Is it Pontiac's fault that the Torrent reminds me of that Vega? Of course it is. Vega was a bad answer to a good question. And so is Torrent. From a distance, the Torrent looks fine, another addition to the mid-size SUV club. Get closer, though, and the details betray the vehicle. Torrent isn't ugly like the Aztek, it's just ordinary when it should have been great. Uneven seams and gaps dress the intersections of metal on the hood. A bizarrely-shaped body panel leaves two ugly seams in the arch of each rear fender. Chunky body molding sits in the middle of the doors, drawing attention to a mid-body bulge. The rear liftgate seems to have no design connection to the car around it. Unlike most SUVs in its class, the Torrent's rear glass does not open, compromising the "U" in Torrent's "SUV." It's the details that count.
