Quick review of new Vue Green Line Hybrid
All right, GM's now in the "affordable" hybrid game. So, how does the company's new Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid drive? The Saturn Vue isn't a hybrid in the same way a Prius is (the electric motor can't drive the Vue on its own, for example), but the electric side of things does increase fuel economy (to 27/32 mpg for the SUV). Kicking Tires reviewer David Thomas recently took a Vue for a spin and discovered a quiet ride that felt like driving a standard gasoline-powered SUV. The only things that set the Vue hybrid apart from standard SUVs, he writes, are two gauges in the dashboard, the charge/assist meter and the "Eco" indicator light.
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[Source: Kicking Tires]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Leroy Brown 10:51PM (9/01/2006)
I wonder if people are going to be willing to pay a premium for a halfway/ hybrid like this one? I'm no expert on hybrids, but in my mind, if you're going to make a hybrid, why not do it right?
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beerme 11:42PM (9/01/2006)
This is a great value, and the kind of car that is necessary to sell hybrids in large numbers. The VUE greenline option sells for $2000 and gets 20% better fuel economy. After the tax break, this should pay for itself in 2-3 years. Some other hybrids cost so much, they can't pay for themselves within the lifetime of the car.
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Bill 1:11PM (9/04/2006)
The simpler hybrid approach of the Civic and the Vue is better suited to the real-world conditions of many drivers. The Prius is a marvel of technology, but's gains are best realized in urban driving. The simpler approach makes more sense in rural and less dense areas where the driver is doing more at sustained speeds. Not every solution is right for every driver, and it's nice that there are choices.
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