potental owner (questions about cabin size/engine power)

[eighgen]

first - engine power
i used to have a 200hp, 2.7L sedan (i didnt drive it aggressively, nice careful and smooth). will the 1.8L 125hp be enough for me on this smaller car? if i fill it with 1500 pounds of people and stuff, will it be OK at driving cross country? what about with 500 pounds of stuff in it, still an ok drive then?

second - 1st or 2nd gen
first or second gen vibe (2008 and earlier, or 2009/2010), is there much of a difference in people's preference/experience? i think one of the only things i'd seen is AWD and a 2.4L engine were option on the 2nd gen, the first gens only came in 1.8L and FWD. since i didnt plan ahead for this, i'm really hoping to spend under 10k after all taxes and fees. the lower the better, but im hoping this car will last me 5+ years given how unaggressive i drive and (i'm hoping) the reiability from this being somewhat of a toyota car.

third - cabin/storage space
i moved with my sedan, then it broke after i got to my destination. i filled up the trunk and back seat COMPLETELY with stuff. the trunk is rated at 18.3 cu ft, and the entire cabin is about 100 cu ft (guessing just the rear seats have 50 cu ft). so combined trunk and rear passenger seats i estimate at 70 cu ft of cargo space used. in either generation, it looks like the vibe/matrix only claims about 58 cu ft of space with 2nd row seats folded down. am i going to be hosed for space? i was hoping when i bought another car that i could get one with more space. when i looked at measurements on cars.com, it looked like my old sedan had a bit more room (given that i filled up the 2nd row seats and rear window). i've got mostly the same size box that i moved with. the box is 14x22x22, and old computer box from my university. if im not mistaken i could fit 7 of them in the vibe (4 over the 2nd row seats, and 3 in the back over the wheels. actually im not sure the space from the wheels to the back of the front seats, so it might only be 3 there too).

i'm 5'11" but because of my weight i sit more forward on the seat and my gut will probably hit the steering wheel. when thinking about seats, i notice i have some of the problems that tall people have (knees hitting the seats in front of you on an airplane, etc). are there any tall/fat vibe owners out there? how do you fit up front?

fourth - good deal?
im in the denver area and i found a 2009 with 112k miles on it for $8500 USD (2.4L AWD automatic). seem good enough? when i started looking at cars i was a little weary of that mileage but i'm hoping its less important. i dont know the history of the vehicle, i just searched online and after having looked at cargurus.com, the price and mileage looks good. second deal is 10.5k for a 2009 2.4L FWD with 91k miles. i think i'd be fine with FWD and snow tires (in hopes of upping the MPG a big) but i think that price is a bit high.

backstory:
my 1999 dodge intrepid died (interference engine, timing chain failed, probably 3000 in damage, scrapped it). through my search for a car with good cargo space and not utterly huge/horrible gas mileage i came to this car (first the matrix, then the realization the vibe is basically the same car but it has depreciated faster). i'm wondering if the 1.8L engine will be good enough in this thing. it will have about 70hp less than my previous car, but i did not drive it aggressively (so im wondering if i wouldn't notice it). i'm a very big guy so weight wise, it will be like driving this thing around with 3 people in it all the time (ya its bad, maybe this time ive made a change i can live with, we'll see). does that mean its going be a crappy DD for me? i grew up driving in snow so it's not a mystery to me that you have to drive more careful when its slippery. a number of posts here recommend snow tires instead of AWD.

i think thats all.

[SeattleJeremy]

First of all Welcome to the Genvibe!

The First and Second Gen's both had AWD as an option, but it was FWD only from 2007-2008.
If you're thinking about AWD and going cross country with 1500lbs of stuff and people the 2.4L AWD in the second gen is likely the one to get. Going over mountains in an empty 1.8L is no problem. Filled to with 1200lbs of stuff and people in my 2006 5-speed manual going over Steven's pass (I-90 west of Seattle, 4000ft elevation) was a 4th gear 60mph afare in the steep parts. Also, the First gen AWD's where down several hp vs the FWD ones.

Both generations are light on their feet, and coming from a 227HP WRX to this didn't take much getting use to (other than the 0-60 times). The Intrepid is a lumbering beast compared to this car.

The space is packed differently than a sedan, but you have trouble fitting 70cu/ft of stuff in a 58cu/ft space. Maybe a hitch and a small U-haul trailer would remedy that problem.

I'm 6'6" and skinny, so I can't help you with the belly question, but even with a helmet on I have tons of head room.

On a Vibe with only ~100k miles the only thing you need to verify is that all the maintenance is up to date, and that sounds like a good price. Whenever buying used cars it's a good idea to take the car to an independent mechanic to have it inspected. Make sure it's not been in an accident, verify it's in good working order, ect.

The vibe might be down on power but it's also lighter, so the deficit isn't as bad as it might seem.
Vibe 2006 AWD Auto 1.8L 118HP - 2980lbs - 25.25 lbs per HP.
Vibe 2006 FWD Auto 1.8L 125HP - 2770lbs - 22.16 lbs per HP.
Vibe 2009 AWD Auto 2.4L 158HP - 3295lbs - 20.85 lbs per HP.
Intrepid 99 FWD Auto 2.7L 200HP - 3423lbs - 17.12 lbs per HP.

Edid: My car does great in the snow up to 4 inches with good all seasons, past that it's not going anywhere.

[eighgen]

First of all Welcome to the Genvibe!

The First and Second Gen's both had AWD as an option, but it was FWD only from 2007-2008.
If you're thinking about AWD and going cross country with 1500lbs of stuff and people the 2.4L AWD in the second gen is likely the one to get. Going over mountains in an empty 1.8L is no problem. Filled to with 1200lbs of stuff and people in my 2006 5-speed manual going over Steven's pass (I-90 west of Seattle, 4000ft elevation) was a 4th gear 60mph afare in the steep parts. Also, the First gen AWD's where down several hp vs the FWD ones.

Both generations are light on their feet, and coming from a 227HP WRX to this didn't take much getting use to (other than the 0-60 times). The Intrepid is a lumbering beast compared to this car.

The space is packed differently than a sedan, but you have trouble fitting 70cu/ft of stuff in a 58cu/ft space. Maybe a hitch and a small U-haul trailer would remedy that problem.

I'm 6'6" and skinny, so I can't help you with the belly question, but even with a helmet on I have tons of head room.

On a Vibe with only ~100k miles the only thing you need to verify is that all the maintenance is up to date, and that sounds like a good price. Whenever buying used cars it's a good idea to take the car to an independent mechanic to have it inspected. Make sure it's not been in an accident, verify it's in good working order, ect.

The vibe might be down on power but it's also lighter, so the deficit isn't as bad as it might seem.
Vibe 2006 AWD Auto 1.8L 118HP - 2980lbs - 25.25 lbs per HP.
Vibe 2006 FWD Auto 1.8L 125HP - 2770lbs - 22.16 lbs per HP.
Vibe 2009 AWD Auto 2.4L 158HP - 3295lbs - 20.85 lbs per HP.
Intrepid 99 FWD Auto 2.7L 200HP - 3423lbs - 17.12 lbs per HP.

Edid: My car does great in the snow up to 4 inches with good all seasons, past that it's not going anywhere.

[quote="SeattleJeremy"I'm 6'6" and skinny, so I can't help you with the belly question, but even with a helmet on I have tons of head room.[/quote]

i was not worried about headroom. i was worried about my gut, and my leg placement. when comparing car measurments i saw the vibe's front hiproom was 5" less than my intrepid. i think that would mean about 2.5" less per seat. i think i'd be ok with that. what wasn't very clear in any car was the distance from seatback to steering wheel. although that can be hugely changed by leaning the seat back. the seats are all manual, right? also, i'm sure its a moot point to ask but the front seats slide forward and back right? or can you just adjust the lean like the backseats?

a number of reviews complained about the lack of adjusting for the steering wheel. has that been a big pain for anyone?

The vibe might be down on power but it's also lighter, so the deficit isn't as bad as it might seem.
Vibe 2006 AWD Auto 1.8L 118HP - 2980lbs - 25.25 lbs per HP.
Vibe 2006 FWD Auto 1.8L 125HP - 2770lbs - 22.16 lbs per HP.
Vibe 2009 AWD Auto 2.4L 158HP - 3295lbs - 20.85 lbs per HP.
Intrepid 99 FWD Auto 2.7L 200HP - 3423lbs - 17.12 lbs per HP.

ya, thats kinda what i was thinking. its a lighter car with less HP, but its got less to move around so the lower HP/torque might be ok.

[Rayven01]

I definitely recommend a 2.4l 2nd gen. Having test driven several 1.8l even with just two people in the car I found it to feel underpowered at times. Never felt that way with the 2.4l even loaded to the gills. Personally I think AWD is not worth the MPG loss with as good as the FWD handles but 8500 is a hard price to pass up. 10,500 does seem a bit high for the other one. Mine was 9k with similar miles.

[sparky494]

Welcome to GenVibe! I recently purchased an '09 GT and I couldn't be happier with the purchase. I too was waffling a bit on the gen.1 vs. gen.2 conundrum. I am 6'3" and the tipping point for me (along with price) was the gen.2 has a telescopic steering wheel. I know that may sound trivial but the way I sit in the seat that made a big difference in comfort. Plus the gen.2 offers extra safety features, front and rear side curtain air bags.
I came from an '07 Malibu and I never compared numbers on paper but the Vibe seems much roomier. I have two kids in car seats and the Vibe provides plenty of room for the whole family.
The 2.4 has plenty of power for what I need. Toyota puts these engines in the Camery and I believe the RAV-4 so they have plenty of confidence in the power.
It all comes down to personal preference, I never thought I would own a Vibe until I drove one. I say drive a couple gen.1's and gen.2's. My guess is you will never miss the Intrepid.

[eighgen]

I too was waffling a bit on the gen.1 vs. gen.2 conundrum. I am 6'3" and the tipping point for me (along with price) was the gen.2 has a telescopic steering wheel. I know that may sound trivial but the way I sit in the seat that made a big difference in comfort. Plus the gen.2 offers extra safety features, front and rear side curtain air bags.

wasnt quite sure what that meant. turns out ive never driven a car with a telescoping steering wheel before, only tilt. thats odd. 6'3" and still good to go? i've got to be fine in there. guess i'll just have to see this weekend. manual seats and power windows, right? i can deal with that but manual windows would just make me feel like a hoser.

The 2.4 has plenty of power for what I need. Toyota puts these engines in the Camery and I believe the RAV-4 so they have plenty of confidence in the power.
It all comes down to personal preference, I never thought I would own a Vibe until I drove one. I say drive a couple gen.1's and gen.2's. My guess is you will never miss the Intrepid.

ya it looks like they do some other magic to get more HP out of them for the rav4, but i think you are right, almost same engine. the only thing im worried about, which i wont know for some time is the cargo space. i estimated i used about 70 cu ft from the intrepid, and this would only get me 55 cu ft at best. it's not going to be a fun time packing if i find out i have to leave 1.5 boxes behind (its fine though, i could fly back and pick them up later). at least for now, all i miss about the intrepid is the memories. i had it a long time, it helped me do good stuff for good people.

[thebarber]

First off, skip the gen1 awd. Its a dog and gets cruddy mileage. The 2.4L in the gen2 is thirstier than the 1.8's, but the power is nice. Always go for the manual if you can drive a three pedal'r.

I doubt that any choice (other than a gen1 awd) is going to feel slower than your intrepid....the 2.7L in those isn't great.

As for stuff? It holds a TON. I had mine packed to the brim when I moved out east.

[trb]

Welcome! FWIW, we have both, the 06 FWD and my 10 GT. Yes, the 06 is a bit low on power, but it runs pretty well for the mileage it gets. We moved my son from Houston to LA last year for a semester of school. With the two of us and the back pretty full (up to the bottom of the windows) it was able to handle the mountains at speed. Even though it was in a lower gear with the revs up, it never felt like we were really struggling. We averaged about 30 mpg on the trip, with something in the mid to high 20's for the mountain stretch, compared to about 33-35 for normal highway driving.

Several months ago we moved another family member and this time I rented a 5x8 Uhaul trailer and pulled it behind my 10 GT. It was full, with three in the car and the rest of the car full too. Again, I never had any problems with it. Granted, it accelerated much slower, but we cruised right along. I kept it around 60, but gas mileage was horrible. We got about 16.5mpg fully loaded, and almost 20mpg unloaded on the way back. This compare to my normal 29mpg highway average.

Good luck with your decision!

[Mazzy21]

I don't know if I can answer your specific questions, but I can give you my own experience with 1st gen vs. 2nd gen and you can take what you want from it.

I owned a 1st gen '05 Base (1.8L) for the last 6 years, and I've owned an '09 GT for the last week and a half.

Cargo/hatch area -
The point goes to the 1st gen. Although in the 1st gen you have to deal with two wheel wells and in the 2nd gen you only have to deal with one (not sure how that works but ~shrug~ that's how it is), the 1st gen is still, and by far, the better cargo area if you want to use your Vibe as a 'I like a car, but it can function as a truck when I need it to' vehicle. The 1st gen is solid plastic and truly functions like a truck bed. I hauled everything in that car from a 60 gallon fish tank (with stand) to 20 patio pavers (not light weight!!) and everything just slides right in easy-peasy because of the all-plastic design. My new 2nd gen has rubber runners every few inches. I get the idea behind the design change - the rubber prevents things from sliding around in the hatch - but the problem with that, if you want to use it regularly for hauling stuff, is that: it prevents things from (easily) sliding into the hatch. It would be very hard, now, to slide a four foot fish tank and four foot stand into my hatch because the rubber would be such a hindrance that basically a second person would need to be inside the car lifting up the back edge of whatever you are pushing in so that you could continue to 'slide' it without it getting stuck on the rubber.

The second issue I have with the new/different cargo area is that in the 1st gen there are eight little half-moon loops that flip out that you can attach bungees to. This new 2nd gen Vibe only has four of those little half-moon things on the bottom of the cargo area. That doesn't allow you to hold anything with bungees unless it's a super thin item. I used to criss cross my bungees in an X to hold things and now that's not an option. If your hatch is completely full it's no biggee, but if you need bungees then it's likely going to be a pain. I haven't hauled anything in this one yet so I can't be positive, but I immediately noticed, and missed, that feature when I noticed I didn't' have those little loops anymore.

The last thing - that goes with what I mentioned above - is that in the 1st gen there are two little cubbies that would hold my bungees when I wasn't using them (and a small lantern). The 2nd gen has these cubbies too, BUT, unlike in the 1st gen where they were solid/sealed little areas, these in the 2nd gen aren't solid on all sides so hypothetically, if you put something in them to store (like bungees), normal vibration from daily driving could shake those items loose and into who knows where those open spaces in the back sides go in to. The (outside) wheel wells and then out onto the road maybe ?? I have no idea, but it's a poor design change for sure.

As for just what a Vibe can haul, I already mentioned the 60 gallon tank (4 foot) with a wooden stand, and the patio pavers, but I also hauled 16 40lb bags of dirt in the back of that Vibe. It sat VERY low, but it did it.

I took the 1st gen from Michigan to Florida every Thanksgiving through various routes. This was not hauling 1200 pounds so I can't speak to that, but I can tell you that the 1.8L engine did just fine carrying my bags, a cooler, my 100lb dog, and me through the Virginias' mountains, as well as through Kentucky's. Handling was never a problem.

Power -
The point absolutely goes to the 2nd gen. This Vibe has a 2.4L engine and I really didn't think it would make THAT much of a difference but boy was I wrong!! In the 1.8L Base it very obviously was working hard to get up to speed to merge onto the freeway. With the 2.4L most of the time I have to slow down because I don't even notice that I got going SO fast SO quickly. It's night and day, and there's really nothing more to say about it than that.

The body-size stuff I can't really speak on other than to say that the Vibe is surprisingly roomy and I think you'll be okay there. The tilt steering is very helpful if you sit close, as I do, so I'm not imagining, even with the height difference, you'll have a big problem there.

As far as the 2 vehicles you're looking at, I would skip the AWD. I did a LOT of research myself prior to purchasing this GT this time around and the significantly lower gas mileage along with the added cost an AWD can bring if there does end up being a problem just isn't worth it in my book. BTW, my '05 Base had 130,000 miles on it and ran like a charm right up until it collided with that deer. Never had a single problem in 6 years. Not one. So I wouldn't worry too much about mileage or even age of the vehicle. I'd still be driving my '05 if the frame hadn't been bent, and that was the second deer collision in that car and still not a problem one. It purred like a kitten, and I feel like I'm really gonna miss it even though I replaced it with another Vibe.

[shaeet]

drive one before you judge the car on the HP figures. My automatic 1.8 FWD vibe feels quick off the line & around town at slower speeds (under 30) Once you go past that though its not amazing but it can still get up to speed & pass traffic just fine.

I personally prefer the 1st gen over the 2nd gen. Not only because they are cheaper but because of the rear hatch pop-glass feature that allows you to poke extremely long items out of the back. I've had 16' mouldings & railings poking out of the back of my glass & drove over 30 miles home. The 2nd gens don't have this feature & not many cars do other than massive SUV's.

I think you'll be surprised at the amount of crap you can fit in these cars. The instant fold-flat seats with the hard plastic liner & trunk liner allows you to throw rough crap back in the car without worrying about tearing up any fabrics. The roof height is also pretty high. The cars load capacity is only 840 including yourself though, but I've hauled ~1200lbs in my car (i weigh like 200) and it just bottoms out the rear more often but otherwise rides well, but you'll notice the difference in the power when you haul that much stuff. The front fold-flat seat feature is also a very nice feature that many take for granted here. Going to a 09' Jetta wagon with more interior room felt like a downgrade in hauling capacity because it took way too long to fold the seats flat, the stupid rear seat cushion folds forward before the seats fold flat & you have ot take the headrests out. Also the front seat doesn't fold flat & uses a knob to adjust the seatback with. I couldn't fit nearly as many things in that car so I got rid of it and kept my Vibe after realizing how awesome it really is.

[zyzyix]

Hi and welcome



2nd Gen 1.8 liter

Reason 1st Gen was good, but there were issues with the ODO stopping at 299,999KM/Miles also jury has been out on the Drive by Wire versus cable (2003-2004) set up.


2nd Gen-Better, ODO issue was probably fixed, more standard features and since Pontiac and the brand is gone, you should be able to get a good deal. Reason for the 1.8 some early 2.4s 2008-2009, I believe have had issues with excessive oil burning/use. The 2008 and later Scion XB use the same 2.4 as the Vibe, and there are many complaints of excessive oil usage, especially the 2008 XB models. It must have been pretty bad, since Toyota has since installed the 2.5 4 in the Camry, yet the current Matrix (soon to be discontinued) still uses the 2.4 There you have it

[thebarber]

I don't think I've ever read about 2.4L engine issues on the matrix/corolla/vibe

The same 2.4 has been in the Camry since 2000MY

[Scwmcan]

I believe the oil problem predates the 2.4 being used in the vibe/matrix, I believe ( from looking at Toyota forums about this issue) that the problems were up until the 2008 model year, but we're solved by the 2009 model year ( thus not affecting the vibe/matrix). I haven't experienced any issues with my 2.4 and have not seen any repors of this issue with any other vibes or Matrixes, so I wouldn't worry about this one. If the OP is considering a 5 speed manual, he should avoid the early first gens since there seems to be an issue with them, don't know when that was solved ( if it was) but other than that they are a good car and are very handy ( and capable of hauling a lot). I got the 2.4 as I wanted the power, but if I was really concerned about fuel Econ I could have lived with the 1.8 too, but maybe not with the other sacrifices required to get the 1.8 in a second gen vibe or matrix.