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LAS VEGAS — Like the Chrysler PT Cruiser, the Pontiac Vibe is functional, stylish and well-priced. But the Vibe comes with all-wheel-drive and the Cruiser doesn’t.

Like the Toyota Corolla, the Pontiac Vibe is almost certain to be nearly flawless when it comes to its assembly quality and durability. But the Vibe has a personality and the Corolla doesn’t.

Like the Pontiac Aztek, the Pontiac Vibe is a semi-SUV intended to get young buyers into Pontiac showrooms. But the Vibe is cheaper (starting at $16,900 and peaking at under $23,000) and looks good, and the Aztek is pure ugly.

Yes, the 2003 Vibe has a lot going for it. But the sports wagon (or tall hatchback or cross-over vehicle) that goes into production at Fremont’s NUMMI plant next week and goes on sale at dealerships nationwide in a few months has hurdles to climb, too.

Can the General Motors marketing machine, which has been touting the Vibe for more than a year now, convince young, hip, active buyers to buy a Pontiac?

Will young buyers, especially those in influential California, pick a Vibe over the Toyota Matrix once they learn the two vehicles are virtually identical?

And does the Vibe’s on-road performance match its aggressive exterior and its pre-launch hype?

I can’t tell you that young buyers will go ga-ga over the Vibe, although GM and some auto-industry experts think they will. And I can’t tell you whether the Vibe or the Matrix or both will become big hits in 2002.

But I can tell you that the Vibe, and especially the Vibe GT, is a lively, fun, good-value car that ought to please its owners because I got to drive pre-production versions of the Vibe for an afternoon.

The drive was through one of Las Vegas’ seedier neighborhoods — no glitter gulch here — and then up and out toward Lake Mead and back. The route mixed city traffic with long stretches of open road with plenty of sweeping turns and plenty of uphill and downhill driving.

Going there I drove in a base Vibe model painted frosty (white) with a slate (light gray) interior. The car had a 130-horsepower, 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine and an optional four-speed automatic transmission. Standard equipment included dual front air bags, daytime running lamps, air conditioning, AM/FM stereo with a single-disc CD player, tilt steering and one-touch, fold-flat front-passenger and rear seats. Options included the automatic tranny, 16-inch aluminum wheels and a power package that included power locks, remote keyless entry, power windows and cruise control.

Dynamically, the car was excellent. Steering was precise. Handling was sure. The brakes — front discs and rear drums — were solid.

The combination of the automatic transmission and the 130-horsepower engine on this 2,780-pound car was better than I had expected. It certainly wasn’t sports-car fast, but it was m ore than adequate, even on steep portions of the highway. The engine was a bit noisy, however.

On the way down, I drove in a Vibe GT painted lava (bright red) with a graphite (dark gray) interior. This car had the 180-horsepower, 1.8-liter VVTL-i four-cylinder engine and a six-speed manual transmission. Anti-lock brakes and a leather-wrapped steering wheel were added onto the base model. Options on the GT I drove included 17-inch aluminum wheels with wet-weather tires and the same power package as on the base model.

Here, the same strong dynamics were coupled with a much more serious engine and a much more fun-inducing shifter. The result was a wonderful car, one that would please most driving enthusiasts. The Vibe GT still felt responsive at high speeds.

I didn’t drive an all-wheel-drive model and, unfortunately, Pontiac won’t sell a Vibe GT AWD — the Vibe I would like to buy.

The Vibe looks a little more aggressive than a Mazda Prtege5, a little ore outdoorsy than a Matrix.

On the inside, the car is superb — functional, yet trendy. It retains the cockpit-feel of other Pontiacs with intelligently placed gauges, knobs and buttons. There’s plenty of room for four, and smart storage under the hatch.

Designed for those in their 20s and 30s, the 2003 Pontiac Vibe does a great job of incorporating function with fashion, of combining the understated style and the go-anywhere, take-everything lifestyle of today’s young car buyers.