The Pontiac Aztek Was Inspired By This Cool Concept
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Produced between 2000 and 2005, the Pontiac Aztek crossover is often maligned for its unique styling and relatively poor sales. Best-known as the vehicle driven by Walter White, the main character in the show Breaking Bad, the Pontiac Aztek has been characterized as quirky at best, and downright ugly at worst. However, the vehicle that would become the Pontiac Aztek has its roots in the concept seen here.
Recently posted to social media by the official GM Design Instagram feed (@generalmotorsdesign), this concept is known as the Pontiac Salsa, and was first introduced at the 1992 North American International Auto Show, popularly known as the Detroit Auto Show.
Per GM, the 1992 Pontiac Salsa concept was framed as an “ultra-flexible” vehicle that combined the footprint and drivability of a car with the practicality of a truck bed, as well as the adjustability of a removable hardtop. To that end, the concept offered plenty of space in the rear for cargo, with one of the concept images showing a bike loaded upright in back.
The swoopy styling and curving, molded shapes form a slanted rear end that creates a wedge-like nose section, leading rearwards to a bubble-like greenhouse and tail section. The interior continues the funky ‘90s style with patterned upholstery and bright colors, very much lining up with the aesthetic of the time.
Although the Pontiac Salsa never made it into production, it did eventually lead to the Pontiac Aztek.
Pontiac Salsa concept
Pontiac Aztek
When it first went on sale, GM highlighted the Pontiac Aztek for its versatility, which included enough interior room to carry a standard 4-foot by 8-foot sheet of plywood inside the cabin. The Aztek also offered a pull-out cargo tray capable of holding 400 pounds, and a cargo net system capable of carrying up to 200 pounds.
Although GM forecast that it would sell 75,000 units of the Pontiac Aztek annually, its best-selling year was in 2002, with only 27,793 units sold.
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Prefer the Aztek than those, but are nice drawings, like 4 doors cars
* Sincere, there are much uglier SUVs on streets today than the Aztek is supposed to be one
With some Adjustments the Aztek was not so bad
Aztek was ahead of its time. Now nearly every CUV is copying its lines. Minus the versatility.
I guess the idea of the Aztek is good based on the renderings here HOWEVER, the translation to a production vehicle somehow went sour with the finished product. The finished product lacked the desire and allure of the concepts which the idea was based off. One can only imagine if the production Aztek had more of the WOW! factor and less of the blahs built in. Maybe GM can redeem itself offering a Chevy or GMC updated Aztek from a different perspective and show the tie in.
I think GM is trying to “ret con” or whatever the term is these days, the Salsa into the Aztek’s history.
The Salsa on its own was close to being approved for production, i think it was going to use a version of the J-car platform from I recall, there were a few full production intent prototypes made with Sunfire dashes.
Pontiac had been wanting some sort of fun, youth oriented activity vehicle since they showed the Splash in 1988.
Reminds me of the “Dustbuster” GM mini-vans of the 90’s – the transition from a really cool show car failed miserably in the conversion to manufacturing. It looks like if something was hard to do, they just threw in the towel and went with what they’ve always done before – maybe because of bean counters, maybe because of making the vehicle crashworthy, who knows. However, all car companies are much better at staying more true to the concept cars.
Where oh where did they go wrong?
The Pontiac Aztek was actually a great CUV that was ahead of its time.
I had the pleasure of owing a brand new 2003 AWD model for 2 years . The Versa Track AWD system was unrivaled and even today other than Subaru nothing in the lower end of the market is as competent .
My AWD Aztek had the larger Goodyear Eagle GT all season tires ( could not get snow tires in the size) and it went everywhere, snow and ice did not stop it . You could park on a hill on ice and the car could easily move as you desired.
The cargo area and folding seats made it more like a mini van. It was comfortable , had amazing flexibility, just enough power , a great AWD system, aside from the unique styling was an almost perfect crossover. It even had a center consol that could be used as a portable cooler !! In 2003 Pontiac painted the lower moldings with body color and that made the vehicle styling less controversial. When I first got the Aztek I was the brunt of many office jokes from my co-workers , but that changed when they had the opportunity to ride in it.
In 2005 the Equinox arrived on the market so I traded the Aztek for a 2005 AWD Nox . While the Nox was very good, its lost many of the features and practicality of the Aztek
in 2005 one of my co-workers who really laughed about the Aztek when i first got it actually bought it as a second vehicle for his family when I parted with it in 2005.
GM actually built the Aztek from the the Pontiac Montana mini van Chassis It was too bad with the advent of the Equinox and Pontiac Torrent that they were not able to engineer the features and Versatility of the Aztek into the new Torrent platform
The Aztek was truly ahead of its time!!! Look at some of the current Mitsubishi crossovers , they actually look like an 8 10ths version of the Aztek some 20 years later!!!.
The Aztec was definitely ahead of its time, from a design aspect. It had an enormous amount of cargo room for a a midsize crossover. I took our 2004 to Disney World twice with 5 passengers. It was incredible the amount of luggage it held for a week long vacation for five! We cruised at 80 for the 1,500 mile trip and got 30mpg from the four speed automatic, 3.1 V6. Lucky to get that good of mileage from my 22 Blazer 2.0, 9 speed automatic. I replaced the Aztec with a 2007 Torrent, I missed that extra cargo space! My wife loved her Aztec, drove for 3 years trouble free. The Salsa was a missed opportunity, a modern Jeep 2dr Wrangler. The Fiero platform could have been stretched and put the engine up front. A Saturn Salsa? We never know!
Sounds like it was a good vehicle. I think the front-end styling might have been its downfall – pretty hard to get past that. Very unfortunate.
I know a gal that bought hers new and now has 250,000 mikes on it, in Chicago weather, no less.
LOL, that was one of the ugliest vehicles ever built which was evidenced by it’s very low sales numbers.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I’m in a very small minority, but always liked the looks of the Aztek.
I clearly remember watching GM’s painful “rave” Aztek press introduction and realizing then it truly is the ugliest vehicle GM has ever produced. And it obviously has not aged well either.
We owned a 2002 Aztek and loved it , we had 2 little girls at the time and it was a great mini van alternative. Tons of Room inside for all the family stuff and that tailgate was awesome for sitting on at events etc.
MIss it!
Look at the Mercedes SUV of the same year. Its styling is all the same. Idiots thought that if that design had a Pontiac badge on it, it was not desirable while if it had a Mercedes badge it was desirable. I had a new one in 2002. It was excellent. After that I purchased a yellow used one with the projected speedometer on the windshield. It was more than excellent. I sold it at 90,000 miles to son in law and he still runs it 12 years later. I now have a 2005 copper color and an original loaded 2001 with 72000 miles right now. My wife uses it everyday and often loads is with mattresses beds and all sorts of stuff that modern SUV cannot fit in. . Young kids think its way cool. Most folks don’t know that it is and some think its an experimental electric car.
Say goodbye!
The Aztec was a great vehicle. On the other hand, the styling was terrible and there were no paper bags big enough.(wink)