2003 Pontiac Vibe Review: Interior

The driver operates in a cockpit style environment, and should appreciate some of the nice touches that went into making that environment a pleasant place for driving or even for working.

For example, the front passenger's seatback folds flat forward, so its back can serve as a table for the driver to rest a laptop computer or video game system plugged into the 110-volt outlet. Making this process easier are release levers on both sides of that passenger seatback, so the driver can do this operation one-handed; someone standing outside the car on the passenger's side can easily reach in and do the same thing.

The rear seat has a 60/40 split (and room for at least two full-size adults) and either or both seatbacks can be folded down, providing a Utah-shaped flat floor all the way from the rear hatch to the right half of the dashboard. The Vibe can carry more than 57 cubic feet of cargo, which can be secured by using various tie-downs, including those that lock into position in a clever pair of tracks in the rear cargo floor. Those tracks also are built into the rear seatbacks, so they extend the full length of the rear cargo floor. Pontiac also offers a net system for the cargo area and various bicycle or ski racks for the roof. The rear window on the Vibe's hatchback opens so you can reach your stuff without having to open the entire hatch.