The 2009 Pontiac Vibe is, in many ways, the very best compact car that Pontiac has ever made. The Pontiac Vibe features smart packaging, styling that’s clean, an interior with plenty of room, plenty of utility, all at an affordable price. The powertrain is plenty powerful, and the Vibe gets better than average fuel economy.
The 2009 version of the Pontiac Vibe is actually the second generation of the car. It is a twin to the Toyota matrix, and is built in Fremont California at the joint GM-Toyota plant.
The 2009 Pontiac Vibe is available in three trim levels. The base model is front wheel drive, and has a 4 cylinder 1.8 liter engine, capable of 132 horsepower. It also features a torsion-beam rear suspension. The next model is the All Wheel Drive (AWD) model. The AWD has an independent rear suspension, and it has a 2.4 liter four cylinder engine capable of 158 horsepower. Finally, the GT is a front wheel drive sport version that has the 2.4 liter engine and the independent rear suspension.
Two of the Pontiac Vibe models come with a five-speed manual transmission as standard. The AWD model, however, only comes with a four-speed automatic. On the GT, you can get a five-speed automatic is optional on the GT and a four-speed automatic can be added to base model. If you want the 2.4 liter engine on the base model, you can get that, too, along with the five-speed automatic.
The gauges and controls of the Pontiac Vibe are simple and intuitive. The overall quality of the interior is good, and there is more than enough room for passengers to ride along. Antilock disc brakes are standard with the vibe, as is OnStar, airbags, and stability control.
