Aztek Due for a Little Cosmetic Surgery

Pontiac’s much-maligned Aztek, the minivan-based utility vehicle that people love to hate, will be getting some changes--and fast--to boost disappointing sales.

The Aztek, which the General Motors Corp. division put on sale last summer, has won high marks for its interior space and versatility. Notable features include a large optional slide-out tray in back with fold-out cargo compartments, rear-facing speakers with audio controls for tailgate parties, even a tent and mattress kit to turn the vehicle into a mini-camper.

But where the Aztek has its fans, too many others just hate the way it looks, in particular the heavy cladding that clambers up the sides and takes up half the trademark Pontiac grille.

“It certainly started slower than we expected. We’re selling about 2,500 a month; we need to sell about 4,000,” said Ron Zarrella, president of GM North America, at the North American International Auto Show here.

“There are some things we’re going to do to enhance the styling, very quickly,” he told The Times in an interview, after declining to elaborate to reporters a few days earlier at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show. “We’re probably going to make some monotone cladding. When you take some of the ribs off, make the cladding monotone, it’s less intrusive, and it makes the vehicle look better.

“There’s some pretty simple things we can do--put bigger wheels and tires on. We should have done that right from the start; it changes the proportions of the vehicle a little bit. There’s some very minor things, actually trim elements we can put on the back end of the car, which break it up a little to make it look a little more appealing.”

But GM has found that the biggest problem with the Aztek has been the price tag of $22,000 to $26,000.

“We probably priced it too high for the target,” Zarrella said. GM was aiming for twenty- and thirtysomethings who are into mountain biking, beach parties and camping. Instead, the auto maker has found that many customers are in their 40s and 50s, drawn to the Aztek’s functionality.

“We need to get pricing down more,” Zarrella said. “We can do that. We make the vehicle in Mexico; we get a pretty good margin on it. [But] we’re going to have to take less margin and get the price down.”