How much is car insurance for a Pontiac Vibe?

General Motors stopped making the Pontiac Vibe as of 2010, however the Vibe is expected to remain a popular used vehicle for the foreseeable future.

If you’re considering buying a used Vibe and would like to know how much it costs to insure in your area, you can enter your zip code in the box to get some competitive prices.

Before you compare car insurance quotes, however, read on to get more information about safety ratings, reviews and some variables that can affect the your insurance rate.

Past and Future

The Pontiac Vibe is the product of a joint venture between General Motors and Toyota. Built as a counterpart to the Toyota Matrix and on a Corolla E-platform, the 2004 Vibe commenced sales in late 2003.

Because much of its manufacturing involved Toyota parts and production, the Vibe has earned a reputation that is a combination of American practicality and Toyota reliability.

Although the Pontiac Vibe has been discontinued reviewers and owners appear to share very little concern about the Vibe’s longterm serviceability because it uses so many Toyota parts and is familiar to technicians who service the Matrix.

Furthermore, General Motors has pledged to honor all outstanding warranties for the foreseeable future.

The Pontiac Vibe has received favorable evaluations as both a new and used car. Reviewers note its excellent fuel economy, ample passenger room, huge cargo space, nice exterior styling in comparison with its twin the Matrix, and respectable reliability.

The on-demand all-wheel drive upgrade and the sporty GT front-wheel drive 2.4-liter version both fare better than the 1.8-liter base model; however, reviewers stop short of strongly praising the Vibe’s performance.

Generally characterized as adequate and peppy rather than inspiring, the Vibe is, after all, a practical budget vehicle first and foremost.

Long-term Reliability

As we mentioned, there is little concern about receiving adequate service for a Pontiac Vibe in the future. It is also comforting to know that its predicted reliability is rated “very good” according to J.D. Power & Associates.

In other words, a Vibe owner enjoys much the same peace of mind that a used Toyota owner experiences regarding quality and reliability because the Vibe shares so much with the Matrix and carries Toyota’s imprint.

No particular Vibe transmission appears to fare better than another. This is good news because a variety of transmissions were made available over time. Depending on the model and year, these include a five-speed manual transmission as well as four- and five-speed automatic transmissions, with considerable options for substitution.

For example, a ’09 or ’10 base model came standard with manual five-speed, but could instead have a four-speed automatic, except that the base model was also eligible for an upgrade to the 2.4-liter engine, in which case the optional transmission would then become the five-speed automatic.

You get the picture! It boils down to doing your homework in order to know what you can expect in terms of options, performance, and reliability.

Pontiac Vibe Safety Ratings

Part of the reason for the Vibe’s favorable press is that, in addition to being practical, spacious, easy on gas and reliable, it has earned respectable ratings from the major safety testing agencies.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the ’09 and ’10 year models their top rating of “good” for front and side impact, and “acceptable” for rear crash and head/seat restraints.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), under its old evaluation system in effect through 2010, assigned the Vibe a mix four- and five-star ratings, their two highest categories.

Safety Features and Insurance Costs

To get an accurate list of safety features on a particular year and model of Pontiac Vibe, it’s a good idea to consult a major used-car website such as Automotive.com, or ask for this information from the seller.

Edmunds.com and Automotive.com list the extensive safety features of the ’09-’10 generation of Vibe as follows: front, rear and side air bags, traction control, Electronic Stability Control, Onstar, four-wheel antilock brakes, daytime running lights, tire pressure monitor, child seat lower anchorage, pretensioner, rear seat head restraints, and a few others as well.

The Vibe’s safety credentials inspire confidence and ultimately contribute to better insurance rates for the consumer.

Various sources estimate the national average insurance costs for the 2009 and 2010 Vibe models to be between approximately $1150 and $1330, depending on the source and method of calculation. This national average is not important except as an indicator of trends and as a starting point.

Many variables contribute to the actual quotes you will receive, such as driver age, driving record, credit history, annual mileage, multiple-car discounts, whether the vehicle will be a commuting car and the state and town in which it will be garaged.

These variables can have a substantial positive or negative impact: for example, car insurance in northern New England states can be under $800 for the Vibe, whereas in higher-risk states such as Michigan and Louisiana it can cost more than double that amount.

A young male driver can expect to pay much more than a middle-aged driver, as can drivers with accidents and moving violations on their driving records.

With all these variables in play, it’s important to compare auto insurance quotes and to learn all you can about how to lower your premium.

To find the best insurance quotes available in your area, simply enter your zip code in the box and begin shopping for car insurance.

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