Saturn promises that its all-new 2008 Saturn Vue Green Line hybrid
will have a fuel economy rating of 25 miles per gallon in the city and
32 miles per gallon on the highway. Offering as many as 585 miles on
just one tank of fuel under optimal conditions, this compact SUV could
just have the best highway mileage of any sport utility vehicle
currently on sale.
Saturn
has announced that the Vue Green Line will have a manufacturer's
suggested retail price of $24,795, making it the most affordable hybrid
SUV on the market by several hundred dollars less than its closest
competitor, the Ford Escape Hybrid.
"You can go green without going broke," says Saturn General Manager
Jill Lajdziak, "and with the Vue Green Line, you also don't have to
give up utility, safety, or comfort."
In
combined city and highway driving, the Vue hybrid's fuel economy
estimate is 27 percent better than the non-hybrid four-cylinder Vue.
These fuel economy estimates are calculated by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, using the government's new 2008 testing procedure
that was revised to better reflect real-world mileage.
The hybrid Vue's 28 mpg combined city/highway rating gives the Saturn
line-up a compact utility with better fuel economy than the Honda CRV
(22 mpg) or Toyota RAV-4 (23 mpg). The Vue Green Line also provides
SUV capability with better fuel economy than that of such popular
sedans as the Toyota Camry (25 mpg) and Honda Accord (24 mpg).
The
Vue Green Line's highway fuel economy will allow the vehicle to travel
up to 585 highway miles on one tank of gasoline, farther than any
competitor's SUV. Under optimal conditions, that's enough range to
travel roundtrip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, from Washington, D.C.
to New York City, or from Detroit to Chicago. Potential one-way
single-tank trips include Atlanta to St. Louis, Denver to Salt Lake
City, and Milwaukee to Kansas City.
Hybrid Technology and Features:
The
Vue Green Line's hybrid system combines a precise electric
motor/generator mated to the 2.4-liter/172-horsepower, four-cylinder
engine and a modified automatic transmission. The system delivers fuel
economy gains through advanced engine control algorithms including
early fuel cut-off during deceleration, optimized transmission shift
controls, and by smoothly stopping the engine at idle. The system also
features regenerative braking to capture electrical energy during
braking, electric power assist during acceleration, low-rolling
resistance tires, and improved aerodynamics.
Several displays provide the driver with information regarding the Vue's hybrid system operation, including:
*
Charge/assist gauge - Indicates when the hybrid system is providing
propulsion assist or when the hybrid battery is being re-charged.
* Eco light - Illuminates when the vehicle is meeting or exceeding the federal government's fuel economy rating.
* Auto stop position on tachometer - Indicates when the engine shuts off at idle.
*
Driver information center - provides instantaneous and average fuel
economy information, in addition to other important vehicle data.
In addition to the hybrid system, standard features on the Vue Green
Line include 17-inch polished alloy wheels, rear spoiler, painted
fascias, and single-zone automatic climate control.
All
Vues, including the 2008 Green Line, feature a comprehensive array of
standard safety equipment that includes six air bags, active front head
restraints, a pedal release system for the accelerator and brake,
StabiliTrak electronic stability control with trailer sway control,
antilock brakes, tire pressure monitors, and OnStar.
Quiet,
responsive ride and handling comes from front and rear stabilizer bars,
MacPherson strut independent front suspension and independent
multi-link rear suspension, along with a double-isolated engine cradle.
The
non-hybrid four-cylinder 2008 Vue XE has a suggested retail price of
$21,395 and a fuel economy rating of 19 city/26 highway.
In
2008, Saturn will introduce a two-mode hybrid Vue, which will increase
fuel economy by an estimated 45 percent over the comparable non-hybrid
model. Saturn also has committed to producing a plug-in hybrid Vue
that will get approximately twice the fuel economy of any SUV currently
on the market.
Read Jody DeVere's review of the 2007 Saturn Vue Greenline.
2008 saturn vue
