The first generation Pontiac Vibe made its debut in 2003. The Vibe was a short hatchback that was being marketed as a station wagon. It came in three models; an entry level, GT and an all-wheel drive model. The entry-level model was powered by a 126 horsepower 1.4 Liter I4 engine with 16 valves built by Toyota. The same engine powered the all-wheel drive model with 118 horsepower. The GT model was powered by a VVTL-I engine with 164 horsepower. Anti-lock brakes were installed on the all-wheel drive and GT models. Side air bag for the front passenger was made optional. All Vibe models were equipped with 16-inch tires, fog lights, a CD player and air conditioning. In 2004, the base model got an improvement, increasing its horsepower by five, while the GT dropped five. A system to monitor pressure on all the tires was installed in 2005. Leather seats and the On Star system also became available. In 2007, the all-wheel drive and GT models were dropped from the lineup.

In 2008, the Pontiac Vibe will be available in only one model that has a 1.8-Liter engine with four cylinders and 126 horsepower. The Vibe gets 26 miles per gallon in the city and 33 miles per gallon the highway. The 2008 Vibe is equipped with 16-inch tires, air conditioning, CD player and a tilt steering wheel. Two optional packages come with the Vibe. In the preferred package, the driver's seat is powered, seats are made of expensive cloth and it has a rear view mirror that dims the lights of traffic. Also available are a Sun and Sound package with a sunroof and a music system with a six CD player.