The Pontiac Vibe comes standard with a 132-hp 1.8-liter four-cylinder, which offers the advantages of cost, fuel economy and character over the 2.4-liter engine. With just 128 lb-ft of torque on tap, the 1.8-liter needs to rev a bit to get the 3000-pound Vibe moving, but it never complains, gets overly raucous, or raises water temperature when you lean on it hard and often. More important, the 1.8-liter rates a significant 4-5 mpg better in fuel economy relative to the 2.4-liter. The 1.8-liter has a far more entertaining character as well; the 1.8 encourages you to wind it up and it seems to offer crisper throttle response.

Crisper throttle response does not equal more power, however. The 2.4-liter has an advantage of 26 horses and more notably 34 pound-feet of torque over the 1.8. As a result, the 2.4 is more relaxed and has more midrange power for grades and accelerating from a standstill, requiring effort from the driver.

The 1.8-liter works best with the five-speed manual (EPA 26/32 mpg). The 2.4-liter is almost better with the five-speed automatic (EPA 21/29 mpg), especially if you're in traffic a lot; in multiple samples we found the 2.4/5-speed manual combo hasn't a very precise shifter and needed more revs than we'd expect to avoid stalling at takeoff, and we never had that issue in the 1.8/5-speed.

The AWD model comes with a fully automatic all-wheel-drive system that will transfer up to 45 percent of available power to the rear wheels when conditions warrant. In good conditions, the system is virtually transparent to the driver. Any different feel you notice on a test drive not done in a blizzard is apt to be caused by the extra weight and not the AWD system. At close to 3300 pounds the AWD Vibe is the heaviest in the lineup and comes with a four-speed automatic, which add up to the lowest EPA rating of 20/26 mpg.

The AWD and GT models feature a more sophisticated rear suspension than the standard Vibes. This can be noticed in better bump absorption and in handling nuances when driven at the limit on a racing circuit. The average driver will derive much more from the GT's wider, stickier tires than from the rear suspension, and those tires will generate a bit more road noise and sharper impacts on everything from lane divider dots to potholes.

Antilock disc brakes are used at each corner on every Vibe and include electronic aids to make the best of them in emergency situations. Brake size increases by model but all are up to the task.

To aid in saving fuel the Vibe uses electric power steering. It's not our favorite feature because it lacks in feel how hard the front tires are working and it doesn't come back to center very well. If you're used to making sharp turns around a tight parking lot or garage and having the wheel return to straight ahead as you release it, you may find you have to help it back on the Vibe. It goes where you point it and doesn't require any effort, but it feels a bit dull and rubbery and doesn't turn as tight as other small cars.

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