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22 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday July 9, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED You'll Love Our Service! 905-335-4080 BURLINGTON LINE Pontiac gets a grip on a changing automotive industry By Jim Robinson OAKVILLE BEAVER The 2009 Pontiac Vibe comes in three models including the AWD (all-wheel-drive), shown, that is suited to the changing road conditions of the Canadian climate. 430 South Service Rd. W., Oakville, ON (between Dorval Dr. & Fourth Line) 905-338-3330 All-wheel-drive and downsized, frugal motoring are higher that ever on the minds of Canadians as oil (at this writing) is at almost $145/barrel. You can drive down any street and see rows and rows of older, big SUVs crammed into the sales lots with the number of takers dwindling every time gas goes up another dollar. Canadian Pontiac/GMC dealers already have a spread of CUV/SUVs, but with attention shifting to smaller is better, the Pontiac Vibe is in the right place at the right time. The Vibe has always been a good seller but with available all-wheel-drive and 7.8L/100 km (36 mpg) highway fuel consumption, this five-door is gaining in popularity. It is built in a factory in California, shared with - of all competitors - Toyota. This joint venture goes back about 20 years and has spawned a number of joint efforts, the Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix being the latest examples. Except for minor details, the Vibe is all Toyota except in name which is a good thing because buyers can expect the same level of build quality they would from a Matrix. Several years ago, Mississauga News photographer Freddie `The Flashbulb' Loek had a first generation Vibe with AWD that he flogged mercilessly, rarely remembering when it needed servicing. The only time it got washed was when it rained. But that little Vibe took everything Freddie could throw at it and kept coming back for more. But what sticks in my mind most was how slow it was. For some reason the AWD version got a 118 hp engine instead of 126 for the non-AWD. With either version of the 1.8-litre four-cylinder, acceleration was leisurely and the little fourbanger seemed to run out of breath higher up the rev range. For 2009 there is still a 1.8-litre DOHC engine on the base Vibe, but it now is up to 132 hp and 128 lb/ft of torque. On the other two models, the AWD and the GT, there is a 2.4-litre DOHC motor with 158 hp and 162 lb/ft of torque. The 2.4litre as tested here is an AWD model gets 10.3L/100 km (27 mpg) city in addition to the 7.8L/100 km (36 mpg) highway as mentioned above. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on the base and GT with a fourspeed automatic fitted to the AWD. There is a five-speed automatic with manual shift mode optional on the base and GT. Instead of the discs/drums Freddie had, it's now discs all around with ABS and StabiliTrak standard. While the base Vibe gets MacStruts and a twist beam at the rear, the AWD and GT get a more expensive, but better riding, independent system at the rear. Continued on Page 23 Special US Fleet Purchase 6 In-Stock Ready to Roll Limited 5 Passenger g Diamond Grey Metallic on Slate Leathe - $33,000 ther Newport Blue Pearl on Slate Grey Leather - $33,000 y Le Harvest Gold Metallic on Beige Le Leather - $33,000 Diamond Grey Metallic on Slate Leather - $33,000 ate Limited 7 Passenger g Deep Bronze Metallic on Beige Leather - $34,000 Harvest Gold Metallic on Beige Leather - $34,000 allic 2008 Subaru Tribeca Limited A AWD The interior is well thought out with gauges and controls clearly marked. For instance, the centre console has adjustable cupholders for different sized beverages.