2008 Saturn VUE Expert Review: Autoblog
Autoblog
The introduction of the 2008 Saturn Vue is the latest element of the Saturn's ongoing product overhaul. In the wake of the Sky, Aura, and Outlook, we had high expectations for the all-new Vue. Gone are the outgoing model's clunky styling, cheesy faux grille, plastacular body panels and ho-hum street presence. In its place, we're given a smart-looking, well-packaged Opel Antara clone that's positioned as an obvious step up from its predecessor. Sure, the old Vue had some things going for it -- after its last facelift it had a decent-looking interior, and despite its outward visual shortcomings, it offered plenty of useful cargo room -- but it just wasn't very exciting in the grand scheme of things. Its departure is decidedly unlamented, and we eagerly accepted the keys when GM entrusted us with a spanking-new Vue Red Line for a week. Read on to see how well the newest Saturn lives up to the hype.
All photos Copyright ©2007 Alex Núñez / Weblogs, Inc.
I'd been seeing the new-gen Vues on the road for a few weeks ahead of our tester's arrival, and for some reason was working under the assumption that I would be testing the Vue XR. When I walked out to take delivery, I'll admit to being pleasantly surprised to see the Vue Red Line. That colorful moniker, for those of you still not familiar with the Saturn nomenclature, indicates a sport/performance-based model. The Vue Red Line joins the Sky Red Line in the brand's sporty roster, but unlike the turbo Sky, which is much more powerful and offers a radically different driving experience than its standard-grade counterpart, the Vue Red Line has a lot more in common with its XR-grade stablemate.
The two share GM's increasingly commonplace (this is a good thing) 3.6L VVT V6 (257 hp/248 lb-ft in this application) and 6T70 6-speed automatic transmission, with the Red Line adding as standard equipment the Tapshift feature that allows the driver to change gears manually. In our case, the tranny delivered power to all four corners thanks to the available AWD option. The Red Line adopts a more athletic stance, sitting nearly an inch lower than the XR, and also has differently-tuned shocks and struts, different spring rates, and unique bushings and stabilizer bars.
The Red Line-specific appearance package augments the lowered look with a comprehensive visual upgrade. A unique, super-aggressive front fascia is the Red Line's calling card, and makes it unmistakable next to its more sedate kin. The horizontal slats of the standard Vue's grillework are replaced by a sportier-looking diamond mesh pattern. The look is repeated on the gaping, love-it-or-hate-it lower opening. It's substantial enough that no one would hold it against you if you looked for an intercooler behind it, but your search would be fruitless. It's flanked by a set of foglamps, and if you move to the side, smooth rocker panels span the distance between the Red Line's 18" five-spoke alloys. Up top, low-profile roof rails are in line with the vehicle's sporty market positioning, while out back, a roof-mounted spoiler, model-specific taillamp treatment and trapezoidal exhaust tips peeking under a black bumper insert complete the appearance package. Like all other Vues, large side vents sit aft of the front wheels, adding a dash of style (if not function) and integrating the side marker lights quite nicely.
After clambering into the driver's seat, a pull on the metallic-trimmed handle closes the door with a satisfying thud that was conspicuously absent in the previous-gen Vue. There's much to like about the interior you find yourself in. Model-exclusive elements include the Ebony color theme, white-faced instruments, floor mats embroidered with the Red Line logo, and black leather seats with suede inserts and red contrast stitching. I've seen that type of seating material combo in more expensive GM cars - V-Series Cadillacs, for example -- and it's a welcome sight in the less costly Vue. The rest of the cabin stacks up well, too. Quality, good-looking, good-feeling plastics are the norm. Round HVAC vents with metallic bezels sit atop the uncluttered center stack. Below them, the stereo's on top, the heater controls take the middle position, and a small storage cubby trims out the bottom, which merges into the console between the front seats. There, you'll find the leather-topped shifter, a pair of cupholders, and a dual-level storage bin. The latter brings me to a point: these are better materials than used in the Aura (a car I like a lot), whose center bin is topped by a cheapo lid held closed by a latch that seemingly came out of a Cracker Jack box. Not so in the Vue, where everything feels solid, whether it's the storage bin's latch or the sturdy "click" the stalks hanging off the steering column make when you engage them. The multifunction steering wheel is a different unit than we'd become accustomed to finding in GM vehicles. It neatly integrates audio and cruise controls, is attractive to look at, and is comfortable in hand.
A look at the spec sheet reveals that the new Vue loses some cargo space compared to its boxier predecessor. Capacity with the rear seats folded flat is 56.4 cubic feet compared to the outgoing model's 63.8. With the second row seats in place, the cargo volume behind them is 29.2 cubic feet (the last Vue's was 30.8). The rear wheel wells seem to intrude more than they did on the outgoing model, but the available room is still more than enough for the usual grocery shopping trips and other day-to-day hauling needs. The '08 model also offers a nifty adjustable net that lets you manage that area in back quite nicely. Bi-level tracks are mounted on either side of the cargo area, and the spring-loaded net easily pops into the adjustable guides. If you need to access the spare tire, be advised -- you'll have to remove both the net and its adjustable mounts to do so. The spare and related tools are topped by a molded styrofoam cover that requires some effort to remove, which could give some drivers a bit of a hard time.
By now, you're probably wondering how the new Vue drives, so let's get right into it. The 3.6L V6's 257 horses move the SUV around ably if not exactly briskly for what's supposed to be the range's performance model. In AWD trim, the Red Line tips the scales at over 4,300 pounds, so there's quite a bit for the engine to haul around. EPA fuel economy is stated to be 16 city/22highway, and we observed 17 and change over the week in the usual mix of miserable traffic and local driving. You know the deal: your results may vary. Using Autoblog's patented and highly-sophisticated seat-of-the-pants/"One Mississippi...Two Mississippi" performance measurement tools on a long entrance ramp, I figured that the Red Line runs to sixty in 8 seconds or so. A quick call to our friends at Consumer Reports verified the number, as they recorded an 8.2 second time on their test track with the AWD XR they bought for their fleet. While the Tapshift feature was available, for the most part, the transmission selector in our tester was simply left in drive. The Vue's not the kind of car that begs to be shifted manually, anyway, and in truth, doing so wasn't a whole lot of fun. Towing capacity with this drivetrain combo is 3,500 pounds.
On the highway, the little SUV is stable at speed and has plenty of midrange punch on tap for when passing situations arise. The Red Line-spec suspension keeps body roll at a manageable level, though from the driver's perch, a little more lateral support from the fancy-looking front seats would be welcomed. Beyond that, there's not much to complain about. Back-seaters are offered a reclining backrest and have a pair of cupholders that pop out of the rear end of the floor console. Overall ride and comfort is good both in town and on the interstate.
All the controls are easy to use when underway, and our tester's 10-speaker, 180-watt premium audio system (AM/FM/XM/CD/MP3) with navigation sounded great. The nav system can only be configured when stopped, however, as GM's pre-installed nannyware restricts inputs while driving. We totally "get" this from the driver distraction standpoint, but it can be frustrating when you have a passenger up front who can handle those duties safely on the driver's behalf. A Bluetooth option with the primo stereo would be nice, too, but we wonder if that's viewed by GM as a competitor to OnStar. (It shouldn't be.) Finally, in addition to the aforementioned center storage bin, you get a substantial glovebox, a drawer under the front passenger seat, a closeable compartment for small items (loose change, etc) to the left of the steering wheel, and a card slot for parking passes and/or tickets above that.
In summary, the 2008 Saturn Vue Red Line is an impressive addition to Saturn's product lineup. Our loaner came in at an as-tested price of $31,865 including a $625 destination charge. The only options it was equipped with were navigation ($2,145) and the advanced audio system ($350). It's leaps and bounds better than the vehicle it replaces, with eye-catching styling that drew a number of complements, a great-looking, usable interior, a comfortable ride, and a competent powertrain. Then again, the extremely similar Vue XR can be described exactly the same way, and like the Red Line, it too can be pushed over the $30K mark when optioned up. So, it comes down to personal preference. Pick up the Red Line if you like its more aggressive, sporty look, and go for the XR if you want the same powertrain in a more traditional SUV package. We wish that the Red Line was a little more than an appearance and trim package with some suspension tuning, but that didn't diminish our enjoyment behind the wheel. General, if you're reading, the more powerful, direct-injected version of the 3.6L V6 would be just the thing to give the Vue Red Line the bite to match its visual bark.
All photos Copyright ©2007 Alex Núñez / Weblogs, Inc.
New Car Test Drive
All-new and vastly improved.
Introduction
For 2008, Saturn has retired the second-generation, facelifted Vue five-seat crossover vehicle and replaced it with an all-new vehicle that is closely based on GM's German Opel Antara in terms of its basic layout, platform, and interior decor. It will eventually be sold around the world in Saturn, Opel, Chevrolet, Holden and Daewoo brands. About the only things left over from the old plastic-sided Vue are a couple of its powertrains. Otherwise, it's a much fresher, sportier-looking vehicle than the big, slab-sided square-cornered SUV it replaces.
As such, the all-new 2008 Saturn Vue presents itself with a slightly smaller interior in terms of its total cubic feet of storage, but a much more pleasant and useable interior than the outgoing model provided.
With two trim levels, three engines, two transmissions and a choice front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, the 2008 Saturn Vue fits below the larger and roomier, eight-passenger Saturn Outlook in both size and price. The Vue retails from about $21,400 for a basic front-drive model to more than $31,000 for a loaded all-wheel-drive version. While the starting price is more than $3,000 higher than that of the previous model, the list of additional standard content is quite long, so the value proposition is still a good one. With this breadth of offerings, the new Vue provides a step up for the Saturn sedan customer with a growing family, or a step down in size and an improvement in fuel economy over a minivan or mid-size SUV.
With the 2008 Saturn Vue, you get a whole lot more style, more power and acceleration over the 2007 model. The available V6 engine comes with a six-speed automatic that replaces the previous five-speed automatic, and better highway fuel economy (when checking the 2008 numbers against the 2007 numbers, remember that the EPA has changed the testing procedures resulting in fuel economy ratings that are lower and more realistic results). The Vue V6 AWD model is rated at 16/22 mpg City/Highway, while the four-cylinder front-wheel-drive version gets 19/26 mpg, a substantial difference. With a V6 engine, the Vue is rated to tow up to 3500 pounds.
Saturn loaded the new 2008 Vue down with safety equipment. The Vue comes standard with a full complement of air bags, traction and stability control, anti-lock brakes.
With more standard features, more power, and better fuel economy, the all-new 2008 Saturn Vue represents a vehicle that's full of space and storage, easy to use, easy to drive, and easy on the eyes.
Lineup
The 2008 Saturn Vue comes in a choice of XE and XR trim. Three powertrains are available, the 2.4-liter four-cylinder Ecotec engine, the 3.5-liter V6 engine, and a high-feature 3.6-liter V6 with variable valve timing. The four-cylinder engine comes with a four-speed automatic transmission, and the two V6 engines are mated to GM's new six-speed automatic. Both XE and XR versions are available in front-drive and all-wheel-drive versions. Later in the year, an sportier Vue Red Line or RL version will be added to the lineup, featuring larger tires and wheels, the 3.6-liter engine, and other sporty interior and exterior touches and decors. In the last quarter of 2007, Saturn will offer the Vue Green Line hybrid, or GL version, using the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, front-wheel drive, and GM's compact, inexpensive hybrid power unit.
Option packages for the Vue include a Preferred package with eight-way power driver's seat, leather wheel, heater power mirrors, lighted visor vanity mirrors, and automatic temperature control ($740); a Convenience package with rain-sensing wipers, heated washer fluid, remote starting and a universal remote for gates, garage doors and home lighting ($505); a Premium package with leather seating, leather shift knob, heated front seats ($1075). Options include a DVD navigation and CD/MP3 player system ($2145) and a high-end stereo system ($325). Also available is a tap-shift feature on the automatic transmission ($170), a trailer towing package ($350), power sunroof ($800), fog lamps ($115), cargo cover ($50), cargo divider, chrome trim package, and a stereo/6CD upgrade ($295).
All-wheel drive is available for the XE ($3120), XR ($2000), and RL ($2000).
Safety features include OnStar Safe and Sound emergency communications, ABS, traction control, and StabiliTrak electronic stability control. This version of StabiliTrak includes a trailer-stabilizing system that automatically applies the brakes when it detects the trailer swaying behind the vehicle.
Walkaround
Crisp, sporty and modern from every angle, the exterior design of the new 2008 Saturn Vue is dramatically different from the boxy old Vue, and that's because it is based on the European Opel Antara crossover and not the previous American-bred platform. In our opinion, the new Vue is the best-looking, most together vehicle Saturn has ever offered.
The Vue uses a whole new front end design with a distinctly Saturn grille, a much busier under-bumper and skid-plate area to add visual interest, multi-element headlamp units sweeping around the front corners, a forward-leaning rear door, big wheel arch accents, an arching roofline with very tasty roof bars, and a forward-leaning rear side window and D-pillar to give a much more sporty and modern impression.
Sizewise, the 2008 Vue is right in the heart of the segment with all of the other domestic and imported five-door, five-seat crossover SUVs, exactly 15 feet long overall on a 106-inch wheelbase. The Vue uses the same underpinnings as the European Opel Antara, tuned for America, which means simple, effective MacPherson strut front suspension with coil springs, and independent rear suspension with trailing arms, coil springs, and lateral locating links.
Interior
Our first impression inside the 2008 Saturn Vue was extremely positive. Where the outgoing vehicle had cheesy imitation wood and plastic, the new European look is clean, modern and classy in terms of design, appearance, materials and function. There's a good balance of brightwork to panels from the left door across the instrument panel and dashboard to the right door, and the heating/air conditioning vents are big, round and nicely done.
The driver's bucket seat is comfy, containing but not restrictive. The seating position at front left is commanding and comfortable, and everything is within easy reach. Arranged ahead of the driver is lovely array of multi-colored instruments surrounded by brushed-metal rings. The instrument panel is pleasant to look at, easy to read and use, night or day. Saturn has chosen brushed metal over shiny chrome, which avoids problems with fingerprints and sun reflections, and for that we give them high marks. The steering wheel is a work of art, with radio and cruise control buttons built in, a thick rim with lovely stitching and a nice set of metallic accents in the lower half. The steering wheel offers tilt adjustability, but does not telescope.
The touch-screen for the AM/FM/XM radio and the navigation system is big and bright and high enough in the center of the dash to be read quickly and safely, and low enough to stay out of the glaring sunlight most of the time. It's one of the easiest systems to use of all the competitors in this segment, with big markings and good contrast. This is a mid-market Opel design, so there's no wood in here at all, but the plastics, metals and fabrics are all very touchable and good-looking. Down below, the shifter is a single-gate model, surrounded again by brushed metal.
There's 56 cubic feet of cargo room just inside the easy-lift tailgate with the 60/40 second-row seats flopped down. There's a huge glovebox, an under-seat box under the front passenger seat, more storage in the second-row console, and, hiding under the cargo floor is a whole network of nooks, crannies and cubbies built into the spare tire carrier assembly, and some almost-hidden storage way up front in the compartment.
In the cargo compartment floor are two sets of rails into which fit a set of six sliding chocks to help secure cargoes of all shapes and sizes, with more tie-downs in the floor and in the seatbacks. Fold the front passenger seat down, and you can easily carry a one-man kayak inside the Vue with room left over for wetsuit, paddles and a whole lot more gear. The 2007 Vue carried a rating of 63.8 cubic feet of cargo with the second seat down, some 13 percent larger using EPA measuring methods, but less useable overall than the open and hidden space in the new truck.
Driving Impression
Compared with other five-seat crossover utility vehicles from the Japanese, Korean, European and domestic competition, the Saturn Vue behaves more like a European vehicle. That makes sense, given its German Opel roots.
The power steering is not overboosted or mushy, and has good but not great road feel. The ride is taut without being jarring, and body roll control is right up there with the best of the other Europeans, including BMW and Land Rover, so the Vue invites spirited driving, especially through long sweeping curves. Isolation from the world outside is very good.
We were very impressed with the acceleration performance from the available 3.6-liter V6. Paired with the new six-speed transmission, this engine makes the Vue smooth, quiet, and authoritative without a lot of noisy cabin intrusion. The 257-hp V6 engine is near the top of the class in terms of power and torque. It'll accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about seven seconds flat. In sixth gear, the engine sound all but disappears, providing a relaxed, easy cruising mode.
We like brakes that start braking right at the top of the pedal travel, and the Saturn Vue's brakes delivered on that, with lots of braking power at the initial stab of the pedal and even more with more pedal travel, very linear and effective.
Summary
The Saturn Vue is all-new for 2008. After five years on the market as an American-bred, plastic-bodied crossover, the Vue has matured into steel unibody crossover family hauler based on a German Opel. The new Vue boasts very good performance, real room for five, storage possibilities galore, and tons of personality. Built in Mexico to a very high quality standard, it's the best Saturn product so far, and we recommend you add it to your looking list.
NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Jim McCraw is based in Detroit.
Model Lineup
Saturn Vue XE ($21,395); XE AWD ($24,515); XR ($24,895); XR AWD ($26,895); Red Line ($27,395); Red Line AWD ($29,395).
Assembled In
Ramos Arizpe, Mexico.
Options As Tested
Model Tested
Saturn Vue XR AWD ($26,895).
2008 Saturn VUE Information
Research the 2008 Saturn VUE specs, photos, reviews and ratings here. Ready to buy a 2008 Saturn VUE? Search for Saturn VUE deals, rebates and incentives, or browse 2008 Saturn VUE vehicles for sale.
Buy a 2008 VUE
Vehicle Research
*The data and content on this web site is subject to change without notice. Neither AOL nor any of its data or content providers shall be liable for errors in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
