I got the same reaction while driving the 2008 Vue that I've gotten with every Saturn I've driven lately. People look at me like I just turned green, they look at the car, and then they turn to me and say: That's a Saturn?
I take great pleasure in responding: Yes, it is.
2008 Saturn Vue
Favorite features:
- Attractive new styling
- Excellent driver's position
- Plethora of standard safety features
Needs improvement:
- Turning radius is too wide
- Ride is too SUVlike for a crossover
- Mileage estimates could be better
With vehicles such as the Vue, Sky, Outlook and Aura, Saturn is no longer the red-headed stepchild of GM. It is a full-fledged brand that is more than holding its own.
Even though the brand has gone mainstream and dent-resistant doors are a thing of the past, a lot of the "Saturn Experience" that attracted buyers in the first place still remains. Free car washes when you bring your Saturn in for scheduled maintenance. The red carpet treatment when you buy your car. Invites to clinics on how to care for your Saturn. Plus, I know there's at least one Saturn dealership in the Chicago area that gives you a fresh flower every time you bring in your car.
So, not quite the stepchild any more, but still refreshingly different. Saturn produces an affordable, attractive vehicle with upscale client treatment.
And it only seems to get better with age.
For 2008 the Vue gets new life and a complete redesign. Thank goodness. The old Vue was practical but never attractive. Now, however, the new Vue has it all.
The exterior shell of the Vue has taken on the basic crossover egg shape, looking eerily similar to the new Honda CR-V. The Vue, however, adds unique touches such as side vents, large side windows and bold headlights and taillights. The overall effect is elegant yet sporty.
Inside, Saturn gives the Vue the same upscale treatment with chrome accents, an attractive Saturn emblem on the steering wheel, premium interior surfaces and an upgraded instrument cluster.
In addition to being easy on the eyes, the interior is also flexible. The rear seats as well as the front passenger seat fold flat for those tall cargo carrying needs. The rear cargo area has storage compartments that are perfect for items you don't want rolling around. I went grocery shopping during the test week and put a couple bottles of wine in one and my eggs in the other.
The seating position in the Vue is also quite good -- even for drivers on the petite side of the coin. In fact, across the board, GM usually does a very good job with the driver's position, and even in the far-forward, far-upward position that I had in the Vue, I never felt too close to the steering wheel or like my knees were trapped between the seat and the underbelly of the dashboard. Such is not the case in some of the Vue's competitors (cough, CR-V). Because the side windows are bigger than average, there weren't any unusual blind spots, and with height adjustments, visibility out the front was very good.
Since the Vue will most likely be a family car, the top priority is safety. Well, Saturn has definitely considered that, and many high-end features are standard on the Vue -- even at its most basic level. Standard safety features include: stability control, side-thorax airbags, head curtain side impact airbags for first and second rows and active head restraints.
Some of the more interesting safety features that are also standard on the Vue include: stolen vehicle tracking, automatic notification of airbag deployment, hands-free, voice-activated phone, emergency services, remote door unlock and roadside assistance. Of course, the last six items come with OnStar service, but the blue button comes standard on the Vue, and GM provides a free one-year Safe & Sound subscription.
The fact that you can get into an XE front-wheel drive model for $21,395 with all these great standard features is astounding. A base Honda CR-V will cost $21,335, and a Toyota RAV-4 is $21,785. Neither of these competitors include the OnStar-related benefits.
The test vehicle was an up-level XR all-wheel drive model, which has a base price of $26,895. It was loaded with $4K in options, and I couldn't think of a single thing that I'd want that wasn't already on the as-tested Vue. The Premium Trim Package ($1,075) included leather seats and the heated front seats that I covet year-round, and the Convenience Package ($505) had the remote vehicle start that, depending on the weather, pre-heats or cools your vehicle via the key fob. The test vehicle also had the pricey, but good, GM navigation system ($2,145) and the advanced audio system ($325). Thus the total price of the test vehicle rang in at $30,945. Not bad for a well-stocked, AWD crossover vehicle.
The other nice thing about the XR model is that it comes standard with the 3.6-liter V-6 engine that delivers 257 horsepower. The base engine is the 2.4-liter, four-cylinder Ecotec that delivers an underwhelming 169 horsepower. I thought the V-6 was occasionally sluggish, so I can only imagine what 86 less horsepower would do.
The ride in the Vue was nice and smooth, but the one downside to this vehicle is that it definitely handles more like an SUV and less like a car. The turning radius is wide, making tight turns and parallel parking difficult. And there were definitely times when I felt all 4,325 pounds of the XR AWD model.
The EPA mileage estimates for the Vue are, unfortunately, also more in line with an SUV. Under the new 2008 guidelines, the XR AWD model with the V-6 engine gets 16 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. The FWD model with the four-cylinder engine has slightly better estimates with 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.
Fortunately, if fuel consumption is a concern, the 2008 Vue Green Line model is on its way. Specs and pricing for 2008 haven't yet been announced, but the 2007 model averages 30 mpg on the highway and costs $23,495, so I'd put the new model in the $25K - $27K range.
All things considered, the 2008 Vue is well rounded, well priced and attractive. I like what Saturn is doing to the brand, and I really like what it has done with the Vue. Expect more good things to come.
VIDEO: Jill's bloopers
