2009 Pontiac Vibe

The Vibe wagon does have its drawbacks, reviewers say. It isn't as roomy as some other budget wagons, such as the Scion xB (*est. $15,750 to $16,700), although testers say the Vibe offers better visibility than the Scion's dark, thick-pillared, boxy styling does. Critics do find the Vibe's rear visibility somewhat limited, but About.com's Andrew Gold says the oversized side mirrors make up for it.

Although the Vibe's cargo bay is small -- 25 percent smaller than the full-size Subaru Outback's (*est. $22,295 to $32,095) -- reviewers say it's versatile, with a pop-up cargo organizer that keeps groceries from skating around on the smooth, easy-to-clean plastic cargo liner. Testers say the Pontiac wagon's back seat is comfortable for two adults, but three would be a tight squeeze. The front seats aren't particularly comfortable, and the entire interior seems a little cheap, reviewers say.

The base Pontiac Vibe 1.8L (*est. $16,100) is named for its 132-horsepower, four-cylinder engine. It offers either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission, delivering the best fuel economy of any Vibe trim: 28 mpg combined, or 26 mpg city/32 mpg highway (31 mpg highway with automatic transmission) according to the EPA. Testers say it delivers adequate power, but when you're accelerating or passing you'll wish for the step-up Pontiac Vibe 2.4L (*est. $16,495) with its 158-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder.

The Pontiac Vibe GT (*est. $20,875) adds a double-wishbone rear suspension, choice of five-speed automatic or manual transmission and niceties like aluminum wheels and leather seats. Fuel economy suffers substantially with the bigger engine. The Pontiac Vibe 2.4L and GT models get 24 mpg overall, or 21 mpg city/28 mpg highway (29 mpg highway with automatic). The Vibe AWD (*est. $20,475) -- available only with the bigger engine and the four-speed automatic transmission -- achieves just 22 mpg overall (20 mpg city/26 mpg highway).

ConsumerReports.org' analysis of the Pontiac Vibe station wagon is far more comprehensive than any other review, covering everything from performance and comfort to reliability and resale value. Reviews at MotherProof.com and About.com aren't quite as authoritative, but they provide a good glimpse into the Vibe's real-world practicality. Reviews at Edmunds.com, MotorWeek, Car and Driver and The Wall Street Journal are also based on hands-on testing, although they are not as thorough as the best reviews. We found gas mileage and pollution ratings at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's website and the nonprofit GreenerCars.org site. Safety ratings at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety aren't as helpful as they usually are, due to incomplete information about the Vibe, but the 2009 Pontiac Vibe has been crash-tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.