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By G.R. Whale
All-new, practical, economical, stylish.
Introduction
The 2009 Pontiac Vibe is a new, second-generation design that shares most of its mechanical parts with the Toyota Matrix. The Vibe is more refined, visually cleaner and appears to have more equipment for the money than its predecessor. The lineup features an array of models with a choice of engines and all-wheel drive making the Vibe attractive to a variety of drivers. It's a logical, flexible compact that should appeal to everyone from high-schoolers to empty nesters.
Virtually every component on the 2009 Vibe is new or heavily revised. The standard 1.8-liter engine is more powerful and efficient than its predecessor, and a larger 2.4-liter is available. An all-wheel-drive version is available and, like the engines, this particular system has been proven in hundreds of thousands of vehicles. Given Toyota's engineering history these cars should prove reliable and cost-effective.
The new 2009 Vibe is larger than last year's model, though at 172 inches it is still a reasonable size and makes good use of the real estate occupied. It will carry four people, five if some are kids. It can carry pets, the occasional wakeboard or even a mountain bike with the front wheel off.
All Vibes use regular unleaded fuel and rate at least 20 mpg in the city. The 2.4-liter AWD and the GT push 30 mpg on the highway, while the 1.8-liter engine and five-speed manual gets an EPA-rated 26/32 mpg City/Highway. We preferred the five-speed manual with the 1.8-liter, which made it fun to drive and responsive, but we preferred the 2.4-liter with the five-speed automatic.
One could argue the Vibe is an alternative to compact hatchbacks (Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, VW Rabbit), the short van/big hatchbacks (Mazda5, Kia Rondo), small crossovers (Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage/Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Rogue), and all the other little runabouts less easy to categorize (Chrysler PT Cruiser, Chevy HHR, Dodge Caliber, Scion xD, Suzuki SX4). Some of those may be faster, bigger, or less expensive than the Vibe, but the Vibe represents a good balance of all and will fill many needs without many expenditures.
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