Full Test: 2001 Pontiac Aztek GT

• This vehicle is by no means an SUV; it offers virtually no off-road capability. Rather, like the Montana minivan with which it shares a platform, it is essentially a minivan. Seating position, forward visibility and handling are pure family-hauler. The Aztek has attempted to differentiate itself with funky styling and a vanload of unique features.
• Unique styling cues abound inside the Aztek as well as out. One editor mused that Pontiac conceived the Aztek with aspirations of creating the sponsor vehicle for Jurassic Park III. The plastic trim on the center stack has a pebbled texture and seat fabric trim is safari-inspired. The Aztek's interior is positively littered with cargo nets and rubberized grab handles, obviously intended to give this vehicle a rugged flavor, although the handles aren't located where one would reach instinctively, and the myriad cargo nets just look kind of silly.
• The front seating position is impressive, with plenty of leg, head, shoulder and hip room and an agreeably elevated stance. Rear seats, however, offer negligible thigh support and would likely become uncomfortable on long drives.
• Our tester came with a tent and air mattress for camping, part of the camping package, along with some utility packs in the front door bins. Other package options on the Aztek include the biking package, the hiking package and the sport appearance package.
• We appreciated big, rubberized knobs for the stereo and dual-zone climate control systems, easy-to-use seat height adjusters, dual, lighted vanity mirrors, and steering wheel-mounted stereo controls.
• The Aztek falls short when it comes to handling, with lots of body roll in the curves. Driving characteristics in the rain were especially disappointing, and braking action was feeble. Steering was numb. Fun to drive this vehicle was not.
• The Aztek's 3.4-liter V6 makes 185 horsepower and 210 foot-pounds of torque. We were assailed by noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) whenever we tried to push the Aztek's decidedly limited handling capabilities. The tires howled, the engine moaned and a good deal of vibration traveled through the gas pedal.
• We wanted to give the Aztek a fair shake, to see if it made up for its disquieting exterior styling and blatant attempt to pass itself off as something other than a minivan, but we ended up feeling less than warm and cuddly about this vehicle. If the Aztek had demonstrated any sort of performance potential, off-road capability or hint of refinement, we'd be inclined to overlook some of its more blatant flaws. As it stands, we don't believe that nifty activity packages alone are enough to recommend this piece of machinery.

While in possession of the camping package-equipped Aztek, we were blessed with the opportunity to take it up into the woods and rough it for a night. Well, almost a whole night. We actually packed up shop and rolled on outta there at 3 a.m. Now, we're not going to blame this completely on the vehicle; we're well aware of what city-slickin' wusses we are. However, we do think that the camping package on the Pontiac Aztek can stand to be improved.

The ingredients for a night of wilderness bliss are stowed in a pullout cargo tray in the rear hatch area. This sliding tray must be removed completely from its tracks and stowed out of the way in order to prepare the sleeping area of the vehicle. This also involves folding the backseats up against the front seats, a relatively minor task. In our case, we propped the cargo tray up against the folded-up backseat.

The air mattress itself didn't take long to set up; once we deciphered the blatantly misprinted directions, it was expeditiously inflated with a built-in hand pump. By the same token, both the tent and the air mattress were easily returned to their packable state — a characteristic which proved useful when we came to the thoughtful conclusion that it was time to get the hell out of dodge.

To set up the tent, it is necessary to open the tailgate and the hatch of the vehicle, then throw it over the open hatch and pull it down under the tailgate. Figuring out which way the tent went was achieved through a two-person process of trial and error, thanks to the cryptic directions. A variety of hooks and straps hang off of the tent, and it's largely up to the campers' discretion where they will be fastened. The last step is to thread a little pole through the back of the tent, to make it stick out. All in all, it's a relatively simple process, with an odd-looking, but utilitarian, end result.

So what made us turn tail and give up, you ask? A variety of reasons, not all of which can be blamed on the Aztek. First of all, we were freezing. It was our own fault for bringing insufficient bedding materials, but the situation was exacerbated by the nature of the Aztek tent setup. Because it consists of little more than a giant sack thrown over the back of the vehicle, there are plenty of little gaps through which cold air can seep, so it gets pretty drafty.

The other major factor in our camping debacle was the air mattress. Theoretically, it sleeps two. In reality, though, in order for two people to sleep comfortably on one air mattress, it would have to be pretty darn big. The one that comes with the Aztek is not. Therefore, the lighter of the two people is constantly rolling into the heavier; it's impossible to lay flat.

To make a long, painful story short, we couldn't fall asleep — although we made a diligent effort from 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. — so we finally gave up and went home. One of the great advantages of sleeping inside the vehicle is that packing up shop — and that includes deflating the air mattress — can be accomplished in about 15 minutes. Depending on how far you are from home, you may even be back in your own stationary bed within the hour.

We think the camping experience in the Aztek could be improved if Pontiac somehow figured out a way to incorporate the tent and air mattress housing within the floor of the vehicle, thus eliminating the heavy, awkward pullout cargo tray. After we placed it out of the way against the folded-up rear seats, we blocked access to the front seat completely, which meant we had to get out of the car to go up front to get to the CD player and the cooler. The Aztek could also stand to put some light controls in the cargo compartment. As it was, we had access only to the reading lights over the back doors, and that was a stretch.

All things considered, the camping package is a nifty concept, but it can certainly stand to be refined. We would like to see a setup that eliminates the cargo tray and equips the sleeping area with a few more amenities.

System Score: 6.5

Components. The stereo in this vehicle is as unusual as the car itself, and that's saying something. This "Pioneer Premium Audio" system begins with a very "industrial" looking faceplate with bright red LEDs and controls. The industrial theme is carried throughout the system, with beefy-looking speaker grilles and controls that remind you of a factory. The radio itself has some nice features, such as a large, round volume knob that is easy to find and use, a "mid" tone control for added sound contouring, and decent spacing between the main controls. There are a few strange design cues, though. The LED readout with the time display larger than the call-sign of the radio station -- what's up with that? Are young people, whom this vehicle is clearly aimed at, more interested in the time of day than their radio station? We don't think so. And what's with the crazy red backlighting? For some reason it seems less successful in this vehicle than, say, the VW New Beetle.

Speaker-wise, this is one of the most intriguing vehicles I've seen all year. It starts pretty traditionally in the front, with a pair of 6-inch mid-bass drivers housed in the front doors and mated to a pair of tweeters above. The rear doors contain a pair of full-range, 6-inch drivers, sans tweeters. But here's where it gets interesting. Moving past the second seat, we cross into Entertainment Land. The tailgate folds down to reveal several cupholders pressed into its plastic flesh; and on the driver's side rear quarter panel a powerful speaker combo appears — an 8-inch sub coupled to a midrange-tweeter arrangement hidden behind yet another beefy, industrial grille. As if that weren't enough, the quarter panel houses a basic set of radio controls — volume, station seek, CD controller and the like. It's an innovative and unique approach, and one clearly geared toward the Gen-X and Y'ers this vehicle is marketed towards.

Performance. The sound, too, is aimed at the bump-and-thump crowd. If you're looking for refinement here, move on. It's a bouncy, bottom-heavy system, big on brawn and short on lace. If you like blasting your brains out while tailgating and partying, you'll love this system. If not, you'll quickly be wanting a Grey Poupon bypass. This thing won't please the discriminating listener, but neither will the vehicle, so maybe it's a moot point. One note to GM: You're asking for trouble with the lack of volume limiting on this system. The amp gets very "dirty" and distorted at higher volume levels, a perfect scenario for blowing speakers. With the target audience for this vehicle being a crowd not known for its light touch on the volume and bass knobs, we suggest you install a limiter ASAP, or you'll soon be handling more warranty claims than a Yugo dealer on steroids. That is, of course, if this strange-looking beast sells.

Best Feature: A fun system with lots of bounce.

Worst Feature: Bizarre cosmetics.

Conclusion. GM really went for it on this one. While we disagree with some of the particulars, we applaud the effort. — Scott Memmer

"I just purchased one and this is why (Its competition was the Toyota Sienna): (1) Looked at statistics on Montana. Drivetrain very solid. Fundamental mechanics good. Passed the first gate. (2) Engine power and handling. Test drove vehicle and it handled very well and was very responsive. Ideally, I would like to have the engine in the BMW X5 or Mercedes ML320... but I'm not spending $60-80K Canadian dollars. I'm spending $32K. Dollar for dollar, the Aztek was awesome in test drive compared to the Mercedes. (3) Versatility... hands down winner. No other vehicle gives this type of versatility...Camping package is awesome....For pure play...Nothing beats it. (4) Looks and styling... Sorry folks I'm not the WHITEBREAD HOMOGENIZED MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD TYPE. I like wicked spicy food, wild and crazy rock bands that rock and roll all night and party everyday, renegades and people who swim against the tide.... You know all the things that make the USA and Canada the best places to live in the world. Different is good, different is fun!! AZTEK is different... WOW, what a cool car...." — aztec2, "2001 Pontiac Aztek — III," #106 of 135, Oct. 6, 2000

"... The Aztek produces 180 (or is it 185, I forget) horsepower. I have driven mine in a variety of situations and found the power to be more than adequate, even going up a hill, on the freeway, with the A/C on, with three or four passengers (unlike my Cherokee, which would almost die under these conditions). As far as the "floaty" handling: it's a matter of opinion, probably most strongly influenced by what you've been driving previously. I find the handling to be great — nothing like a minivan — but my last 3 vehicles were all SUVs. Most of the reviews I've seen have praised the handling. The interior is fantastic. This is what primarily sold me on the car. The seats are extremely comfortable and put you up high. The in-dash CD player is one of the best I've seen. The big handles are really cool and, of course, there is TONS of room in the back. Basically, in regard to all of these points, if you're interested, I'd take a test drive. You'll be able to tell pretty quickly how you feel about it. I've had mine for over 2,500 miles and have had absolutely no problems in regards to handling, engine or interior (or anything, for that matter)." — triplizard, "2001 Pontiac Aztek - III," #24 of 135, Sept. 26, 2000

"The view from the rear is an issue for some people. The potential problem is that the break in the rear hatch dissects the rear view. Personally, it was never a problem for me and now I don't even notice it. But it is there, and if that's the sort of thing that might annoy your relative, it might be a consideration. View around the sides is great. The oversized side mirrors afford more than adequate sightlines. No problem driving with the tailgate down. Pontiac's big claim is that it can hold full sheets of plywood with the tailgate down. There are lots of tie downs back there as well, so it's great for hauling things in that way — much better than most SUVs. The power's great. It feels pretty sporty in traffic. My morning commute includes a difficult merge onto a highway at high speed up a hill, where I have to be able to dart over two lanes very quickly in order to avoid being siphoned off onto an exit ramp. In order to satisfy my "expectations," it was necessary for the vehicle to have enough oomph that this wouldn't be a problem at all. And, in fact, it performs just about as well as my 4.0-liter Wrangler in this respect, and much, MUCH better than my old 2.5-liter Cherokee did. I can't really comment on the reliability, yet. I know Pontiac has had some problems in the past, but their reputation has been steadily improving of late. As far as rattles and window noise, this is easily the most solid vehicle I've ever owned. I've put almost 1K miles on it and haven't noticed the faintest hint of a rattle or any excessive window noise." — triplizard, "2001 Pontiac Aztek — II," #9 of 645, Aug. 14, 2000

"... [T]he Aztek has more legroom than the Pontiac Montana, FRONT AND REAR. Also, it has EXCELLENT build quality in every part of the car, and, it's so quiet in the Aztek's cabin, you can hear a pin drop, seriously.... I think I'm going to e-mail Pontiac and tell them to put the 3800 V6 in the Aztek, now that would make it really cool." — koolguy123, "2001 Pontiac Aztek — II," #31 of 645, Aug. 15, 2000

"... I just bought an Aztek and I love it. Don't let all these haters discourage you. It has great handling and a lot of room, and just because it doesn't look like any other vehicle doesn't make it ugly. I think it looks great. It's not a perfect design, but what car is? And all that crap about poor visibility is nonsense. The rear window is huge. You can see more then any other car I ever driven. I can't wait to get the tent attachment. Go for it, I recommend the 10 speaker option. It sounds great." — filazafer, "2001 Pontiac Aztek — II," #35 of 645, Aug. 15, 2000

"... The Aztek was designed for its use. Everything in it has a purpose. I own one. I bought it, not to wonder if the few people on this list that don't like its looks will ever be my friend. I bought it because I didn't want a minivan. That's for married people. I don't go off-road, but wanted a bigger car to take my gear up to fire roads. It handles fine, better than a minivan. It can outpace a Honda and Lexus in the twisties, without squealing the tires. I used to race, and wanted to test the handling and temp of the engine with the A/C going up and down mountain roads.... It stays cool. End of discussion. It needed to seat at least four people, since I drive people to lunch often. It had to get good gas mileage for its class, but have enough power for me to go to the Sierras. Its stereo has Speed Compensated Volume. That means it will increase and decrease the stereo volume to compensate for road noise. This is so very nice. Onboard computer tells me how my mileage and estimated fuel range is doing, which I need since I drive my car for work too. Each individual key holds your preference for the cars lights, alarm, etc.... This is important for when my girlfriend wants to drive it. Now she won't mess up my settings. It's NOT an off-road vehicle, so why compare it to one? It's bigger than a CRV or RAV4, so it IS heavier. It's NOT a minivan, so it has LESS space. It's NOT a nimble handler? It's NOT a Porsche! It's an ... SRV... hmmm... NO comparable cars in its class. Must be... NEW." — skulldugry, "2001 Pontiac Aztek — II," #60 of 645, Aug. 16, 2000

"I took a spin in an Aztek GT last weekend; here's what I thought about it: The engine is OK, but it's too small. 0-60 feels like it's in the nine to ten second range. It's reasonably smooth and quiet, considering its pushrod design. I'd be much happier if it had the GM 3.8-liter V6, or even better the 4.3-liter V6 from GM trucks. While I'm dreaming, how about overhead cams? The fit and finish is much better than most GM cars, and the thing was very solid and rattle-free. Then again, so was my 1998 Grand Prix until I put ~15,000 miles on it. The interior materials are much better than the vast slabs of plastic in my GP. The ride is very smooth, but unfortunately, this is mostly due to the feeble suspension and tires, which make it handle like a Buick LeSabre. At least, it doesn't plow straight off the road in a sharp turn like a 4WD truck. Fast lane changes at highway speeds make it swing like a pendulum. This thing may look like a Kazon warship, but it drives like a minivan. The interior is very well laid out, lots of room, nicely placed controls, nice firm seats. It still has the cruise on the turn signal stalk instead of on the steering wheel where it belongs, but at least, it has been improved some. Slipping off the R/A button doesn't cancel your settings like it does in earlier GM products. Will I buy one? Probably not. Unlike a lot of people (or at least people who post here), I rather like the styling, except for the ugly rear bumper, but I don't think I can put up with the lack of power, and especially, the lame suspension. Pontiac ought to make this thing drive like it looks." — x11r6, "2001 Pontiac Aztek — II," #107 of 645, Aug. 21, 2000

"Was BLOWN AWAY! I've never seen so many features on one vehicle. They thought of EVERYTHING. Not only can you work the radio from on the steering wheel, but also from the backseat! Obviously... all those [who] rag on it have never been in one. This is geared for the active person that wants a roomy SUV-type vehicle, but along with the 95 percent of SUV owners, will NEVER go off the pavement. Dual climate controls, tons of cargo features and seat/storage configurations... I'm keeping my Wrangler for off-road... but I'm SOLD on this baby! Fully loaded — $26k — and I haven't started dealing, yet. A V6 with plenty of power AND 26 mpg. If you want to compare it to a PT Cruiser...you could pull a PT up into it's cargo bay and take it home for a closer comparison!" — 95wrangler, "2001 Pontiac Aztek — II," #140 of 645, Aug. 23, 2000

"I just traded my 1997 Montero Sport for an Aztek SE. The Aztek is much more comfortable. The Aztek has a stereo system as good as and in some ways better than the Montero. The Aztek is much faster. Zero to 60 with the Montero was about 11 seconds with NO torque for hills. The Aztek has power seats. Not available on my 33K Montero Sport XLS at the time. The Aztek has remote entry. Not available on the Montero at the time. The Aztek can hold over 90 cubic feet of cargo. The Montero 79 cubic feet. Aztek is rated at 26 mpg highway, the Montero 20 mpg. The Aztek has daytime running lights. The Montero does not. The Aztek has battery rundown protection. The Montero does not. The only thing the Montero can do better is go off road, which I never did. Oh yes, The Aztek I bought was listed at about 10K less the Montero Sport." — rando1, "2001 Pontiac Aztek — II," #230 of 645, Aug. 26, 2000

"As for my thoughts on the Aztek right now, I love it. The front-end never did look ugly to me, and the rear-end grows on you. If nothing else, the way the rear opens is more functional than the standard flip-up back-ends on most SUVs. Inside, the ride is smooth, quiet, and the interior is roomy and comfortable. The handling is good (drives kind of like a mini-van with better handling), and it has a surprisingly small turning radius. Their engine doesn't quite put out as much power as I would like, but it is definitely sufficient. I certainly don't have any trouble hitting those 70+ mph speeds. The reaction to the Aztek I've had at work has been very positive. I work in the computer industry, and most of the people I work with fit into the 25-40 year old range. Quite a few were unsure of the looks and some just downright didn't like the looks, but after letting people sit in it and maybe taking them for a ride, I have yet to meet a person who can say a bad thing about the interior." — thised, "2001 Pontiac Aztek — II," #546 of 645, Sept. 13, 2000

"I've had mine for almost two weeks now and I'm still blown away by the amount of stares and comments I get — I'm sure that will die down when there's a few more of them on the road, but it's at least entertaining for the moment. I do have a couple of observations now that I'm a little more settled in with it (... As a preface, understand that I absolutely love this car and it's easily the most amazing vehicle I've ever owned.). (1) Get the leather seats. They're amazingly comfortable. They're worth the extra money. (2) Get the in-dash 6 CD player. Great sound system. Really nice features. (3) I'm not in love with the cooler. I like that it's removable, but you can't open it when the passenger's armrest is down. Also, you have to take the top tray out before you access the main area. I'm mostly using it for storing CD's at the moment, but I'm finding that the side pouches are much better for that. Maybe it will be more effective for storing soda (it is a cooler, after all), but I do think they could have made this thing a little more usable. (4) I'm still liking the sunroof. I can't really use it on the freeway because it's too loud, but it's great on the surface streets. (5) I still stand behind... the handling and power — both are great. I have absolutely no complaints in either respect. I haven't taken the thing up into the mountains or anything, but in reasonably varied city/freeway conditions, it does very well. (6) The reflection of the dash in the front window that I mentioned before can be a pain in the butt when the front window's dirty and/or when there's bright morning sunlight at the wrong angle. Not a big deal, but certainly more noticeable than on my Jeep. Conversely, the line across the rear view from the window break is not a problem for me at all. I don't even notice it anymore. (7) When you fold the seats up, you could probably fit a donkey in the back. There is so much room in this thing. After riding around in it for awhile, I got into an Xterra, just for comparison, and it makes the Xterra feel like a Pinto (space-wise). The back seats are incredibly roomy and comfortable. I can't wait to roadtrip! (8) The flipside of that is that it's big and wide. I'm used to being able to easily squeeze my Wrangler in anything resembling a parking space. With the Aztek, I've had to go right on by the "compact" spots. This is a little bit of a problem for me because I park on these tight lifts in my parking lot. It just means I have to be 3 times as careful getting on and off the lift as before. (9) The cargo nets are kind of fun. I really didn't think I'd be using them much at first, but they're really handy. I haven't used the cargo tray yet, but I'm ordering one next week." — triplizard, "2001 Pontiac Aztek," #425 of 754, July 23, 2000

—Edited by Erin Riches