Ladies and gentlemen, that is one very decent little car (our new 2007 Pontiac Vibe). I’ve now driven it all of 20 miles and I’m settling in. Good thing my wife likes it too, since it’s hers.
Most of the gripes I read about in owner reviews are jokes, by the way.
For example, what about the alleged engine noise? Bah! It sounds fine. There’s a modest induction roar that lets me know the thing is working and sounds good enough to make me want to wind it out. ENGINE NOISE? Thank you, Jesus, yes, amen. One reviewer complained about the awkward position of the gearshift lever. Come again? Seems like it’s right where it ought to be, and the gears go snick-snick-snick like a good Japanese gearbox should. The knob is perfect for resting my hand on while we’re oozing through traffic in second, and the clutch is light and smooth. I can’t believe anyone would ever get this car with an automatic transmission. I know, some of you have perfectly valid reasons for preferring an automatic — creeping through the middle of Taos at 10 mph is one of them, too, but let’s not go there!
The point is, there’s so much more you can do with a manual transmission. Matching the gear ratios and resultant rpms to the torque and power I need at any moment is a visceral thrill for me. Yes, even with a “little” engine. I love this stuff. For example, a few months from now I’ll have all the nearby mountain passes mapped out in my head for how high I can climb in third and where I need to go to second. I’ll know how to pass semis in the canyon when my honey isn’t looking. (Some people just drive, I have car sex, what can I say.) All this direct involvement in the dynamics of motion and inertia is important, and it fleshes out the whole experience.The engineers had to have put some thought into the gear ratios, what with 2700 pounds and only 126 horsepower, and so far I think the engine and the 5-speed make a pretty good match, considering.
And one more thing: the visibility out the front and to the sides is fabulous! Not toward the rear, forget that. But moving forward, the view is outstanding. From the driver’s seat — I’m about six feet tall, or was once — I can’t see any part of the short, sloping hood, just the road and scenery ahead. What a kick not having to look at dusty bird poop while flying along. And that reminds me: we absolutely cannot park this thing under the elm tree when the magpies are bingeing on juniper berries.
So far, so good then, as we discover the 21st century. Tomorrow, I tackle the radio!
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