2001 Pontiac Aztek

What is it?
2001 Pontiac Aztek

What's special about it?
ontiac says the Aztek is an SRV. SRV? That's Pontiac-speak for sport recreation vehicle. And how does SRV differ from SUV? Based on what we see in the Aztek, a SRV isn't quite an SUV, nor is it a minivan or a car. It's a combination of all three. Pontiac has taken the styling and dynamics of a sedan, the aggressive nature of an SUV, and the versatility of a minivan to create the Aztek. This vehicle originally appeared as a concept vehicle at the 1999 North American International Auto Show. The public's response was good enough to warrant production. The Aztek's strong point is its versatile interior. It has a wide and flat load floor thanks to a new independent rear suspension. Removing the rear seats reveals 93.5 cubic feet of cargo space. Dropping the tailgate allows the cargo area to carry four 4' x 8' sheets of plywood. Two optional cargo accessories further improve versatility. Power comes from a 185-horsepower 3.4-liter V6. The Aztek can be ordered with front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Other highlights include an optional automatic level-control system for towing (the Aztek can tow up to 3,500 pounds), a head-up display and an optional in-dash six-disc CD changer.

Why should you care?
If you lead an active lifestyle, the Aztek could be a very useful vehicle to own. Sure, the styling is weird (one jaded autoscribe said it looked like an Isuzu VehiCROSS, but worse). However, the interior and all-wheel drive should make up for it. The Aztek arrives in dealer showrooms sometime during the summer of 2000. Pricing should start slightly above $20,000.