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Quote »Just as compatible people often find one another, so do drivers and their perfect cars. It's just karma, I guess. I notice it now and then, most recently with a couple who pulled up at a city dog park and unloaded a yellow Lab and a 4- or 5-year-old son. They were in a Pontiac Vibe that suited them perfectly. They told me so when I asked, and one of them gave it an affectionate little pat. A compact hatchback that looks like a small, stylish wagon, the Vibe is fairly inexpensive, gets pretty good — but not great — gas mileage (low to upper 20s) and, for this family at the dog park, has just the right amount of space for the parents, the child and the Lab... Full article:http://www.statesman.com/life/....html

Pretty good article, but the writer, Pete, sold the fuel economy a little short. I'm averaging 36-37 mpg, not the "low to high 20s" he mentions. Gonna scare off more potential Vibe buyers!

or he could be talking about the new 09 vibes with the 2.4L instead of our old 1.8L

COMMENTARY: PETE SZILAGYIDrivers seeking style, value get good Vibe from PontiacBy Pete SzilagyiSPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMANSaturday, January 24, 2009Just as compatible people often find one another, so do drivers and their perfect cars. It's just karma, I guess.I notice it now and then, most recently with a couple who pulled up at a city dog park and unloaded a yellow Lab and a 4- or 5-year-old son. They were in a Pontiac Vibe that suited them perfectly.They told me so when I asked, and one of them gave it an affectionate little pat.A compact hatchback that looks like a small, stylish wagon, the Vibe is fairly inexpensive, gets pretty good — but not great — gas mileage (low to upper 20s) and, for this family at the dog park, has just the right amount of space for the parents, the child and the Lab.The Vibe is vestige of a long-ago sharing agreement between General Motors and Toyota, which resulted in the California East Bay plant that builds the Vibe. Toyota's version of this model is called the Matrix. Both were engineered by Toyota using the latest-generation Corolla engines and platform.The Vibe is priced a bit less than the Matrix, and fewer options are offered. For example, a navigation system is available on the Matrix but not the Vibe, and a loaded Vibe is $23,615 compared with a maxed-out Matrix at $25,493.A base Vibe with no options is $16,735, but that doesn't include an air-conditioner. So don't expect to see one at that price on a Texas dealer's lot. No one would buy it. Add $950 for the air-conditioner, and that base model looks like a bargain to me.This is an amusing and likable car with the road manners of an import and durable four-cylinder power trains, a 132-horsepower, 1-8-liter base model and optional 158-horsepower, 2.4-liter version in the Vibe GT. An all-wheel-drive model is also available.The Vibe's engines are peppy enough, and the chassis provides sure handling but a jittery ride on rough pavement. Engine and road noise can be tiring after awhile, a common problem with similar light hatchbacks.Four people fit in the Vibe, five in a pinch, but the rear seat cushion could provide more support. I'm 6-foot-2 and felt crowded in the driver's seat, which needed more support.Rear seats fold to increase cargo space, making for excellent dog cartage, although the family pet might find the plastic load floor too slippery and hard for a safe grip. Otherwise, the cabin is pleasant and accommodating, with just enough cheap plastic to remind you of the Vibe's low price.In his 27 years of writing a column for the Austin American-Statesman, Pete Szilagyi has driven more than 1,400 new cars and trucks.

I'm sure the family that Pete karmicly noticed with their Vibe were probably driving the automatic 2.4L and maybe even all wheel drive version. Then Pete writes about the the Vibe range... strippo base model to loaded. Anyone who reads this little car review, not familiar with the Vibe range, would probably surmise that Vibe mileage is pretty poor, so why not opt for a Rav, CRV, other small "cute" Ute, since they advertise mpg from the high 20s to around 30. Plus there are several hatches out there that get better than 30 mpg. I still think Pete didn't do all his homework and is selling the potential of this car a little short. Value and Economy have become key selling points.

I see a lot of mediocre reporting in the auto area. Come to think of it, I see a lot of mediocre reporting in other areas. Sometimes I wonder how these writers keep their jobs. Maybe they don't get paid very much.