Vue works from many angles
Saturn crossover can carry a load, but still delivers a comfortable ride
Today's test car, the 2008 Saturn Vue XR AWD, is a crossover, both in terms of design and its heritage.
It combines the form and function of a SUV with some of the interior space of a minivan, along with the low-slung ride of a sedan. It also crosses over to the United States from Germany, where the
In Europe, where even a Mini Cooper is thought of as mid-sized, this is a big car. Here, the Vue can be considered practical and relatively compact.
Saturn is a company on a roll. Its Aura is one of the best American sedans in years. What is particularly interesting is that the same company that built a rep utation of earthiness - and almost cult-like loyalty from its customers - is now illustrating how GM can broaden its horizons, something it must do to prosper.
Also of interest is the fact GM has not tinkered much with the car's looks, leaving unchanged its round, soft outer appearance - which European buyers find appealing. The temptation may have been to tart it up with a tough SUV appearance. That wouldn't have fooled anyone. The Vue is not meant to be a hefty offroader, and it does not pretend to be one.
Actually, if you focus in on just the doors and hood, it looks an awful lot like a regular car.
Sure, there's an aggressive-looking bit of decoration beneath the front bumps, and there are bulging-eye fog lamps sitting outside the sculpted headlights.
There are also pronounced ridges over the wheel wells and along the rocker panels. But none of those design features truly reveal what's really going on here.
This is a spacious, smooth, and comfortable car that will comfortably haul five people and a reasonable amount of luggage. There's a roof rack for extra gear, nifty storage containers all over the place (for example, a drawer is located beneath the passenger seat), and a rear cargo area.
My only substantial complaint is that the handling is awfully heavy, but I guess that nearly two tons will weigh down even the fleetest of cars, and that's how much the Vue weighs. I don't know where the weight comes from, because this is not a large and lumbering beast, and today's AWD systems don't add as much weight as earlier versions did. But who's going racing in this rig, anyway?
Regarding fuel economy, we couldn't reach 20 miles per gallon overall, but few vehicles this size do. If you use it as it should be - filled with other passengers and gear - you should be able live with the mileage numbers.
Inside, there is lots of leg space fore and aft. Even a passenger in the middle of the second row can travel in relative comfort.
The Vue comes in three versions - XE, XR, Red Line (hot), and Green Line (an environmentally-friendly hybrid, of course). Engines include a 2.4-liter inline-4 with 164 horsepower, a 3.5-liter V-6 with 222 horsepower, and, as tested, a 3.6-liter V-6 with 257 horsepower. The last engine is as much power as this vehicle should ever require. It is also available as a front-wheel-drive vehicle.
The ride is quiet, comfortable, and, frankly, refined. Love that European DNA.
I also love the standard safety features, including stability control, ABS, head curtain side airbags for all, and side thorax bags.
Our test car had $4,400 in options, most of which you would not need. They included a premium trim package ($1,075) with leather heated seats. The test model also came with a convenience package ($506) that featured rain-sensing wipers, remote starting, a home remote system, and heated windshield washers. The biggest cost boost, however, was the navigation system at $2,145.
Without that last extra, the cost of the Vue can be kept well under $30,000, remarkable for a vehicle that offers this much quality, utility, and fun.
Royal 
