Saturn announces pricing for 2007 Vue Green Line hybrid
General Motors' Saturn division has claimed the honor of having the lowest-priced hybrid SUV on the market, announcing Wednesday that the Vue Green Line will sticker at $22,995 - almost $4,000 less than its competitors.
Not only is the Vue Green Line the cheapest hybrid SUV, it also offers the best highway fuel economy of any SUV currently available, with an EPA rating of 27/32 mpg city/highway. The hybrid offers about a 20 percent improvement in fuel economy over the standard Vue.
The Vue Green Line's 2.4-liter hybrid powertrain yields about 170 hp, 27 hp more than the 2.2-liter four in the standard Vue.
The hybrid SUV will hit showrooms later this summer.
[Source: GM]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Tight Wad 8:28AM (5/25/2006)
I like it, and I like the mpg. The room in an SUV is great for trips or for Sunday picknicing with the kids, $22,995 is a great price, almost sounds like a misprint, hummmnn.
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Adam 8:40AM (5/25/2006)
This just might be my next vehicle. Took my puppy to the vet yesterday and they said he could hit 140lbs when full grown. I don't think that would work out too well having him ride in my regular cab S-10 or my Integra.
Amazing GM could pull off the cheapest with the best mileage. Now if they could just do that consistently!
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Lithous 8:45AM (5/25/2006)
Low priced hybrid with a nice interior:
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//pictures/VEHICLE/2007/Saturn/20052810-E.jpg
Though the hybrid MAY have the silver trim instead of faux wood. Which looks better than some. But it looks like the door handles and outside mirrors are body color unlike the 4 cylinder non-hybrid so maybe it will have the V6 trim inside.
Interior less busy than a RAV4:
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//pictures/VEHICLE/2006/Toyota/100673110/20030693-E.jpg
Makes the CR-V interior look fugly:
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//pictures/VEHICLE/2006/Honda/100650237/20028721-E.jpg
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Lithous 8:56AM (5/25/2006)
Looking at the RAV4 interior and the Ridgeline's, is Honda getting away with GM truck interiors or what? They are not much better than GM's pre-2007 truck interiors.
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Matt Keegan 9:07AM (5/25/2006)
Although I am not a big hybrid fan, the fact that this SUV is priced so low makes it an attractive option for some. Kudos to GM for smart pricing the VUE.
http://thearticlewriter.com/autowriter/saturn-aura-turning-a-corner/
I would like to see Saturn do the same thing with the upcoming AURA.
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hj 9:13AM (5/25/2006)
Since the move from the old S platform I've been saying GM should make saturn it's, "green division." If you look at the people who drive saturns they're like vw and prius drivers; stuckup liberals who think they're better than others. Making a hybrid package avaliable on each car in the lineup would be a great move for the saturn division.
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bernie 9:22AM (5/25/2006)
I remember in 2002 when GM said Saturn would offer a Hyprid Vue in 2004, missed that then put it off another year. What was really embarassing for GM was they released several other hybrids in the meantime.
Now they come trotting out the aging (and fuglier by the year) Vue in 2007 like nothings wrong. Whay a bunch of idiots. Bob Lutz should have been fired years ago.
I wonder if the Vue still uses that toilet-paper thick fabric to go with the Mattel-grade plastics?
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Bob 9:36AM (5/25/2006)
Matt Keegan:
"I would like to see Saturn do the same thing with the upcoming AURA."
The same hybrid system will be offered in the Aura... within the year I think.
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Road Ho 9:39AM (5/25/2006)
5. I remember in 2002 when GM said Saturn would offer a Hyprid Vue in 2004, missed that then put it off another year. What was really embarassing for GM was they released several other hybrids in the meantime.
Now they come trotting out the aging (and fuglier by the year) Vue in 2007 like nothings wrong. Whay a bunch of idiots. Bob Lutz should have been fired years ago.
I wonder if the Vue still uses that toilet-paper thick fabric to go with the Mattel-grade plastics?
Posted at 9:22AM on May 25th 2006 by bernie
Bernie, what the hell planet are you from, Assholia? You would never have bought one anyway, you are one of the cronic bitchers that inhibit this blog and try to turn it into a Japanese motor ho-tel.
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Matt Keegan 9:40AM (5/25/2006)
Thanks, Bob. I just found another article telling me the same thing:
http://www.autoracingdaily.com/article.php?cid=11653
Bernie: You are entitled to your opinion, but the smart money says that the VUE hybrid will be a very good seller for Saturn.
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k0an 9:47AM (5/25/2006)
You can get the regular VUE for $17,995. It gets 29 mpg on the freeway. That means you are paying $5,000 for an improvement of 3 mpg. However, you can probably get about $2,500 in federal tax credits (see http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/columnist/block/2006-05-08-hybrid_x.htm) so the total premium becomes $2,500.
Now for the math:
VUE Hybrid
20,000 miles / 32 mpg * $3.20/gallon = $2,000/yr
VUE
20,000 miles / 29 mpg * $3.20/gallon = $2,206/yr
Yearly cost difference is $206.
So, it would take TWELVE YEARS to pay off that $2,500 hybrid premium. Also consider that you would pay slightly higher insurance rates because hybrids cost more to repair and that in that time period you would have to replace the batter pack about two times (first time would be covered by warranty if the timing worked out right).
So, still waiting for a hybrid that makes economic sense for the consumer.
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Matt Keegan 9:50AM (5/25/2006)
You make excellent sense, k0an. I still would like to have someone tell me just how we will dispose of used hybrid vehicle batteries. Someone who can give me a rational, plausible answer without sounding like an enviromaniac too!
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Cameron 9:52AM (5/25/2006)
K0an, I think you and many others are missing the point. Hybrids are more about lower emissions than saving money.
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Ferguson McSqueege 10:15AM (5/25/2006)
K0an is also not factoring the costs of a non-hybrid's
negative externalities.
You know...the additional effect on the environmental caused by a non-hybrid idling in traffic (where a hybrid shines) sure isn't free.
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k0an 10:17AM (5/25/2006)
Cameron, hybrids are "about" whatever people buy them for. For instance, most people buy SUVs without ever intending to go offroad with them. Car companies are catering to trends and demand. Do you think the Prius is insanely popular because all of the sudden the majority of Americans care about the environment or because they are sick of high gas prices?
I'm speaking to practicality, to the way hybrids are being marketed, and to common public perception. Nowadays whenever people complain about high gas prices they consider buying a hybrid. True, a small percentage of the nation buys hybrids to try to do their part for the environment (although recycling modern batteries leads to a lot of toxic waste as compared to lead acid batteries which can be almost entirely recycled). However, I would say that the majority of peoples' interest in hybrids focuses on economy. All the commercials (except for the Escape hybrid) focus on either fuel savings or performance.
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Adam Singer 10:28AM (5/25/2006)
Re: Matt Keegan
I'm not 100% sure, but if you look at how recharable batteries and regular car batteries are disposed of, I believe they recycle them. The battery is disassembled and all of the individual parts (i.e. plastics, metal, etc) are recycled and the acid is neutralized using an alkaline.
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Ben 10:28AM (5/25/2006)
How exactly is getting a mere 3 MPG more on the HYW (32 compared with 29) 20% BETTER fuel economy? From my calculations, that's roughly only a 10% gain.
Please, give us real fuel saving technology, diesels.
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Lithous 10:30AM (5/25/2006)
"I wonder if the Vue still uses that toilet-paper thick fabric to go with the Mattel-grade plastics?"
I think my previous post already showed that the VUE does not have Mattel-grade plasitics.
"You can get the regular VUE for $17,995."
Um, first, that is for a stick shift. Second, the 2.4L in the hybrid is a bigger engine than the standard for cylinder and gives off another 27 hp. That is a decent amount. To be honest I do think hybrids are a speed bump but since SOME people throw daggers at GM for not having a hybrid they had to do it. And thus this one is as good a value in a hybrid SUV out there.
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Lithous 10:39AM (5/25/2006)
"How exactly is getting a mere 3 MPG more on the HYW (32 compared with 29) 20% BETTER fuel economy? From my calculations, that's roughly only a 10% gain."
You guys keep using the stick shift as a base. I believe the hybrid is an automatic. The stick gets 29 MPG and the Automatic gets 27MPH. 27 * .2 = 5 and some change. 27 + 5 = 32.
And it makes sense, one who really wants a manual that bad is getting decent mileage and it would not be worth it for two reasons, 1) it isn't a manual and 2) it isn't as big of a gain but for someone who wants an automatic it is roughly 20% gain. Many people I know went to automatic because of rush hour traffic. This vehicle fits the bill, it is better in rush hour traffic for many because it is more convenient (automatic transmission) and gets better gas mileage.
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Philbert 10:43AM (5/25/2006)
There's more to better MPG than spending less on gas. Reducing our nations dependence on foreign oil and reducing pollution has value to many who are able to see the big picture. What that value is may depend on each person individually but it does have value.
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