2007 Saturn VUE Review

PROS
Impressive fuel economy, Passenger and cargo room, Respectable ride, Plastic body panels

CONS Sloppy handling and steering, Unimpressive acceleration

An Elegant Solution
Over the past five years, automotive journalists and environmental activists criticized General Motors for being late to the hybrid game. Toyota, Honda, and Ford all offered hybrid passenger cars before GM had even announced one. However, both groups overlooked several key facts when taking aim at General Motors.

Early on in the race to produce hybrids, General Motors developed a fuel-economy strategy. The world's largest automaker focused on more than just a hybrids, and took into account the vastness of General Motor's empire and America's affinity for fossil fuels.

While Toyota and Honda developed hybrids powertrains that transformed a 35-mpg economy car into one capable of averaging close to 50 mpg, General Motors developed a large hybrid system capable of reducing fuel consumption and emissions on a slightly larger scale: transit busses.

By 2004 General Motors, and partner Allison, delivered 200 hybrid-powered transit busses to the Seattle area. In just one year, these busses reduced fuel consumption by 750,000 gallons. Those 200 busses saved as much fuel as 7500 Toyota Prius hybrids.

General Motors' heavy-duty hybrid system debuts in 2007 on the GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe. GM contends it will increase fuel economy of those vehicles by as much as 40%. The light-duty hybrid system made its debut on the 2007 Saturn VUE and will filter down to other products in the GM line like the Saturn Aura and Chevrolet Malibu.

The VUE went on sale in 2002 as Saturn's first-ever SUV. Compact in size, it competes against the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Toyota RAV4, and Subaru Forester and offers unique plastic body-side panels designed to absorb minor dings and resist rust. VUE seats five on two front bucket seats and a three-place, split-folding rear bench seat.

Until 2007, VUE offered conventional 4- and 6-cylinder engines. This year, the lineup added a hybrid powertrain that combines a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine with an electric motor to crank out 170 horsepower. The hybrid VUE is called Green Line and unlike most hybrids, the VUE hybrid can't run in electric-only mode. The electric motor acts as a powerful starter that allows the VUE to shut off at stoplights, generates power to recharge the battery when coasting, and provides a small amount of power to boost engine performance in hard acceleration.

Unlike conventionally powered VUEs, which are available with front- or all-wheel drive, VUE Green Line comes only with front-wheel drive. Available safety equipment includes antilock brakes, traction control, On Star, and side-curtain airbags. Options include leather upholstery, heated seats, XM Satellite radio, and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system.

VUE Green Line has a base price of $22,370, which is just $2000 more than a comparably equipped 4-cylinder model. For comparison, the Ford Escape Hybrid has a base price of $25,600.

Saturn recently introduced the 2008 VUE for release in the fall of 2007. The '08 model eschews plastic body sides in favor of steel panels, but will continue to come in Green Line light-hybrid trim. Shortly after introduction, Saturn will introduce a second and third hybrid powertrain for the VUE.

In early 2008 VUE will come with a traditional hybrid powertrain that can run in electric, gas, or gas/electric mode. Still later, a plug-in version of VUE will be offered. It will have more powerful electric motors, a larger battery, and the ability to operate in electric-only mode for extended periods of time. The plug-in model can recharge when coasting or from household electric current.

Get up and Go
From the first press of the gas pedal, it's clear VUE Green Line is designed for optimum fuel economy. The hybrid powertrain is short on low-end power leading to a somewhat lazy full-throttle launch. Power builds gradually giving the Green Line acceptable around-town passing punch.

On the highway, the hybrid system not only works to improve fuel economy, but also to reduce the amount of shifting by the 4-speed automatic. Passing response is acceptable, though an additional gear or two in the transmission would be appreciated when merging or in quick lane changes.

The engine is also quite smooth. Yes there is some four-cylinder growl in hard acceleration, but in steady state cruising the engine is nearly silent. In addition, there's no mechanical humm or whirr that's common in other hybrids.

Saturn VUE Green Line carries EPA fuel-economy estimates of 27 mpg city and 32 mpg highway. That compares to EPA ratings of 22/77 for the conventionally powered 4-cylinder VUE. (It is worthwhile to note that VUE Green Line has 27 more horsepower as well.) Saturn recommends regular-grade fuel for all VUE models.

On the Road Saturn designed VUE Green Line to be a comfortable-riding compact SUV, and, in that mission, the GM division succeeded. The soft suspension and tall tires do an excellent job of soaking up road imperfections and filtering out vibrations from coarse concrete pavement. In addition, the suspension is responsive enough to quell secondary body motions that are common to many small SUVs.

While Green Line may ride better than most compact SUVs, it certainly doesn't handle as well.  There's too much body lean in turns and the tires run out of grip too quickly. Brakes are nothing more than adequate and the antilock feature seems to kick in too quickly. On freeway ramps and in quick lane changes the VUE remains composed but doesn't inspire confidence.

The ride vs. handling tradeoff was a conscious decision by Saturn to give VUE Green Line a more substantial feel and a "big-car" ride. That's 100% acceptable. What is not acceptable is the Green Line's electric steering. At low speeds it feels slow and over boosted and on the highway it has a rubbery feel that necessitates constant correction to maintain a straight line. In all, it imparts a disconcerting disconnected feel.

That's a shame because VUE Green Line is one of the quieter compact SUVs. There's little wind noise and the tires only kick up a ruckus on very coarse pavement. Engine noise is subdued in cruising and doesn't grow coarse or harsh in hard acceleration.

Behind the Wheel VUE's interior is classy, contemporary, and competitive with other compact SUVs. Gauges are large and easily legible. Most controls fall close to hand in expected locations. Materials are sturdy and pleasant. Fit and finish is on par for the class.

Disappointing are power window switches arranged around the center-console-mounted shifter. They are oddly spaced and difficult to access quickly. It's a cost saving move that likely won't sit well with owners. Another penny-pinching move is the lack of ceiling-mounted grab handles.

Front seats offer good head and leg room but only modest comfort and support. Driving position is upright and offers a commanding view of the road. Rear visibility isn't bad either, aided by large outside mirrors.

Cargo area is roomy compared to other compact SUVs with a wide flat floor. Pop-up storage tray helps secure grocery bags and small items. Rear seats fold nearly flat, creating a long cargo floor. Interior storage falls a little short due to smallish map pockets and a tiny glovebox.

Bottom Line VUE Green Line is an interesting vehicle. It's not the best compact SUV, but it offers some interesting pluses, the greatest being exceptional fuel economy. It also comes off as a stop-gap in the fact that VUE will be all-new for 2008. Still, General Motors needed to test its light-duty hybrid technology and wanted to prove a point.

Sloppy handling characteristics aside, VUE Green Line's dent- and rust-resistant body side panels, roomy interior, affordable pricing, fantastic fuel economy, and exceptional dealer customer-service rating make it attractive to smart-shoppers and environmentalists alike.

Being the largest automaker in the world, sometimes limits General Motor's reaction time. However, it does give GM huge economies of scale and the massive engineering resources. It's laudable that GM took its time to develop a sound fuel-economy strategy that works for the automaker, the environment, and the consumer.

VUE Green Line is a perfect example of the KISS (keep it simple, stupid) principle. It's elegant in its simplicity and in its operation.