Here’s how the Pontiac Aztek was the result of GM’s “more innovation” plan
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- Опубліковано 23 вер 2024
- In this episode I provide the history of the Pontiac Aztek, probably the most infamous Pontiac model ever produced. Desperate to move away from their boring car image, the 2001 Aztek was GM's first crossover, and had so many unique features aimed at young active lifestyle buyers. But GM forced the designers to build off their existing minivan platform, resulting in a tall boxy shape with the most bizarre front and rear. Initially with lots of grey body cladding, the Aztek was updated 5 months later to change the grey cladding to body color, but it was too little too late. Buick also offered the Rendezvous on the same platform, but with a less ugly face, it sold twice as well as the Aztek, and lasted through 2007, despite the Aztek being killed in 2005.
Ironically, the concept of a car-based SUV was actually the future for the market. If Pontiac hadn't dropped the ball with the Aztek's styling, they might've been a market leader instead of going extinct only a few years later.
I think what made it look ugliest was the sloped rear roof, which also lowered interior space & roof top storage space.
@Sedan57Chevy Amen to that!
@@michaelbrinks8089 Very true. That hideous front end didn't help it none either.
@@4570govt8the entire car is as attractive as genital warts
by "future for the market" you mean unending nightmare of plastic that we cannot escape from
The aztec styling is very common nowadays:
-coupe roof drop
-fwd
-split headlights
-focus on practically
Cladding everywhere!
It was extreme for its time, but nowadays it just blends in with pretty much every other ugly unibody suv. If Pontiac still existed today, they could re-release it with slightly different headlights and wheels and nobody would bat an eye.
During that time jellybean cars were in, the Aztec had edged that wouldn't be popular for about a decade. However I still think if they gave it bigger wheels it would had look more off-road like.
The Aztek didn’t end Pontiac. GM’s execs poor decision making ended Pontiac. The most interesting brand in GMs lineup and they tossed it out like junk.
Stellantis just fired a bunch of engineers via Zoom. I wonder if any of them will still buy Dodge or Jeep products.
The fact we are still taking about Pontiac 15 years later proves that we are still pissed at GM.
This was one of those poor decisions
The g6 killed Pontiac
hilariously, even as a kid, I always thought the rendezvous was much more hideous than the aztek. The rear of the rendezvous is so rough
The Le Sabre style tail light section looked like it came from the GM partsbin & was slapped on as an afterthought.
Same thoughts here!
Tiger Woods' smile in the commercial looks more incredulous than genuine. "Okay, I'm driving it. Are you happy?"
I think during that time even other GM products were absolutely ugly. GMC Envoy, Buick in general......
@@erichellner956agreed.
It’s funny how high end cars now have this look. Lamborghini Urus and cybertruck have these weird sharp edges
8:30 - YES. The Aztek was a scapegoat. GM gave up on "excitement" years earlier, offering only 1 or 2 cars after ~1973 that did anything close to exciting. Pontiac 1000, Parisienne, Safari, Sunbird, Grand Am, LeMans, TranSport, G3, G5...and so many were rental fleet grade.
In the late 80's and 90's, the Grand Am, Grand Prix, and Bonnevilles were ALL OVER the ChicagoLand area!!❤😊
@@landonbenford8369 A bit south of you - in STL - those were common around town.
Released today, the Aztek wouldn't even stand out among the dozens of small "SUVs" that are built on van and car chassis, with ugly split lights. Interesting how everyone hated the Aztek, but it seems like similar models are the biggest trend these days.
The Juke makes the Aztec look fun and cool.
Call me weird! I love the very first ones with grey cladding and three spoke wheels!
Weird!
Weird!
Weird!
I'm weird too!
The Vibe with gray cladding is way better ngl
I would say that Aztek predicted the future of Crossovers in general.
Is anyone else still pissed off that Pontiac didn’t make the 1994 Sunfire concept car a reality? While they did what GM normally does, and borrow styling cues in their eventual production versions that were rebadged Chevys, the Sunfire concept looked so good and the brochure art of it parked out on the beach sold me as a kid on wanting one, well up to today.
I wonder if Pontiac had taken “Fast and the Furious” to heart, and rebranded the image of “Driving Excitement” to high performance, inexpensive compact cars chock full of option packages, that it would last longer as a brand.
Take the 2.0L and 2.2L EcoTech motors, boost them with turbos (as one was boosted to run an NHRA funny car, or how the Dodge Daytonas and Spirit R/Ts in the early 90s were), and make an entire brand that focused on cars that were fun to drive and still useful for young working professionals.
Put all GM trucks and vans under the GMC label with a focus on heavy duty passenger vehicles that work for a living, roll Buick under Cadillac, and make Chevrolet the mid-budget family car brand with “SS” packages available to get the vintage Super Sport feeling. The Corvette would still be the flagship car of the company, but play into distinct brands that sell specific solutions that are customizable with option packages.
Heads-Up Displays have such a weird public perception. They're always "futuristic" regardless of how many years they've been out.
Nissan Silvias/240SX had HUDs in 1993. Futuristic.
The Aztek has one in 2001. Futuristic.
The modern SUVs from most brands have it today. Still considered futuristic 30 years later.
HUD analysis is spot on. Oh, they had that on a ‘80’s xx. So cool in 2020+
The Aztek looked like the modern day Family Truckster, & to quote Clark Griswold "You think you hate it now, but wait till you drive it."
Hello From Phoenix Arizona 🌡🔥
Doug DeMuro looks like The Pontiac Aztek
Lmao 🤣
That’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen anyone saw about DD 😂 😂
11:56 ahhh yes, that frenetic music that Motor Week used in the early 2000's 😂
"But is the BUYING PUBLIC really READY to be SHOUTED AT?!"
Um, excuse me, but Walter White was shot to death. He had lung cancer, but he didn’t die from it
Definition of "ahead of its time"... For better or worse
It is also worth mentioning that an Aztek was also heavily advertised (and one given away) on the first season of Survivor.
Thank you for this, I was one of the proud Aztec owners that requested an episode. I loved mine, I love the looks it was super reliable. I drove it for a long time and I miss it.
I remember the Aztec was marketed for the younger “extreme sports “ crowd but the price tag was more then that demographic could afford,I also remember it being a prize that was available on the game show survivor and the guy that won it gave it away to one of the other contestant’s.
With every new Hyundai and Kia,Aztek looks better and better.
This was such a great episode. I always thought the Aztek was the uglest thing ever created. But when i found out they made a camping model i wanted one. But they had already stoped making them. I really do believe the styling is what killed it and did a lot of damage to pontiacs reputation. I always thought it could have had way better sales, if it was off road capable with four wheel drive,
and a different front end. It could have been a real success. And maybe if the roof could have popped up to provide some camping room, it would have been a fascinating vehicle.
Pontiac Aztek is truly a "Let him cook" moment in the whole GM history
I have always loved these quirky cars. Some SUVs of the time tried to look as though they could go off road. The Aztek looked as though it could go off planet!
I have a friend that has both a Buick Rendezvous and a Pontiac Aztek. The Buick was in her family, and she just recently purchased the Pontiac from a neighbor. Unfortunately, someone broke into the Aztek, and they took the cooler.
Dang. That will hurt the resale. Someone always has to ruin it for someone else.
They used a Pontiac Aztec in the opening scene in the movie Wrong Turn.
What movie?
The Aztek concept car was pretty cool. Design-by-committee and 'parts bin engineering' are what killed it.
The Aztecs first big tv break was being part of the prize for the winner of the first season of Survivor which ended in August 2000. I remember it so well.
I remember Richard driving away in it with somber music playing in the background. It was black
4th gen caprice was peak tbh
Thank you for a successful video. I liked the footage, the wide and vast information about Pontiac, and the other GM brands and the discussion of parts sharing. The photos were great also. I enjoyed that as well. The Aztek is now a legend indeed. Thank you for the effort placed in the video.
I’m probably one of those weird outliers, but I have always loved the look of the Aztec. Is that unique look that drew me to it. Beautiful vehicle. And the features were out of this world. Yes, it was high. And it should’ve been sold that a lower cost, but overall that was a great vehicle.people just couldn’t get past the aesthetics I suppose. And because of that they missed out on what I consider an awesome awesome vehicle.
Aztec: one of the best cars I ever owned. Fantastic suspension.
"Dark Angel" a FOX tv series starring Jessica Alba and a Pontiac Aztek
The saddest part is that everyone on earth called it ugly and slow and yet...every vehicle today looks like the Aztec and is extremely underpowered lmao
Well I learned something new, this car had a stylist. Wow, that is mind blowing.
Great! Now I want to buy a Buick Roadmaster!! 😂
Sitting in the third row was an interesting experience. 😂
Polarizing implies there were people who didn't think it was the ugly as sin! Great video! Very fun to watch! Thanks.
I remember my brother buying a rendezvous (v6 awd version) back wen i lived with him. It was such a pos, doing any kind of work on that transverse mounted v6 was such a pain in the ass. He got a 4runner after and still has it almost a decade later.
The great thing about the Aztec is that if you crashed one nobody would notice,it already looked like it had been hit.
The Rendezvous was only nice looking if you saw the Aztek first.
Very cool. Thanks. What a great way to enjoy a brief 15 minute necessary distraction.
This was way ahead of it's time.
At least the thing is symmetrical, unlike the weird-ass Nissan Cube.
I once heard a comedian call it “a car ugly enough to cause retina damage”, 😂
A friend of mine had one of these in college. He was a tuba major, and it was the easiest vehicle to get large instruments in and out of.
It must have just been so ahead of its time? Or maybe it was actually influential? Because I’m having a hard time hating it now, but I *absolutely* remember it being an absolute JOKE for years after coming out. I think we were too entrenched in the retro revival - with the prowler, pt cruiser, new beetle, etc - to see what we had there.
Modern cuv design is very comparable.
Great one as always! Thanks
I love how BMW is low key trying to unseat this monstrosity as world's ugliest vehicle.
A couple of years later, Honda basically steals the idea with the Element - they sell like crazy and are still sought out as used vehicles.
The Element wasn't as ugly and the shape looked more useful, aaand it wasn't made by GM.
The element was the aztec done right.
I think the Aztec was the nickelback of cars. Lots of people who say they hated them actually liked them but didn't want to admit it because others who also secretly liked them would make fun of them.
The original Cybertruck😂
In a way, Dark Angel predicted these ugly crossover SUVs being common in the late 2010s. Pontiac were a bit too soon for the punch
3:35 and nobody remembers because of that other thing that happened at Daytona in 2001
I love the Aztek, I voted for it; although it wasn't what I expected when that production model debuted.
Pontiac should have given this the L36 and L67.
I really like the aztek then again just about any sort of bizarre vehicle is something that tickles my fancy. I drove a Toyota previa for a while really like the old silhouettes of the early 90s VW type2s etc. and for me the plastic cladding in grey looks better
Consumer Reports complained this vehicle lacked a rear wiper.
This car was awarded as a prize on the first season of “Survivor “
Could you do a video on the Ford Explorer?
I always like the Aztec, as well as the Saturn suvs.
@3:01 “The 2000 and 1, Pontiac… AZZTEK!!!”
next can you do the pontiac montana, buick terraza, chevy uplander and saturn relay? i always loved the aztek now you have new cars that look like it!
The mention of the fact that the Aztek paced the field for the 2001 Daytona 500 bummed me out because of Dale's death... Also they made a Hot Wheels this year in 2024
Edit: honestly, the shade of green they used on the car in Breaking Bad should have been offered by GM, it looks great which is obviously something not many people have said about the Aztek
I never had one, but I loved the design. Thanks for another great episode. Keep them coming Do one on the G5/G6/G3 Pontiacs please. if you haven't already. :P
Personally I never hated the Aztec as much as everyone else. But nowadays I think it is really growing on me. I think it is going to be a collectible one day.
Definitely. Things that become worthless, get thrown out and are crushed. They then become rare and collectible.
Now I want to add some cladding to the side of a Rendezvous. And call it an Aztevous or Randetek.
Looking at the bumper at 2:56, maybe just MAYBE the Aztec would have looked better with those high turning signals integrated with the headlights somehow
I freaking love GM
I liked the look of it then and I still like the looks. It was different in a time of very boring vehicles. Modernize the looks and it would probably be popular today. The body cladding was a bit much on Pontiacs but look at Subarus of the last few years. It hasn't stopped them. I also think the press had a lot to do with how people saw the Aztek. There was a constant barrage of how bad it looked that people in general just believed it looked bad...because that is what they heard in the press and on tv.
I'm surprised you didn't touch on the Survivor/Aztec tie up.
I'm pretty sure there was an AZTEC in The Walking Dead TV show at one point in the early seasons!
Frankie Muniz in the pacecar in 2001. And now he races at Daytona.
So being told "You're the Pontiac Aztek of the dating world" isn't a good thing?
Depends
And yet today, it would fit right in with the sea of crossovers pretending to be SUVs with weird headlight arrangements 😀
Dang. Now I want an Aztec.
I actually love the look of the Aztec I thought it was so funky. There was nothing wrong with the vehicle at all .
Crazy that dark angel took place in a apocalyptic 2019 seeing how 2019/2020 went
I worked at a Pontiac dealership on in Fishers Indiana. Weird GM suv
Tiger Woods - Buick also had a huge marketing push with him
This could have been a game changer for Pontiac but instead they sealed their own death note.
Yep this car would have changed everything starting on Pontiac I think that's how these new cars are copyed by this car
The Aztek was styled ahead of it's time, the hard lines are all I see everywhere now🤷
Anything looks better than the Cybertruck!
Do a video of the Isuzu axiom.
Whilst WW had lung cancer in the series, it wasnt what killed him, ultimately, it was a gun shot wound to the side of the abdomen that ended his life.
Great video, I'm a massive Breaking Bad fan and travelled to Albuquerque (from the UK) last year to visit the filming locations. I did aee a few Azteks there and a lot of grey 300Cs which I'm aure the latter were bought as a result of the series.
Great video as always and was really stoked to see one for the Aztec.
It trying to go head to head with the Honda element. 😂😂😂😂
Has you've seen what inspired?
The first X suv from BMW on quarter look couldn't more similar, Toyota Venza, etc.
SORRY THE LIST IS TOO LONG.
I never liked this vehicle, but I get how cool the versatility of the interior would be appealing
I legitimately liked they way they looked. Thought it was a cool concept.
By modern standards, it’s a good-looking car.
They were smart on that whole plastic on the bottom it literally saves the paint that's why majority of them all ain't scratched
That press event might be the most boomer thing ever!
This was something Clark Griswold would drive.
Could you do a story on the Honda CRX? It was a great car. I had a red 85 model. Super reliable. Thanks.
people look back on these cars and exaggerate how people responded to them, the aztec and pt cruiser were both cool when they came out
could you do a video on the Infiniti I30?
IMO, The Chicken Tax is one of the reasons why GM and Chrysler declared bankruptcy
Was the Aztek innovative? The M-class merc came in 1997, BMW X5 in 1999, Lexus, they started the crossover trend way earlier? Actually the Aztek was kind of late to the party and all these quirky lifestyle accessories were more of a slightly cringeworthy marketing gimmick. At the time. Today I love it, awesome classic, thanks for mentioning the totally forgettable Buick, I’d forgotten all about that 😄
Do a video on the 1990 regal
3:33 $$$$$$$ “Convinced” $$$$$$$$$
Great video!
I liked the Astek!
The Aztek. GMs Edsel
HONEY WAKE UP, NEW MOC