In bright and/or patriotic Victory Red, this 2004 Pontiac Aztek is an AWD model, and it has some interesting features. While not a full camping model with a factory tent included, it’s tent-ready. This one can be found listed here on craigslist in Sherwood, Oregon, and the seller is asking an unusual $5,981. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Curvette for the tip!
It goes without saying that I like the Pontiac Aztek. They really were and still are a versatile hauler for families, camping gear, and just about anything else. Are they a bit on the unusual side? Yes, but have you seen most of the new SUVs out there today? They aren’t much better in the looks department, if you ask me. This example has the added benefit of having AWD, known as Versatrak, for added traction. I wonder what a two-door version may have looked like, hmmm…
I can see how public stonings were popular at one time. Sadly, I think they may come back again someday, but I hope not too soon. It seems to be fun to jump on the Aztek, as with the Yugo, Chevette, Pinto, Mustang II, and other cars with reputations for unreliability or just ungainly design. The unreliable part is well-deserved by some makes, but unless you’re going to put your face and/or your vehicle designs out there for us to judge, let’s go easy on the Aztek. Next up: I’ll ask the weather to cooperate and have as much luck with that…
Made for model years 2001 through 2005, we’ve only seen two Azteks here on Barn Finds, here and here. This one appears to be in really nice shape overall. The seller says everything works as it should, and the only real flaw I see is some cracked vinyl (the seats should be leather for the most part, I think, but maybe not on the sides?) on the side of the driver’s seat. Maybe that’s why we don’t get to see a photo from the driver’s viewpoint. The back seat looks great, as does the unusual and huge rear cargo area.
An engine photo in a craigslist ad- things are looking up in 2026! This should be GM’s 3.4-liter V6 with 185 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque when new. Backed by a four-speed automatic transmission sending power to all four wheels via the Versatrak AWD system, the seller says it has a new power steering pump, newer tires, and a new battery; otherwise it’s all original. It would be hard to gather as many people at a Cars & Coffee event for $5,000 as showing up in this bright red Aztek. Have any of you owned one? You can admit it, we’re all friends here.
When I saw this on Fast Finds I was really hoping it would get written up. And it did!!! And by Scotty!!! First off, that 2 door looks great and kind of reminds of a 2 door Isuzu Amigo..And thats a compliment, I like them. When the kids were young I really wanted an Aztec, even my wife liked them Unfortunately out finance situation just wasn’t there though. I cant get over the condition and the price. You could daily drive this. But I’d rather use it sparingly. Thank you for writing this up Scotty. I know this is a far cry from a ’65 2+2 with a 421 in it. But these, I always thought were really neat.
We all saw what you did there, Dave😆👍🏻
And Great Scott! You’re right-it looks a little better as a 2 door, Scotty. With that though GM doesn’t always have the best of responses to their “Family Camping!”ideas, the Blazer Chalet being another example. A good idea poorly executed? I dunno. Might’ve been a bigger hit in parts of the British Isles and some places in Europe where camping vehicles were limited in size for obvious reasons.
In younger years Kinda liked both of the above GM ideas personally but then again some of us thought camping with a motorcycle was fun too.
Great Touring Coupe model SG. 🤌
A Cybertruck makes this thing look good.
Near where I work there’s a “welfare motel”
& there’s TWO of these (2WD) parked there.
First, an Aztek will never be mistaken for a dumpster. But back in the day it was easy to jump on the “Aztek is the ugliest, the worst, etc” bandwagon. But for a while now, it has become obvious to me; As Scotty alluded to, Azteks now look no worse than most of the contemporary SUVs out there today. Pontiac was ahead of its time with this one. I still wouldn’t want one. (I never did “get” SUVs, actually). But in this case, save your hate for some other personal choice, like the Chevette or the Alliance. (Those are mine, although I try not to harp on it here)
Scotty, have we ever seen a convertible version here on BarnFinds?
A convertible?! Wait, I just looked, and I have a pickup and a two-door, but not a convertible. I thought for sure I made one of those.
Hey, that’s kinda cool. Not quite an Avalanche. Maybe a mudslide or a sinkhole ;)
It might not be the prettiest girl in the stable, but I bet it will get you through the winter.
People were always saying how unsightly – ugly they were but as already mentioned they weren’t any more weird looking that was previously or had been on the market since then. It did what it was made for and obviously not
a sweet 16 Teen Dream Lolita contest 🙄 some people and their expectations
I remember when these came out, I read a review of it in one of the car magazines. Don’t remember which one. But I remember the writer described its looks as, “a baby rhino on crack”.
I’d buy this but I wouldn’t want to be breaking bad. Sorry. Couldn’t help myself.
And only 111,500 original miles, sounds showroom new.
Today, damn near every crossover has some “wilderness” or “trail” model. Usually, the manufacturer will give it a half-inch lift and some very mild “off-road” tires. Here, we have a vehicle with an optional tent, compressed air (for your air mattress, or airing up your tires after airing down for the trail/sand), a cooler, etc. Really, everything you need for a decent weekend adventure. If GM were to release this today, it would sell like hotcakes. So yes, consider me a fan of the Aztek.
The Aztec looked a lot better when Pontiac took off all the cladding. Compared to what is being made today the Aztec looks stunning!
The cladding is still there, just smoothed over a bit (two fewer ribs on the lower front doors) and painted to match the body color after the first year of production.
Walter White, your old car has come home! Poor Pontiac. How crazy were they to approve this? Think the executive who insisted it was a winner, got his quarterly bonus? Of course, those special guys who brought us all the fun of 2008 got those. Life is so awesome, huh?
IIRC, the Aztek was a resounding success in a managerial development sense, meeting every single project deadline and cost target every step of the way.
I wonder what the weight limit is on the tailgate? I like the molded in seats and cup holders.
Oh sure..be the talk of happy hour, and not in a good way. LOL
Still see these and Buicks version running around here in Phoenix.
Will get you $59.91 at the boneyard.
not too big of a seller when they were new. i can tell you for a fact it is no fun to do any kind of engine repairs to these due to the configuration of the engine bay. i guess if you want 1 the price seems fair for as clean as it is.
Fuggliest thing GM ever released.
A while back someone made some renders of a Trans Am-inspired “Bandit edition” Aztek, and… I don’t hate it?
https://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/sorry-but-we-can-t-hate-this-pontiac-aztek-trans-am/
Always been torn on this one… Definitely a parts-bin nightmare to be sure… Looks like a Merkur XR4ti ran into all of the leftover parts that GM had at the end of the year… But, in terms of driving experience, I would bet that it’s alright-and the price on this one looks pretty good…
One of the bullets that took down the Trans Am!
Nice! No.
Calling Walter White he needs this
This what happens when concept meets reality. The original renderings looked ready and able. The aggressive tires gave way to all seasons, window lines grew and changed shape and more paint than cladding showed up in its wardrobe. What could have been an out of the park homerun became a joke for the ages. You should have moth balled a yellow one in the first year.
Once the suits decided it had to be based on the existing U-body minivan platform to save money, all unibody hard points were then locked in place, and the design had to be stretched and pushed and pulled and altered to reach those points, resulting in the ungainly proportions it wound up with.
My Aztek was white..had to sell it because HOA would not allow more than 2 vehicles….I loved it want another one too….
But I still have the tent!……
I worked at a Pontiac store when these came out. They would actually scare customers away! (Not kidding,) We ended up parking them on the back lot by the used up commercial trucks. I think we sold 2 total. (I know I didn’t sell any.) I drove one once and it wasn’t bad. But I thought (and still do) they were only slightly less ugly than a Datsun F10.
I did sell many Buick Rendezvous. The first one I sold was to a customer’s. Mom. She didn’t have to climb up in the car and was able to just swing her legs out to the street. Very easy for her to use the car. She brought me many, many older ladies to buy them.
I would be shocked if the radio display still lit up.
I don’t recall anyone complaining about the Buick Rendezvous version. They must have been somewhat reliable as I still see these on the road.
What a big difference an appearance change can make.
Indeed, I concur Buick did a better job in styling their Rendezvous sibling — plausibly in part because I’d bet their design team started with the U-body minivan platform’s hard points already in mind from the outset, rather than trying to adapt prior speculative styling exercises to meet those hard points as Pontiac did with the Aztek — and they got to use the standard 112″ floorpan from the short-wheelbase minivans, rather than the Aztek’s shortened 108″ wheelbase, so its proportions didn’t turn out quite as thick and stubby in the middle.
The Rendezvous was a little easier on the eyes but by no means a good looking car. These two and the Montana, Relay, Upland minivans that “weren’t” minivans only conspired to confuse and put shoppers off more. Listening to customer clinics and then appealing to bean counters doesn’t always score a homerun.
Had one of these assigned to me for 3 months as a GM company car. It was embarrassing stopping at a light and having people point to it and laugh, like the Cybertruck today
I never liked these. Always thought they were ugly and was not happy with GM, since they chose to get rid of the Firebird and kept this thing. Yes, I know people like them, just for me personally, they took the place of the Pacer as one of the ugliest cars made. Guess you could say the Aztec was not, is not and never will be my cup of tea.
Pontiac built what they were required to build by the Bean Counters. Funny how all the manufactures vehicles that copied it to be so popular today and not made fun of. Again Pontiac led the way. It is to bad the Pontiac engineers and designers were handcuffed by GM.
The seller lowered the price by $500, any takers? (crickets)