2004 Pontiac Aztek

Once known as GM’s performance brand, Pontiac was discontinued in 2010 along with Hummer, Saab, and Saturn. The legendary GTO of the 1960s and Firebird of the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s were joined by models such as the Grand Am, Grand Prix, and Bonneville, which were based on other GM models. The Australian-built Pontiac G8 was a legitimate muscle car, and the Vibe hatchback shared its design with the Toyota Corolla Matrix. Today, most Pontiac vehicles still on the road are more than a decade old and lack the safety and convenience features found in modern vehicles.

The Aztek, introduced as a 2001 model, is an SUV based on the Montana minivan. Like the Montana, it uses GM's 3.4-liter, 185-hp V6, which is neither sprightly nor fuel-efficient. The Aztek is clearly aimed at the much-hyped "active lifestyle" crowd, with handy standard and optional features like removable plastic storage boxes, a removable center-console cooler, a slide-out cargo tray, and a tent that fits onto the rear of the vehicle. Negatives include poor rear visibility, clumsy handling, a stiff ride, a rear seat that's too low, no rear wiper, and a split rear gate that's awkward to operate.