General Motors has long cultivated a brand image for Pontiac of excitement and performance. Too frequently, Pontiac's key products have overlapped with their siblings in other GM divisions.

One of Pontiac's key vehicles, the Vibe, is redesigned for 2009. The new Vibe wagon is built alongside the Toyota Matrix in California. Its combination of size, styling and utility has appealed to buyers since the Vibe's introduction in 2003. The second-generation model has a restyled exterior with a lower roofline, but remains recognizable as a Vibe. Buyers can choose from two four-cylinder engines, manual and automatic transmissions, front-wheel drive, and all-wheel-drive.

Pontiac's iconic Solstice 2-seater gains a long-awaited fixed roof coupe. The Solstice Coupe has a hatchback with a removable roof section reminiscent of the Lotus Elise and Exige. Engine and transmission choices mirror those of the convertible model.

The Pontiac G8 gains a new higher-performance model this year to do battle with the Dodge Charger SRT8. The G8 GXP adds a 402-bhp, 6.2L V-8 under the hood, and gains unique styling in the front and rear.

Next up for Pontiac will be the introduction of the wild G8 ST truck, fashioned in the image of the old Chevy El Camino.

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Performance

For many, the way a car performs is a key criterion for which car to purchase. Our Velocity Index helps determine which vehicles are the best all-around performers taking in to consideration a balance of factors such as acceleration and handling.

For more information, view our new car performance guide.

What would we drive?

Based on our Velocity Index analysis, the 2009 Pontiac G8 seems to provide a good trade-off between price and vehicle performance.

Fuel Economy

Fuel economy has long been a key decision factor when buying a new vehicle. While the EPA estimates may accurately predict your mileage with a given vehicle, they are useful for broad comparisons of vehicles. Note that many trucks and large SUVS are too heavy to be required to specify their fuel economy.

For more information, view our new car fuel economy guide.

What's popular

Here are the five cars that draw the most attention from our readers.

• 2009 Pontiac Vibe
• 2009 Pontiac G8
• 2009 Pontiac Torrent
• 2009 Pontiac G6
• 2009 Pontiac G5 Coupe