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Christopher Jackson | 9/6/2007 | Saturn
Saturn hasn't been known for building particularly effective performance cars at all, let alone performance SUVs. Something about a vehicle designed for going fast just seems to go against the brand's very nature.
Case in point; we found ourselves cruising home in the 2006 Saturn VUE Red Line. With a 250-horse V6 under the hood and a performance suspension, the VUE Red Line certainly has the hardware for some seriously entertaining performance. We hit the streets with an impressive bark from the exhaust and enjoyed decent response from the five-speed automatic transmission. Unfortunately, the VUE's handy cargo organizer wasn't up to the g-force generated by an enthusiastic left turn, and collapsed under the weight of our milk and eggs. Unbagged groceries tumbled all over the cargo area. Whoops.
What is the Saturn VUE Red Line, exactly? Saturn's VUE is a compact SUV that was never intended to go off-road; it's arguably one of the first crossover sport-utes. Ratchet up the performance a notch and you have the VUE Red Line. Saturn plans to produce a whole series of Red Line vehicles in the "factory tuner car" tradition, and the VUE is just the first. A hot-rodded Red Line version of the Sky roadster was just announced at the New York International Auto Show.
As for the VUE, it's nicely distinguished from its corporate cousins the Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent, with unique styling and interior appointments. There's a new grille for 2006, with a chromed upper element and wide lower air intake. The redesigned VUE looks more upscale, especially when it's kitted out with the many butch dealer accessories, from roof rails to side steps and chromed skid plates. The VUE isnt' intended to go off-road, but that doesn't stop it from looking tough. The VUE Red Line has a more stripped-down look. It's distinguished by a big lower airdam in the front, an even bigger lower air intake and 18" wheels, and there's a distinct lack of roof racks or brush bars. Subtle ground effects panels help to visually lower the vehicle. Boy-racer styling cues aside, the VUE Red Line is still stylistically restrained. The demure chrome Red Line badge on the tailgate whispers rather than shouting, so passers-by won't notice that this is the hot rod version unless they're looking.
The interior is somewhat more generic, but don't hold that against it. The VUE Red Line adds leather and chrome trim to dress up a dash that's mostly shared with the VUE's platform-mates. When the sun goes down, VUE Red Line owners will also notice cool blue or warm red ambient lighting in the footwell. There's space for four, and the tall body and doors offer great headroom and easy ingress. The passenger seat folds flat, and it's plastic-backed to facilitate carrying large cargo. The aforementioned grocery bag holder works well as long as you're not driving like Will Smith in Bad Boys. Our biggest complaint was a shortage of space up front for small items; the console is big without being spacious. What the VUE lacks in interior distinction it makes up nicely in amenities. Available equipment includes XM satellite radio, an MP3 auxiliary jack and a DVD player for the rear seats. Side-curtain airbags are available.
So, does it really perform? As we said, Saturn's not known for its skill with enthusiast cars. That said, the VUE Red Line is a pretty good dancer. The four-wheel independent suspension is lowered just over an inch and stiffened in the Red Line, and the result is a ride that is taut without being harsh. The big low-profile tires help as well. It's still more SUV than sports car, to be sure. The VUE doesn't feel heavy or bulky on the road thanks to electric power steering, but the anti-lock brakes are nonetheless appreciated. The VUE Red Line has reflexes that remind us of the BMW X3 or Ford Escape; it doesn't drive like a car, but the usual SUV waddle and bob has been dialed out. We'd be happy to see the standard VUE get this level of handling prowess, and for the Red Line to go to an even more extreme level.
On the road, the Red Line moves out nicely thanks to the nicely balanced 3.5 liter V6 under the hood. 250 horsepower is a healthy horsepower number, but the Red Line package only affects the suspension--that is, if you find the VUE Red Line too stiff for your taste, the big V6 can also be had in the standard VUE, with front- or all-wheel drive. Five-speed automatic transmissions are standard with the V6 engine. A four-cylinder, manual-transmission VUE is also available. The power in the Red Line feels just right--but we think that many buyers are going to wish it was more over the top. On a more practical note, the V6-powered VUE will tow up to 3500 pounds, but towing is verboten with the Red Line.
For the moment, the VUE Red Line has the market for hot-rod compact SUVs more or less to itself; BMW's X3 has a similar mission in life, but costs a great deal more. The wild Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is much more fun, but it's also a lot bigger and more expensive. The VUE Red Line offers similar thrills and versatile packaging at a lower price point. Our VUE Red Line stickered for $27,140, about a $4000 premium over the standard VUE. It's a relatively fun-to-drive compact sport-ute, and the mild hot-rod looks are a welcome change from the usual bars-'n'-boards look.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2006 Saturn VUE Red Line.
Length: 181.3 in.
Width: 71.6 in.
Height: 66.3 in.
Wheelbase: 106.6 in.
Curb weight: 3691 lb.
Cargo space: 63.8 cu.ft.
Base price: $23,050
Price as tested: $27,140
Engine: 3.5 liter SOHC V6
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive
Horsepower: 250 @ 5800
Torque: 242 @ 4500
Fuel capacity: 16.0 gal.
Est. mileage: 19/25
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