Saturn Vue Green Line Revisited
by Joel Arellano on Jul 14th 2006 at 9:43AM 
Ann Job provides a more extensive review of the 2007 Saturn Vue Green Line than the one previously posted by Automobile. She speculates, for example, that the "Eco" light, which brightens when the Vue exceeds government fuel standards, is vacuum-operated instead of using a computer to determine mileage. She finds the setup a bit odd since hybrid buyers want to know how much they save fuel-wise.
Job finds the Vue's hybrid simple, too, though still effective. Unlike Toyota's or Ford's hybrids (but similar to Honda's vehicles), the Vue uses batteries to back up the main four-cylinder engine. The other two automakers have their hybrid engines switch between the battery and the regular engines. The Vue's gas mileage at 27/32 mpg is still respectable, providing more than 5 mpg better than the gas version. The Toyota Highlander hybrid, however, gets 33/28* mpg with its V6 engine. Job did find the Vue's hybrid engine transitioning between its two systems more smoothly than the Highlander which felt like it would stall at times.
Job provides more details at the link. The Vue hybrid costs $10,000 less than the Highlander. With the automakers' different approaches to hybrids, does either one have a clear advantage in justifying their SUVs' higher cost?
*The figures are not reversed. The Highlander and Ford Escape primarily use their batteries in city driving.
Related:
- Saturn Vue delivers best SUV highway fuel economy
- Saturn announces pricing for 2007 Vue Green Line hybrid
[Source: Associated Press via MSNBC]
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