The improvement is even more pronounced for 80-120 km/h accelerations with respective times of 8.14 and 10.56 seconds. The 10.17 seconds it takes to go from 0 to 100 km/h easily outclasses the previous version’s 11.5 seconds. 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 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. 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. 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.

The GT and AWD versions come standard with a new and more muscular engine, available on option on the base model. 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 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. The split rear seatbacks have the same finish and fold down easily to form a completely flat surface. 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. With the rear bench seat in place, cargo volume is up from 547 to 569 litres. The sloping roofline no doubt also explains why the maximum cargo volume went from 1,532 to 1,399 litres. In front, there is 16 mm more hip room, but 104 mm less in the back. With its more contoured roofline, the new Vibe offers 1 mm less headroom in front and 10 mm less in back. The interior capacity is practically identical. 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. What’s more, the wheelbase and front and rear track widths are unchanged on all 2009 Vibe models. The other models have a semi-independent rear beam suspension. This difference is caused by the independent rear suspension that is necessary to make room for the extra differential. 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. 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. 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. There is very little change in the Vibe’s size and proportions… and that’s a good thing. Toyota Matrix: Six of one, a half-dozen of the other? There are a few differences in the equipment and options for both products, but only in the details. 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. Plain logic dictated that no radical changes be made to a winning recipe, and GM and Toyota took heed. The second generation is hardly revolutionary. 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. Moreover, the Vibe and Matrix were totally redesigned for 2009 and have been on sale for several months now. 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.

It has had a low-key career since its launch in 2003 but it is undeniably one of GM’s best product lines.

The compact Pontiac Vibe is simultaneously a wagon and a utility vehicle without clearly belonging to either category.

Pontiac vibe awd