A positive Vibe It's a car, wagon and SUV and best of all, it's useful

Buying a vehicle was fairly simple when there were clearly definedbody styles, such as coupes and sedans. But now, seemingly anythinggoes with the many new types of vehicles.

For instance, the 2003 Pontiac Vibe four-door hatchback combinesattributes of a small car, station wagon and sport-utility vehicle.

One of the new "crossover" vehicles, the Vibe is essentially atall station wagon that offers such things as slightly higher seatingfound in sport-utes. Rear seatbacks flip forward and sit flat toprovide gobs of cargo space, as does the front passenger seat.

Made in California, the Vibe was jointly developed by GeneralMotors and Toyota, which sells a Canadian-built version called theMatrix. While the vehicles are mechanically identical, the Matrixlooks rather conservative and the Vibe has Pontiac'scharacteristically aggressive styling.

The base Vibe comes with front-drive for $16,340 and also as abase model with all-wheel drive for $19,540. The hot rod GT versioncosts $19,340 and only has front-drive.

All are enjoyable to drive, with quick steering, good handling,sure braking and a supple ride.

Even the base front-drive model has items including airconditioning, AM/FM/CD player, tilt wheel and rear wiper for thetailgate's convenient pop-up rear window.

The all-wheel-drive model adds anti-lock brakes, while the GT hasfour-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, leather-wrapped steering wheel andalloy wheels.

Power windows and door locks come in a $600 (after a manufacturerdiscount) option package that also contains cruise control and remotekeyless entry. A moonroof and premium sound system package is $500after such a discount.

Despite its extra power, the GT doesn't get bigger (17-inch)wheels and wider (50-series) tires unless a buyer pays an extra $400.However, fairly large 16-inch wheels and 55-series tires are standardfor all Vibes.

Power is supplied by a 1.8-liter, 123-horsepower four-cylinderwith the all-wheel drive version, which is available only with a four-speed automatic transmission and isn't designed for off-road driving.

The front-drive base model has a 130-horsepower version of thatengine and can be had with either the automatic or a five-speedmanual transmission.

The most fun is provided by the GT with a race-style Yamaha-built1.8-liter four-cylinder, which generates 180 horsepower and also isused in the Toyota Celica GT-S. The GT comes only with a six-speedmanual gearbox, which is notchy but has a conveniently high-mountedshifter.

Consumers never have had such a wide range of engines,transmissions and drive systems for a single vehicle--especially withfairly low-priced models such as the Vibe.

No matter what power rating, a Vibe engine is noisy during hardacceleration and must rev high to develop good power and torque.

Performance is lively in town, but the Yamaha engine shines athigher speeds. Still, a downshift to fourth gear in my test Vibe GTwas needed for a good 65-75 mph passing time. The heavier all-wheeldrive model is slower than front-drive versions, but a front-driveVibe has torque steer when accelerating fast from a standing start onslippery roads--a condition all-wheel drive would cure.

Fuel economy is good. Depending on its engine and transmission,the Vibe provides an estimated 25-29 mpg in the city and 30-36 onthe highway.

The Vibe's fairly trim exterior dimensions make it easy to parkand maneuver, and it has impressive space for four tall adults. Tall,wide doors make it easy to get in and out, and outside door handlesare easily grasped. There are a decent amount of storage areas, andeven the glove compartment is large.

The interior looks sporty. Climate system controls are large, butradio controls are small.

Speedometer and tachometer markings are offset, as in a race car.That leaves, for instance, the 80-mph speedometer mark where 60 mphwould be on typical speedometers and the 5,000 rpm mark about wherethe 3,000 rpm mark would be on conventional tachometers. That's OKfor tracks, where fast-moving drivers usually only look at the topgauge markings. However, it's an odd setup for street driving.

But no vehicle is perfect, and the Vibe should be very reliablewhile providing driving fun and lots of utility.

2003 PONTIAC VIBE

Prices

$16,340-$19,340

Likes

Versatile. Spacious. Distinctive. Fun to drive.

Dislikes

Noisy engines. Oddly placed gauge markings. Notchy gear shifter.