[5] It featured "Xtreme" futuristic styling and promised maximum versatility in support of a young and active lifestyle for its intended "Generation X" buyer demographic.

[6] The production edition of the Aztek was launched with the tagline "Quite possibly the most versatile vehicle on the planet" in conjunction with CBS's hit reality show Survivor in 2000.

"[3] The 2000 Business Week study said the Aztek was "the first awkward step toward innovation by a company that has avoided that path," likening "the debacle to Ford's remodeling of its 1996 Taurus sedan.

Mickey Kaus described the Aztek as having "awkwardly empty and square front wheel wells" and a "gratuitous, fierce animalistic snout, which may have been what prompted incoming GM executive Bob Lutz to famously say that many of the company's products looked like 'angry kitchen appliances.

At launch, the Aztek was initially available with front-wheel drive, but later in the 2001 model year, a full-time, fully automatic all-wheel-drive system dubbed Versatrak was made available.

The all-wheel-drive system provided traction in the snow or rain and could handle moderately rough off-road surfaces, thanks to its hydraulic gerotor pumps and multi-plate clutch packs, instead of the typically used viscous couplings.

[citation needed] The dashboard was designed by Johnson Controls, and featured Pontiac's trademark red lighting scheme along with an optional head-up display.

[17] 2004 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Crash Test Ratings:[18] GM forecast sales of up to 75,000 Azteks per year and needed to produce 30,000 annually to break even.

[citation needed] The Aztek had among the highest CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) scores in its class, and won the appellation of "Most Appealing Entry Sport Utility Vehicle" in 2001 from J.D.

Matthew DeBord of The Big Money argued that despite its poor reviews and sales, the Aztek was the car that, in the long run, could save GM.