Unlike its larger, minivan-based cousin, the Vibe was designed by John Mack, whose previous work includes the exciting Piranha concept car (after finishing the Vibe, Mack moved from the Pontiac styling studio to design the next Impala and Monte Carlo for Chevrolet).

Pontiac already has the youngest buyers of all General Motors brands, but to appeal to an even younger audience, Pontiac opted for a two-box architecture for the Vibe. To make sure this hatchback wasn't too boxy, Mack kept overhangs short (that also pushes the wheels out to the corners - Wide Track, remember -- for a better stance and handling) and he put more (almost a fastback) slope into to the rear section of the roof (notice how the "encapsulated" C-pillars almost look like inverted hockey sticks).

Mack says he tried to design a lot of what he calls "gesture" into the Vibe's body contours to help fulfill Pontiac's desire for a muscular, athletic look. He succeeded.

Note: Pontiac is having trouble breaking its habit of surrounding its vehicles with lower-body cladding. But at least the Vibe's is relatively plain, and is available in either charcoal or body color (although the body color is a $500 option). We think the charcoal looks best on the all-wheel-drive version, giving it some visual elevation and an off-roady, 4x4 (dare we say Outback) look.