Hubby has recently become interested in the new Pontiac Vibe. We have been Ford Escort drivers for many years and were looking into the Focus but have heard too many bad things about it.
Does anyone out there have any input on the Vibe?
Am I the only person who was confused by the OP?
O.k. I’ll rephrase;
We are in the process of looking for a new car. We were looking at the Ford Focus because we have been very happy with our Escorts, which are no longer being made. We have heard a LOT of bad things about the Focus and so are looking into other vehicles. So far the Vibe looks good but I am looking for feedback from an actual owner. Perhaps the Vibe is called something else in the States?
Many Crows, I think you’ve been wooshed. “Vibe” is also short for vibrator. Your subject line sounds like you’re asking female Dopers if they’re satisfied with their vibrators.
Yup I’m easily whooshed 
Perhaps some kind Mod would place the word “Pontiac” in the subject in front of “Vibe”
I knew what you meant.
Car and Driver doesn’t think to highly of the Vibe here. You could get the winner of the comparo and still be in the “Ford Family”.
Isn’t the Focus on Car and Driver’s top 10 list ? Yeah, it is, of course i have no personal experience whatsoever with either.
You may want to look at the Toyota Matrix too, being that it’s the same exact car as the Vibe. (I think, I hope I’m not wrong, I hate looking like an idiot more than is truly nessecary)
It is the exact same vehicle, sans some plastic pieces, and it scored higher than the Vibe did in C&D, IIRC.
A Vibe is simply a rebadged Toyota Matrix, along with a dash of that nice “we build excitement” look to it. And a Toyota Matrix is simply a flashy Corolla station wagon.
The Corolla has always been a good, if boring, car. And the new 2003s are almost nice looking too.
I spend most of my workdays putting alarms and remote starters in new Toyotas, so I get to move them around a lot, and drive them occasionally. I spent an hour behind the wheel of a base-model, 5-speed Corolla, and it was quiet enough, rode comfortably, and had adequate power. Automatic-equipped Corollas/Matrixes seem to have almost no balls whatsoever in the acceleration department.
From what my salesman friends tell me, you can’t get a Vibe equipped with the most-powerful engine and and automatic, but you can with the Matrix.
Thanks for the input all, and that’s a good link DeadOman. It doesn’t seem as though we have any actual owners hanging around this week. This is very bizarre talking about Toyotas. We have been mostly Ford owners for so many years ,that considering something else seems very strange, and yes, we do know that our Escorts are half Mazda. Hubby is planning on getting another year or two out of our ‘91s’ so that will give us lots of time to check them out.
Many thanks