| provided by: |  |
3/19/2008 | Saturn
Saturn's compact SUV brings European sensibility to the crossover market
For perhaps the first time, I found myself excited to be behind the wheel of a Saturn. The brand's habitual competent underachieving has made it something of an albatross around the neck of the average auto reviewer (ask one of us about the joys of testing the L-Series some time), but there's a new era dawning over at General Motors' youngest car brand. The all-new Aura is an absolute smash, the Sky roadster is turning heads, and now it's the Vue sport-ute's turn for a total makeover.
How complete is this redesign? According to Saturn, only the wheelbase and the name remain the same. The newly egg-shaped 2008 Saturn Vue's revised outlook on life comes courtesy of a platform shared with Opel. The result is a compact SUV that's comfortable enough on the road to be called a crossover, but also has slightly improved off-road performance and a much-needed bump in comfort and convenience. Of course, all of that looks good on paper, and Saturns have always looked good on paper. What really matters is what happens when the rubber meets the road.
From the outside, the 2008 Saturn Vue looks promising. Short-and-tall styling gives it an easy-to-manage footprint; it's got a profile kind of like a hiking boot. The Vue's new face just manages to avoid being cluttered. Up front there's a chrome-capped grille with a trapezoidal shape that quickly calls to mind the front aspect of the new Aura sedan. A faux skid plate, chrome trim around the windows and faux fender vents are also thrown into the mix to add variety to the side profile, and the somewhat complicated design works almost in spite of itself.
The interior bears a lot of resemblance to the Mercedes M-Class. The design of the center stack and the one-three-one layout of the oval dash vents may fool some passengers into thinking that the 2008 Saturn Vue has a three-pointed star instead of a Saturn swoosh. The materials go some distance toward backing this up, as well, with inviting light colors and well-placed controls. Soft-touch materials give the Vue the feel of a more expensive vehicle...even a used Mercedes, perhaps. The steering wheel has a satiny silver smile. The available navigation system is accessed through an information screen riding front and center. The seats are comfortable enough for short trips, but larger passengers found them somewhat pinchy. Saturn's cool adjustable cargo management system has been redesigned, and it now feels less cheap as well as being easier to use. Two sets of rails offer a wide range of adjustment for securing cargo. Side- and side-curtain airbags are standard, as is GM's OnStar emergency assistance system.
Saturn is offering a wide range of engine choices for the '08 Vue. The now-familiar 169-horsepower 2.4 liter Ecotec four-cylinder is used in the base and Green Line models, while all others step up to V6 power. There are two six-cylinders: the 3.5 liter, 222-horse version and the 3.6 liter, 257-horse version that rides in the top of the line Vue Red Line and XR. I drove the Vue XR and found the uplevel 3.6 liter V6 to be a great match for the new chassis. The Vue gets up to power with an assertiveness that belies its tame suburban looks. A new six-speed automatic transmission is standard across the board. On the freeway, the 2008 Saturn Vue is exceptionally relaxed and composed, though the six-speed shows a propensity for gear-hunting on long grades. All-wheel drive is available, of course, and the Vue's towing capacity is 3500 pounds.
A stiff, body-frame integrated structure enhances the handling as well as ensuring that the Vue is tough enough to be treated like a real truck. Believe it or not, Saturn's crossover demonstrates a bit of off-road ability. It'll match a RAV4 or Outlander in the dirt. None of these vehicles are made for rock crawling, but the Vue will get you to and from remote campsites and down exceptionally rough roads without complaint. The Vue uses MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link suspension at the rear, like many crossovers. On the road, it's got an almost sporty ride--a bit softer than Ford's Escape, but it's more refined and has a much better seating position. The nimbleness is augmented with standard traction control, anti-lock brakes and StabiliTrak stability control. The Vue also includes an anti-sway program to the stability control that helps to keep things under control when towing.
It's all enough to bounce the redesigned Vue from the status of underachiever to one of the stars of its class. Considering all of the crossover competition out there these days, that's high praise indeed. With new styling, a comfortable, versatile interior and excellent driving dynamics, I wasn't at all burdened by having to drive this Saturn for a week. The only downside is the price; the starting price of $21,450 for the base two-wheel drive model isn't so bad, but my fully loaded XR AWD model, with premium leather trim, heated seats, remote start, navigation system and rain-sensing wipers hit the bricks at just over $30,000. That's edging into midsize SUV territory, and while the Vue's nimble enough to stand out among the compacts, it's not quite enough car to go head-to-head with the Ford Edge or Toyota Highlander. As long as you watch the options list, the new 2008 Saturn Vue is a star.
Specifications:
Length: 180.1 in.
Width: 72.8 in.
Height: 67.0 in.
Wheelbase: 106.6 in.
Curb weight: 4325 lb.
Cargo space: 29.2 cu.ft. (seats up); 56.4 cu.ft. (all seats folded)
Towing capacity: 3500 lb.
Base price: $26,270
Price as tested: $30,945
Engine: 3.6 liter DOHC V6
Drivetrain: six-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive
Horsepower: 257 @ 6500
Torque: 248 @ 2100
Fuel capacity: 16.7 gal.
Est. mileage: 16/22
Continue to article on OnWheelsInc.com