Vibe redesign delayed

[vrazzhledazzle]

UPDATE: Pontiac has told us that the new Vibe will be appearing at the Los Angeles Auto Show in the fall instead of the New York show.

The word on the web is that GM won't be taking the Pontiac Vibe behind the tool shed just yet. The Vibe nameplate, however, may be gone in favor of a "G" designation to follow with Pontiac's current naming scheme.

While there is no official confirmation, the second-generation Vibe is expected to continue to be a joint product between GM and Toyota. The Matrix, Toyota's version of the car, is set to be replaced next spring by a car designed after the Mazda3 and similar to the European-market Auris.

Edited March 17, 2007 by vrazzhledazzle

[Oracle of Delphi]

My question is will the new Vibe be AWD again, if not, they can keep it.

[pow]

Bah. Better late than never, I guess. The Vibe still plays an important role in GM's line-up, as it's their only car that can do 30 MPG in the city.

[Satty]

Hopefully they give the next gen the EcoTec, the Toyota motors are gutless.

[ellives]

Hopefully they give the next gen the EcoTec, the Toyota motors are gutless.

That's why they get 30 in the city.

[CSpec]

It's not too exciting; just a reskin.

[Satty]

That's why they get 30 in the city.

Thats also why I never bothered looking into a Vibe. Small 4 cylinder engines like the ones in the Vibe, Scions, Aveo, etc dont do particularly well when shooting through traffic, especially with the AC running.

[vrazzhledazzle]

What about changing the name to the G#

I don't know if I like the GM name schemes lately...I mean, instead of DeVille, they have the DTS (DeVille Touring Sedan)???

If Pontiac brings back another take on the GTO, it better be called GTO, not G7 or something.

[ellives]

What about changing the name to the G#

I don't know if I like the GM name schemes lately...I mean, instead of DeVille, they have the DTS (DeVille Touring Sedan)???

If Pontiac brings back another take on the GTO, it better be called GTO, not G7 or something.

I wonder if the GTO will be back. The last attempt was a play on the retro craze that was happening. It's played out now. Let's just build quality kick-ass cars in every segment with a clear market in mind. The game-playing is over. I still think the P-B-G concept is worthless too. There will still be too much overlap and confusion on the part of the consumer.

[Cory Wolfe]

The naming doesn't make any sense. If they are going to do a retarded alphanumeric scheme, do it right. As is, it's stilled mixed in with real names and the number designations are completely random.

[Oracle of Delphi]

The naming doesn't make any sense. If they are going to do a retarded alphanumeric scheme, do it right. As is, it's stilled mixed in with real names and the number designations are completely random.

To me everything they do to Pontiac sucks lately. I'm about ready to leave the brand altogether and never return. For someone like me to say that, there are serious problems at Pontiac.

Edited March 17, 2007 by Pontiac Custom-S

[turbo200]

what about g-money?

the fact that vibe is the only 30+mpg city car at GM is ridiculous.

[ZL-1]

g-string?

[Satty]

G-Unit

[Oracle of Delphi]

G-Wiz

[Flybrian]

the fact that vibe is the only 30+mpg city car at GM is ridiculous.

Actually, with the new EPA ratings...

Honda - 1 (Civic Hybrid)

Toyota - 2 (Prius, Camry Hybrid)

Ford - 1 (Escape Hybrid)

Period. That's it out of every 2007 model by anyone selling anything in the United States. No Hyundai, no MINI, no Corolla, no Yaris, no Fit. Just those four.

[vrazzhledazzle]

And all four that Fly mentioned are Hybrids.

So that either leaves the Vibe as the only non-hybrid to get more than 30 in the city (along with the Matrix??) OR, with the new ratings, the Vibe is no longer rated at 30 in the city.

[Satty]

with the new ratings, the Vibe is no longer rated at 30 in the city.

[pow]

Actually, with the new EPA ratings...

Honda - 1 (Civic Hybrid)

Toyota - 2 (Prius, Camry Hybrid)

Ford - 1 (Escape Hybrid)

Period. That's it out of every 2007 model by anyone selling anything in the United States. No Hyundai, no MINI, no Corolla, no Yaris, no Fit. Just those four.

We're talking about the old EPA ratings. And besides, the new ratings aren't out yet.

[Flybrian]

We're talking about the old EPA ratings. And besides, the new ratings aren't out yet.

Well, tell the EPA that because those are the comparison numbers they give.

Even taking 2007 ratings, the number of 30 city MPG+ vehicles is pretty low. Since I'm obviously more bored that a person should be...

Civic Hybrid/Civic (1.8l)

Yaris

Fit

Corolla (1.8l)

MINI (1.6l)

Accent (m)

Rio (m)

Versa

Prius

Camry Hybrid

Vibe (m)

Matrix (m)

Escape/Mariner

Highlander/RX400h

Get an automatic Accent, Rio, Vibe, or Matrix like normal people do, and its under 30mpg. And those (along with the Versa and Toyota SUVs) are perilously close to the 30mpg cutoff anyway.

Go check out the revision comparison yourself. All of those except for the four I mentioned are below 30mpg city, some well-below.

[Cadillacfan]

Well, engineering is most likely not an issue since it will still be just GM-styled version of the Toyota Blade, which will be unveiled pretty soon. I'm guessing it may have more to do with the design. Perhaps the Vibe or G...whatever.. will be receiving style updates to match the new G8 concept such as the new angular grille. Who knows.. whatever the issue is, GM should drop this baby as soon as it can and push the Pontiac brand forward.

[ehaase]

I have read that the Matrix replacement will use Toyota's 2.4L instead of the 1.8. If the next Vibe gets this engine, it certainly would more pleasant to drive, but won't get 30 mpg in the city.

[pow]

Well, tell the EPA that because those are the comparison numbers they give.

Even taking 2007 ratings, the number of 30 city MPG+ vehicles is pretty low. Since I'm obviously more bored that a person should be...

Civic Hybrid/Civic (1.8l)

Yaris

Fit

Corolla (1.8l)

MINI (1.6l)

Accent (m)

Rio (m)

Versa

Prius

Camry Hybrid

Vibe (m)

Matrix (m)

Escape/Mariner

Highlander/RX400h

Get an automatic Accent, Rio, Vibe, or Matrix like normal people do, and its under 30mpg. And those (along with the Versa and Toyota SUVs) are perilously close to the 30mpg cutoff anyway.

Go check out the revision comparison yourself. All of those except for the four I mentioned are below 30mpg city, some well-below.

Okay, then, here's my revisionist edit...

Bah. Better late than never, I guess. The Vibe still plays an important role in GM's line-up, as it's their only car that can do 26 MPG in the city.

[Flybrian]

Okay, then, here's my revisionist edit...

Your point is well-taken, though. What's worse is this...

[thegriffon]

Well, engineering is most likely not an issue since it will still be just GM-styled version of the Toyota Blade, which will be unveiled pretty soon. I'm guessing it may have more to do with the design. Perhaps the Vibe or G...whatever.. will be receiving style updates to match the new G8 concept such as the new angular grille. Who knows.. whatever the issue is, GM should drop this baby as soon as it can and push the Pontiac brand forward.

The Toyota information is confused and worthless. The Blade is a bloated Toyopet version of the Auris, which is not coming to the US. The US might get the Auris, a very belated decision by Toyota Motor sales, but it will not replace the Matrix. The Matrix may indeed be more like the Mazda3 hatch, bigger than the Auris, but won't be renamed Blade.

[Intrepidation]

The Prizm will do 30 mpg city/40+mpg highway. This is real stuff, not estimates.

[vrazzhledazzle]

The Toyota information is confused and worthless. The Blade is a bloated Toyopet version of the Auris, which is not coming to the US. The US might get the Auris, a very belated decision by Toyota Motor sales, but it will not replace the Matrix. The Matrix may indeed be more like the Mazda3 hatch, bigger than the Auris, but won't be renamed Blade.

Actually, its confirmed that the next gen Matrix is supposed to go directly directly after the Mazda 3, just like the new Turda after the F-150, Silverado, and Ram.

Toyota has realized that some of their vehicles are actually very uncompetitive in their segments so their "but, it's a Toyota!!" bull$h! won't sell them anymore...so now they're redesigning them. I hope the Astra kills whatever Auris $h! they try to $h! out on the US.

[thegriffon]

"Confirmed"? Blade=restyled Auris with 2.4 L and IRS (not standard on the Auris). For the US Blade is dead. The US was not part of the original markets to get the Auris, but Toyota recently decided to at least consider it. It would be additional to the Matrix replacement, which is nothing like the Auris except that both have five doors. While the Auris is intentionally similar to the Golf and Astra, the next Matrix appears to be more like the Mazda3 and Caliber, which are as much wagon as hatchback (as are the current Matrix and Vibe). If Toyota was really aware they are uncompetitive they would have redesigned the Corolla sedan on the larger T-body platform of the tC and Caldina, instead of simply upgrading the smaller Corolla E-platform; and designed the Yaris hatch on the larger platform of the sedan.

[bowtie_dude]

"Confirmed"? Blade=restyled Auris with 2.4 L and IRS (not standard on the Auris). For the US Blade is dead. The US was not part of the original markets to get the Auris, but Toyota recently decided to at least consider it. It would be additional to the Matrix replacement, which is nothing like the Auris except that both have five doors. While the Auris is intentionally similar to the Golf and Astra, the next Matrix appears to be more like the Mazda3 and Caliber, which are as much wagon as hatchback (as are the current Matrix and Vibe). If Toyota was really aware they are uncompetitive they would have redesigned the Corolla sedan on the larger T-body platform of the tC and Caldina, instead of simply upgrading the smaller Corolla E-platform; and designed the Yaris hatch on the larger platform of the sedan.

I swear you MUST be some kind of forum bot attached to an auto industry database.