I upgraded from my 2004 Vibe and I couldn't be happier. I got the 2.4L engine, and it really gave me the power I needed to accelerate on the highway that I didn't have before. The addition of the AUX port is not worth the loss of the in-dash navigation system, but an external nav is significantly cheaper than the internal. After six years, the A/C is weakening--not going out, just weakening. Probably the biggest benefit of this vehicle is the hatchback. It's like having an SUV without the 2009 SUV gas mileage. I get 26/24, which is less than my previous 33/30 in the '04, but still reasonable. This is a great car for singles, couples, or couples with small children, even for trips, but anything more than that and you're going to have to upgrade. Sadly, Pontiac has closed and this model is no longer available, but all GMC dealers will do service, so if you're in the market for a used car, check this one out!

I love my Vibe for a lot of reasons. The biggest one being that I haven't had any issues with it in five years! This was astounding to me, as there's always something going on with cars for me, but this one is perfect. It is very responsive and has a lot of "get up and go" which is great for someone who is a defensive driver. It performs well on both the highway and in my small city. The gas mileage is incredible as long as the tires are taken care of, if they're underinflated though, you lose a lot of that benefit, so be sure to keep them well cared for. The only thing I don't like is that there seems to be a little bit of a blind spot as the driver where my peripherals are blocked out at times because of the plastic bar near the window. Also, the console is slightly small and there's not a lot of storage options, but that's not really a problem since I'm not the most organized person in a car anyway. I would also like a cargo net or something in the back. Maybe because I purchased my Vibe used, it just didn't have it, but I don't want to have to buy a separate piece of equipment just to keep my things from rolling around in the back. Overall though, I'm just being nitpicky because I absolutely love my car.

So far, the 2003 Pontiac Vibe has worked out quite well. The car is pretty much identical to the Toyota Matrix, except that the body is somewhat different (better, in my opinion). Toyota's reputation for reliability carries over to the Vibe, which houses a Toyota engine along with an automatic transmission. (A manual is available, as well as a reportedly awesome 6-speed manual on the GT trim. Which makes me jealous for those who drive manual, but as I was buying in the winter in a snowy area, I couldn't afford to learn on the fly.)