The 2009 Pontiac Vibe
September 11, 2008 by jcme · Leave a Comment
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.
Pontiac Vibe Review
June 5, 2008 by Adam · Leave a Comment
The new Pontiac Vibe has been released for 2009 with four different models to choose from. Each model has had the exterior redesigned for a sleeker, less boxy look. The models start with a 1.8 L engine version and 2.4 L engine version starting at $15,895 and $16,295 respectively. An all wheel drive version is also offered, starting at $19,495 and the sporty Pontiac Vibe GT starts at $19,895.
The entry level Pontiac Vibe comes with a 1.8 L engine and a 5-speed manual transmission, with 4-speed automatic transmission available as an option. The engine is capable of 132 hp and 128 lb-feet of torque, and gets an estimated 26 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. The other three models all use a 2.4 L 4 cylinder engine that gets 158 hp and 162 lb-feet of torque.
The Vibe AWD model comes standard with a 4-speed automatic transmission with an electronically controlled overdrive, while the Vibe 2.4L and Vibe GT come standard with either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed automatic transmission with Driver Shift Control. Fuel efficiency for the Vibe 2.4L, Vibe AWD, and Vibe GT is 21/29 mpg, 20/26 mpg, and 21/29 mpg respectively.
All four Pontiac Vibe models come with an AM/FM radio and CD player with MP3 playback capabilities as well as XM radio with a 3 month trial. The Pontiac Vibe GT also comes with standard Monsoon 7-speaker system, 320-watt with amplifier and subwoofer, while the other three models come standard with a 4 speaker system.
One of the most popular features on the new Pontiac Vibe is the one year subscription to the OnStar “Safe and Sound” plan that comes standard on all of the new Vibes. This includes automatic notification of air bag deployment, stolen vehicle location assistance, emergency services, roadside assistance, remote door unlock (if equipped), hands-free calling, AccidentAssist and remote horn & lights.
The interior of the Pontiac Vibe includes bright, extremely easy to read dials located in the driver’s side dashboard and are easily visible through the steering wheel. All models seat five people and come with plenty of room in the trunk for any amount of stuff they decide to bring along.
If you’re in the market for one of the four new Pontiac Vibes, stop in and visit Lankford Auto, your local Buick, Pontiac GMC dealer, or stop by the website to check out new inventory and pricing.