The look is still polarizing. It leaves no room for in-between opinions. Some say it looks bold, stylized, and aggressive. Others say it's ugly.

Though the Aztek is built on the same mechanical platform as the Pontiac Montana, it doesn't look much like a minivan. Only its height betrays the minivan origins. And with its arching profile that rounds off the roofline at the rear, it doesn't have the boxy profile of a sport-utility either. It looks more like a giant four-door hatchback that's jacked up to a dizzying height.

In front, its wide track and stubby prow suggests the chin-forward face of a snarling bulldog. Its Pontiac-trademark twin-port grille is over-scored by ram-air slots in the hood, with amber turn lights mounted above irregularly shaped headlamps. The side-window shapes are angular and striking, fitting with the angular arch of the roofline.

At the rear, a flat pane of glass stretches between the high-mounted lamps. It opens along with the liftgate above. A short tailgate swings down below, expanding the opening into Aztek's cavernous luggage space. The lack of a rear wiper means you don't see very well out back when the rear glass gets covered with muck.