"To make it easier for everyone to own a hybrid, Saturn engineers developed a system that is both elegantly simple and remarkably affordable. The result is a VUE that gets an estimated 6.7 L/100 km–the best highway mileage of any SUV–and still delivers a seamless driving experience," according to brochure information.
With a gas/electric powertrain the engine pauses when you brake, while the hybrid battery boosts power when you accelerate and charges when you decelerate or drive at cruising speeds. This makes it perfect for city driving where accidents and road repairs can slow traffic flow, often causing a long wait for traffic jams to unsnarl, thus eating away at fuel economy and adding auto emissions that exacerbate the poor air quality. At a complete stop, the VUE Green Line's 36-volt battery powers the vehicle accessories, allowing the gas engine to shut off and save fuel.
The VUE looks wonderful on the inside. I drove the VUE AWD V6 (not the hybrid) with gray leather appointments and other available features. Let me recommend that you get a close up view of the vehicle I drove by going to Saturn.com/vue for a 360-degree tour of this exciting vehicle. For Canadian pricing and specifications go to gmcanada.com/ss/english/vehicles/saturn/saturn.html.
The VUE is designed with the driver in mind. At your fingertips you'll find steering wheel audio controls for the standard CD stereo. My vehicle had the Saturn Advanced Audio System, allowing every single note from the 189-watt external amplifier to pump sweet music through six premium speakers. XM Satellite Radio is available, bringing you more than 170 channels of news, weather, talk, sports, and music. My favorite kind of music, jazz, is offered in at least four varieties on six channels. I selected soft/smooth jazz and many times was reluctant to leave the vehicle even though I had arrived at my destination. The DVD player offers backseat passenger entertainment, while helping to eliminate comments on your driving skills.
Below is a short summary of just some features offered by the Saturn Vue.
Privacy glass makes it difficult to spot valuable objects in the cargo area. Theft Deterrent immobilizes the car by cutting off fuel unless the proper key is used. Side Impact Crossbars provide reinforcement for extra protection during lateral collisions. Battery Run Down Protection prevents power drain by turning off any interior lights left on inadvertently.
The VUE awaits your test drive and review. The base price for the hybrid is CD$ 29,060 before freight and other add ons.
Durhl Caussey is an award-winning syndicated columnist based in Dallas, Texas, and a member of the Texas Automobile Writers Association. Please address any questions to dcaussey@sbcglobal.net
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