2009 Pontiac Vibe AWD, just as practical, and now more muscular
The compact Pontiac Vibe is simultaneously a wagon and a utility vehicle without clearly belonging to either category. It has had a low-key career since its launch in 2003 but it is undeniably one of GM’s best product lines. That is no accident considering that it owes its technical design to Toyota and that its mechanical features are identical to those of the Toyota Matrix. Moreover, the Vibe and Matrix were totally redesigned for 2009 and have been on sale for several months now. The Vibe is manufactured at the NUMMI plant in Fremont, California, a joint venture between GM and Toyota, while the Matrix is made at the Toyota plant in Cambridge, Ontario.
The second generation is hardly revolutionary. Plain logic dictated that no radical changes be made to a winning recipe, and GM and Toyota took heed. Their roles remained the same: Toyota updated the mechanical bits and took care of the technical design of the both products, while Pontiac’s designers were responsible for giving the Vibe its distinctive face and lines. There are a few differences in the equipment and options for both products, but only in the details.
Smart touch-ups
There is very little change in the Vibe’s size and proportions… and that’s a good thing. In an era when even compacts are becoming larger and stouter with each new version, it is encouraging to see that the Vibe has kept its slim figure. Thus, it still offers a modest exterior size, decent space in the passenger compartment and very reasonable, adaptable and practical cargo capacity, despite being 10 mm narrower and 5 mm shorter. However, the front-wheel drive versions are 31 mm lower and the all-wheel drive AWD model we tested is 15 mm higher than the previous one. This difference is caused by the independent rear suspension that is necessary to make room for the extra differential. The other models have a semi-independent rear beam suspension.
What’s more, the wheelbase and front and rear track widths are unchanged on all 2009 Vibe models. The engineers managed to reduce the turning diameter by a good 50 mm to 10.7 metres, which is good news for handling on a vehicle that will be largely used for city driving. The interior capacity is practically identical. With its more contoured roofline, the new Vibe offers 1 mm less headroom in front and 10 mm less in back. In front, there is 16 mm more hip room, but 104 mm less in the back. The sloping roofline no doubt also explains why the maximum cargo volume went from 1,532 to 1,399 litres. With the rear bench seat in place, cargo volume is up from 547 to 569 litres.
The cargo bay is extremely practical and now features hard plastic surfaces that are less slippery than before thanks to their anti-slip rubber edges. The split rear seatbacks have the same finish and fold down easily to form a completely flat surface. The back of the passenger seat can now be folded forward to transport longer items as well: And bravo for the optional plastic panel that pops out of the floor panel in the cargo area to keep smaller objects in place.
More muscular engines
The engine in the base model Vibe is still a 1.8-litre four-cylinder unit that now produces 132 horsepower, up from 126. The GT and AWD versions come standard with a new and more muscular engine, available on option on the base model. This 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine develops 158 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 162 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm. It is vastly superior to the first generation 4WD model that produced 118 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 115 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm. The higher performance and torque make it more fun to drive, but since the Vibe AWD is 140 kg heavier than the old version, the added oomph is practically a must. The extra weight is due to the myriad of accessories added to the standard equipment list; items such as ABS brakes with electronic force distribution, emergency brake assist, six airbags, adjustable headrests, a roof rack, and the list goes on.
The 10.17 seconds it takes to go from 0 to 100 km/h easily outclasses the previous version’s 11.5 seconds. The improvement is even more pronounced for 80-120 km/h accelerations with respective times of 8.14 and 10.56 seconds. The new version comes with a quick and precise 4-speed automatic gearbox that performs upshifts smoothly without being sluggish. The Vibe AWD is also heavier than the front-wheel drive Vibe base model with standard manual gearbox by a good 195 kg. By way of comparison, the Matrix XR, a front-wheel drive model that is equipped with a 2.4-litre engine and the new 5-speed automatic transmission, goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.44 seconds and from 80-120 km/h in 7.61 seconds. It is livelier and more fun to drive. The four-wheel drive system used on the original Vibe/Matrix tandem was already efficient, and the carmakers swear that it is now even better, but the front wheel drive models will certainly be quite competent with proper winter tires. More frugal too, since the Vibe with front-wheel drive ir rated at 9.7L/100 km in city driving and 6.9L/100km on the highway while the AWD version’s respective numbers are 10.3 and 7.8. That is definitely less than a small 4WD sport-utility vehicle but if the price of gas is an issue for you, you should think twice.
Pleasant for day-to-day driving
Behind the wheel of the Vibe, you feel immediately at ease, comfortable and confident. The driving position is just high enough to offer impeccable visibility except for a rather high-mounted left-side rearview mirror that blocks the driver’s view in left turns. The instrument panel features brightly-lit gauges as well as controls that are well designed and laid out. You would be hard pressed to find a more ergonomic and efficient dash on the market right now. The driver’s seat is well made and offers a good general shape and support, but the cushion is a little short. The steering wheel can tilt, as always, but it now offers telescopic adjustment too. Steering action is lively enough and reasonably precise. These features are perfect for city driving but on the highway, steering becomes a bit nervous and vague on-center, no doubt the by-product of a front-end geometry that favours agility over stability. The Vibe is also sensitive to crosswinds, which only amplifies the issue.
The Pontiac Vibe remains a top-notch choice for a multi-purpose vehicle. More practical and versatile than a compact car and at the same time more affordable, agile and frugal than a small sport-utility vehicle, it has everything to meet the real needs of the vast majority of Quebec drivers. Not to mention the promise of excellent reliability brought by its Toyota-designed components.