Not sure if this is the proper place for this question

[dandydon]

I'm not an owner of a Vibe yet but my wfe & I are thinking about it. Mainly due to price difference and option levels vs. Matrix. I'm concerned first of all with the gas mileage of the 2.4 motor with AWD. Sounds like we wouldn't get better mileage than our '98 Rav4--19-24 city/hwy? Also, what about repairs and parts, especially body parts, aometime down the road now that Pontiac is gone away? Can any GM dealer service it? Can any Toyota dealer service it? Just looking for some input to make a serious decision. I don't want to make a regretful mistake. Give me all your arguments for/against and also any particular things to look for in a used model with this drivetrain only. Thanks for sharing!!

[MotoAce51]

My 04 base gets about 34 ave. And parts seem cheap...

[Salsa Guy]

Welcome to Genvibe. GM will warranty the car until it expires. GM should suppy all parts for the next 7 years (at least). Toyota will service the car but not under warranty (I don't believe). Toyota will carry the main components for a long time. I can't speak about fuel MPG with the 2nd Gen vibe/matrix. Goodluck!

[star_deceiver]

You'll get much better mileage with the Vibe compared to the Rav-4

[j42.snyder]

I wouldn't necessarily agree that the Vibe will do much better on gas. My 2.4 with 5 speed auto (FWD) is nothing special for sure. It gets thirsty very easily if you like higher speeds (over 60mph), or quicker acceleration. The AWD is rated notably poorer than mine. Being heavier, and only having a 4 speed automatic won't help it at all. This really applies to any AWD compared to a FWD though, regardless of model.Without looking up specs, I'd bet that the Vibe isn't much lighter than the RAV, but you'll likely find it to be somewhat peppier, and it has a lot of safety features the RAV likely does not. Things like stability control, side impact, and side curtain airbags, and tire pressure monitoring to name a few.Body panels would be (and perhaps are) my main concern - although for the short run they had, they were fairly popular cars - with around 100,000 being built. In the hopefully unlikely event that you may need something Vibe specific one day, I'm sure that there will be a decent supply of parts available for some time - whether new or used. Mechanically, I believe everything will interchange with a Matrix.I know that around here, Toyota dealers will service them - but obviously not provide any warranty or recall coverage.I'm sure you'd find a Vibe to be a worthy replacement for the RAV, and it should last for a good number of years with proper care. Much of the car seems to be directly taken from the previous generation RAV anyway - so it's a proven design. If you're looking for gas mileage though - think 1.8 FWD if you could do without the AWD. I like the performance of the 2.4, but as our local gas price here works out to about $5.25/U.S. gallon, I'm finding it a little thirstier than I'd like.JohnP.S. - I'm not sure what the packages were like in the U.S. on the Vibes - but here in Canada, the option packages with the AWD were entirely different from FWD models. For example the AWD came standard with A/C, but the base model still had roll-up windows and no power locks. This combination wasn't possible to order with FWD - it all came together as a package. Just keep that in mind when looking to make sure it has everything you expect it to.

[beemerphile1]

At http://www.fueleconomy.gov doing the side by side comparison it appears the Vibe with 2.4L and AWD has a combined mileage 1 MPG better than your Rav4. Hard to say for sure because you have to enter information such as transmission, engine size, and other things. I guessed at some.I recommend that anyone doing car shopping use the fueleconomy.gov website. It is operated by the USA government for that purpose. I used it when deciding to buy my Vibe. My Vibe with the 1.8L, automatic, FWD is rated at 28 MPG.

[dandydon]

Thanks to all. Your inputs are appreciated. After doing a search within my local area it seems that the few Vibes I located are only FWD. Anyone who knows what we went through in New hampshire during the past few winters knows the reason why we want AWD. Understanding that along with that as a consequence is less miles per gallon. Right now our gas prices are between $3.93-4.06 a gallon. Difference is due to location of fuel stations and proximity to high levels of traffic. They are hard vehicles to track down but we keep looking! Thanks Again!

[Kincaid]

I don't have to worry about it, but there is a school of thought that prefers a lighter, more gas efficient FWD vehicle with winter tires over a 4WD vehicle (though I suspect you plan to use both winter tires and 4WD).Also, you should check on ground clearance of RAV4 v. Vibe. AFAIK, 4WD helps little if you get high centered on deep packed snow.