pontiac brand.

Based on the same platform with the Corolla, the Vibe was the twin brother of the Matrix with which it shared most of the components. The design was a mix between Toyota's angular styling to the newly discovered cross-over segment. The front fascia was with the characteristic Pontiac elements. But the side windows were closer to the Corolla Verso.

Inside, the Vibe featured a high seating position, like in an SUV. The instrument cluster was arranged with four chromed dials. The high-mounted audio system offered as standard was a CD-radio, with an option for a 6-CD in-dash audio system. A DVD-based navigation system was on the options list.

In the rear, the bench was foldable, forming a completely flat floor. Even the front passenger seat could have been folded to extend the loading area up to 8 feet long (2.44 m). A 110 V power outlet was included in the dashboard, which was good for camping.

The Vibe was offered with a choice of engines from Toyota. It was available with a 5- or 6-speed manual. A 4-speed auto was on the options list, depending on the engine version.