2004 Pontiac Vibe Review: Interior

Nice touches went into making the Vibe a pleasant place for driving or even for working: The front passenger's seatback folds flat, so its back can serve as a table for a laptop computer or even a video game system plugged into the 115-volt outlet. Making this setup more convenient are release levers on both sides of the passenger seatback, so the driver can fold it one-handed, while someone standing outside the car on the passenger's side can easily reach in and do the same thing.

The rear seat has room for at least two full-size adults, and is split 60/40. With both rear seatbacks and the front passenger seat folded down, Vibe provides a perfectly flat cargo area shaped like Utah and almost as large: 8 feet from the rear hatch to the right half of the dashboard. With all seats folded, the Vibe can carry 54 cubic feet of cargo, which can be secured by using the numerous tie-downs, including those that lock into position in a clever pair of tracks in the rear cargo floor. Those tracks are also built into the rear seatbacks, so when the seats are folded down they extend the full length of the rear cargo floor. The hard finish used in the cargo area makes for easy cleanup, great for dealing with muddy equipment or wet dogs. However, this same hard finish means cargo that isn't secured tends to slide around; we recommend getting a rubber mat or purchasing some of Pontiac's accessories to handle this situation: Pontiac offers a cargo net system ($35), cargo box ($95), and heavy-duty cargo mat ($50) for the luggage bay. An optional seatback pack ($80) attaches to the front seatback and includes a first-aid kit.