Pontiac sold the Pontiac Vibe from 2002 to 2010. The 2010 model of the Vibe got an estimated 20 miles per gallon in the city and 26-32 miles per gallon on the highway, making it the most economical car made by General Motors in North America at the time it was in production to drive. The 2009 model can get from 0 to 60 in 7.8 seconds and does a quarter-mile in 15.8 seconds.
The Vibe came in two size engines the 1.8 Liter 2ZR-FE 14 with a horsepower of 118 and the 2.4 Litter 2AZ-FE 14 with a horsepower of 158. The transmissions were either 5-speed for manual or a 4/5-speed automatic transmission.
The Pontiac Vibe was the last car to be manufactured jointly by General Motors and Toyota. It had a 5-door hatchback body style and spacious interior, which provided 111.5 cubic feet of cargo room with the back seats folded down.
The base price for a new Pontiac Vibe started at $16,100 and went up to $20,875 for the GT trim. It had an optional four-wheel drive and a standard stability system. Today you can find used Vibes for between $1624 to up to $11,432.
Like the Pontiac Vibe, my three favorite cars are the Toyota Matrix, Holden Nova, and the Toyota Corolla.
Toyota Corolla (E210)
This version of the Toyota Corolla introduced a hatchback in 2018, making it comparable to the Pontiac Vibe. It comes with a transverse engine that runs on gasoline, flex-fuel, or a hybrid of gas and electricity. Its gallons per mile average 30 in the city and 38 on the highway. Its top speed is 118mph. It can do 0-60 in 8.7 seconds.
Holden Nova
The Holden Nova also came in a 5-door hatchback and resembled the design of the Pontiac Vibe. Like the Vibe, the Holden was part of two car manufacturers coming together to manufacture it. United Australian Automobile Industries and Toyota joined together to build these cars between 1989 to 1996.
The powertrain came in three sizes the 1,4 L 14, 1.6 L 14, and 1.8 L 14. All three of these engines featured fuel injection. The 2006 Holden Nova could reach 0-60 in 5.2 seconds. If you can locate a Holden Nova, you can purchase one for between $2310 to $3850 for a later model.
Toyota Matrix
The Toyota Matrix was made in the United States from 2003 to 2013. The Toyota Matrix, like the Pontiac Vibe, had a model that was also a five-door hatchback. Although the manufacturers had several engine choices, they were remarkably similar to those put into the Pontiac Vibe. The horsepower is 132 or 158 hp and is a 4-cylinder.
The city miles-per-gallon for the Matrix 2013 model is 20-26 miles per gallon and highway 26-32 miles per gallon. The 2012 model can do 0 to 60 in 9.9 seconds and a quarter-mile in 17.5 seconds. You can purchase 2009 used Toyota matrix for between $4993-$13990. The range of the new car in 2013, the MSRP range was $19,275 to $22,415.
Lexus CT
The Lexus Ct is another five-door hatchback. It has the same engine as the Pontiac Vibe, the 1.8 2ZR-FXE14, a hybrid fuel car engine. The Lexus CT also comes in a 1.8L 2ZR-FXE 14 hybrid fuel motor. It can do 0 to 60 in 9.8 seconds. The gas mileage is 40 miles per gallon in the city and 43 on the highway. The cost of a 2017 MSRP price was $31,250. It has a front-wheel drive.
Scion xB
The Scion xB is like the Pontiac Vibe in that it comes as a five-door-hatchback. You have the choice between a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission. There were two engines, either a 1.5 L 103 hp or a 1.3 L 2NZ-FE 14 engine.
The second-generation E150 came out in 2007 and still offered the five-door body style with choices o a 5-speed E351 manual transmission or a 4-speed U24 1E automatic transmission. The engine choices were 1.5 L, 1.8 L, and 2.4 L. The Scion gets 22 miles per gallon in the city and 28 on the highway. It can go from 0 to 60 in 11 seconds and a quarter-mile in 18.3 seconds.
Buick Verano
The Buick Verano was made in the United States from 2011 to 2016. It comes in a 5-door hatchback body style that looks very similar to the Vibe. The 2012 Verano had a 2.4 Ecotec 14 Flex-fuel motor and a 6-speed transmission. 2013 was available in a 6-speed manual or an automatic transmission and had a 2.0 L Ecotec t/c engine. The 2010 model had a 1.6 L family 1 t/c 14 engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission.
The Verano gets 21 miles per gallon in the city and 30 on the highway. A used Verano will start at $13,590. It can get 0 to 60 in 8.2 seconds and do a quarter-mile in 16.2 seconds. A 2017 model has a 2.4 L motor and a 180 hp engine.
Chevrolet Cruze
The Chevrolet Cruze comes in the 5-door hatchback body style like the Pontiac Vibe, although you can get sedan styles. The Cruze 2019 model gets 0 to 60 in 7,9 seconds and can do a quarter-mile in 16 seconds. The 2019 LS hatchback costs around $19,620, depending on its condition.
The Cruze gets 31 miles per gallon in the city and up to 48 miles per gallon on the highway, making it an extremely economical car to have if you have to commute to work every day. The 2019 model comes with a 1.4 153 horsepower engine.
Toyota Camry
A new 2021 Toyota Camry will have a starting MSRP of $25,045. It has 28 miles per gallon in the city and 39 miles per gallon on the highway. However, if you upgrade to the 2.5 L 4-cylinder ECVT engine, you can achieve 44 miles to the gallon in the city and 47 miles per gallon on the highway and a combined of 46 miles per gallon. With this engine, the MRSP starts at $32,720, and it is an electric hybrid.
This car also comes with the 203 Horsepower 2,5 L 4-cylinder motor or the All-wheel drive 2.5 L 4-cylinder 8-speed automatic transmission. If you want more, get up and upgrade to a 6-cylinder which gets 5.75 seconds in 0 to 60 tests.
Toyota Opa
Another 5-door hatchback like the Pontiac Vibe is the Toyota Opa. These cars were made from 2000 to 2005. They tested 0 to 60 in 9 seconds. They averaged 35 miles to the gallon, which made them an economical car compared to many on the market. Like the Vibe, they were considered a crossover vehicle to the SUV we enjoy today.
The Toyota Opa started with a 1.8 L engine but quickly upgraded to a 2,0 L engine and continuously variable transmission. These care sell used for around $4,356.
Geo Prizm
The Geo Prizm was made as a joint venture between General Motors and Toyota between 1988-2002. They were sold exclusively in the United States from 1985 to 1988, although sold in other places by Toyota before that time. Like the Pontiac Vibe, the Geo Prizm was available in the 5-door hatchback style.
The 1997 Geo cost from $12,840 to $ 13,485. The Geo got 30 miles per gallon in the city and 34 on the highway. It had a 1.6 L 100 horsepower Inline 4 engine. The 1993 Geo went from 0 to 60 in 13.3 seconds and did a quarter-mile in 19.3 seconds.
Pontiac Phoenix
The second generation of the Pontiac Phoenix is made available as a 5-door hatchback body style like the Pontiac Vibe. IT came with three engine options the 2.5 L Iron Duke 14, 2.8 L LE2 V6, and the 2.8 L LH7 V6. It had either a 4-speed manual transmission or a 3-speed TH125 automatic transmission.
The Pontiac Phoenix got 20 miles to the gallon in the city and 28 miles per gallon on the highway. Compared to some of Pontiacs other cars, the Pontiac Phoenix seems to have several issues in workmanship. It had been recalled for locking up the rear wheels upon breaking, which made it extremely dangerous.
Daewoo Lacetti
The Daewoo Lacetti is a compact car that came in a 5-door hatchback like the Vibe. The 2003 model had a 1.6 L 16 V engine and was 110 horsepower. These little cars were made from 2003 to 2010. They were 4-cylinder and could get up from 0-62 in 10.7 seconds. They get 39.2 miles per gallon on the highway and in the city get 28.8 miles per gallon. They have a maximum speed of 116.2.
The Lacetti comes from a Latin word that means youthful. The Daewoo Lacetti was manufactured worldwide by GM Korea. In 2011 the brand was discontinued and began being marketed under the Chevrolet and Holden brands.
Toyota Auris
The Toyota Auris. A Japanese-made car was manufactured from 2013-2019. It is a hybrid car running on electricity and fuel. The average miles per gallon is 72. It gets 0 to 62 in 10.9 seconds. The C02 emissions are 91 g/km. IT can get up to a top speed of 112 miles per hour.
The Toyota Auris was replaced in 2019 by the Toyota Corolla. The 2013 models came with an a1.8 L engine with a horsepower of 136. Like the Pontiac Vibe, these came with a 5-door hatchback body style.
Toyota Corolla E 120
The Toyota Corolla comes in several versions. The 2021 Corollas have several different trims available. The MSRP starts at $19,750 to $28,310. One of the engine choices is the 2.0 L 169 HP Inline 4. The horsepower is 121-169. The fuel is 53/52 miles per gallon. It is a 4-cylinder and holds five passengers. IT comes with a continuously variable speed transmission and front-wheel drive.
Chevrolet Chevy II Nova
The Chevrolet Chevy II Nova is manufactured by Chevrolet from 1962 to 1979 and again from 1985 to 1988. The earlier generations had a 3-door hatchback, but the sixth-generation introduced a 5-door hatchback similar to the Pontiac Vibe. The engine was 1.6 L, and the transmissions came in either a 5-speed manual or 3 or 4-speed automatics.
A 1985 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova will cost up to $15,000, depending on the condition. It can get 26 miles per gallon in the city and 29 miles per gallon on the highway.
Chevrolet Corsica
The Chevrolet Corsica was produced between 1987 to 1996 by Chevrolet. It is compact but comes in a 5-door hatchback like the Vibe that was introduced in 1989. The engine choices are 2.0: LL8 14, 2.2 L Lm3/LN2 14, 2.8 L LB6 V6, and a 3.1 L LH0/L82 V6. They came with either 3 or 4-speed automatic transmissions or 5-speed manual transmission.
The Chevrolet Corsica 5-door hatchbacks had a horsepower of up to 140. The gas mileage for the 1989 Chevy Corsica is 21 miles per gallon in the city and 29 miles per gallon on the highway.
Opel Astra
The Opel Astra came out with a 5-door hatchback in 1991. Up until this time, they had only manufactured 3-door wagons and sedans. They had seven different engines they used in these versions of cars the 1.4 L Family 1 14, the 1.6 L Family 1 14, the 1.8 L Family II 14, the 2.0 L Family II 14, the 2.0 L Family II turbo 14, the 1.7 L Family II diesel 14, and the 1.7 L Isuzu 4EE1 TD 14.
These cars came with 5 0r 6 Manual transmissions or 4-speed automatic transmissions. The Opel Astra gets on average 30.4 miles per gallon of gas. The turbo engine listed above can reach a top speed of 152 miles per hour. It can go 0 to 60 in 6.7 seconds and a quarter-mile in 14.7 seconds.
Buick Rendezvous
The Buick Rendezvous is similar to the Pontiac Vibe, although it has seven seats instead of five. This hatchback has an MSRP of $25,520. It can cost as much as $33220 for one with an all-wheel drive.
The Buick Rendezvous gets 18-19 miles per gallon in the city and 24-26 miles per gallon on the highway. It can go 0 to 60 in 10.1 seconds and can do a quarter-mile in 17.5 seconds.
Buick Rainier
The Buick Rainier is another 5-door hatchback like the Pontiac Vibe. It comes in a 3.66 275 horsepower engine, a V6 for those wanting a little more power. It gets 16 miles per gallon in the city and 24 miles per gallon on the highway. It can do 7.7 seconds in 0 to 60 and 15.8 seconds a quarter-mile.
These cars were made from 2004 to 2007. A new 2004 Buick Rainier MSRP was between $35,645 and $38,645, depending on the trim.
Toyota Celica
The Toyota Celica is a Japanese car that was manufactured between 1970 to 2006. Seven different generations were produced during that time. This car is similar to the Vibe even though it has a 3-door liftback instead of the 5-door hatchback. These had engine choices of 1.4 L T14, 1.6 L 2T/2T-B14, 1.6 L 2T-G Twin Cam 14, 1,9 L 8R 14, 2.0 L 18R-G Twin Cam 14. 2.0 L 8R 14, and a 2.2 L 20R 14.
It comes with three transmission choices a 3-speed automatic transmission or a 4 or 5-speed manual transmission. A new 2005 Toyota Celica had an MSRP of between $17,670 to $22,335. A 2003 model can go 0-60 in 7.4 seconds and a quarter-mile in 15.8 seconds.
