Saturn Vue gets a $3k bump in the sticker
Well, $3,295 to be exact.
The base price of the new and greatly improved Vue will come in at $21,395 (with shipping), placing it squarely in the same pricing segment as the Honda CR-V ($21,195) and Toyota RAV4 ($21,595).
According to Robert Reuter, GM's chief engineer for compact and crossover vehicles, the price increase is justified, consider that the new model gets a larger, 169 HP 2.4-liter inline four and an automatic transmission, where before a manual used to reside. Additionally, 16-inch wheels are included, along with a bevy of standard safety equipment including ABS, collapsible pedals, side curtain airbags and stability control.
Since the new pricing puts the Vue up against some of the biggest players in the burgeoning crossover segment, it should be interesting to see how well Saturn's second highest selling model will fare when it's thrust into the marketplace.
[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
rem83 9:56AM (4/30/2007)
I'd rather be able to buy one with a stick for a grand less.
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Josiah 9:58AM (4/30/2007)
I've driven in a 3 month old Vue recently and was generally impressed with it's road handling and overall interior fit and finish. Although with 2 baby seats in the back seat the middle occupant barely fit, which lead the owner to remark to me that they were starting to think of the larger Outlook as a better fit.
I'm glad Saturn is paying good attention to the Vue and not letting a "hit" slowly fall behind like some other GM products. The new price point simply reflects success for this model and that's more good news for Saturn.
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Rick Lyon 10:11AM (4/30/2007)
HAHA, good luck with Saturn.
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ruggels 10:11AM (4/30/2007)
Like Josiah said, it's nice GM is making Saturn and the Vue their top priority (how else are we to receive their opel-fied pretty damn competitive lineup?). I saw one of these on the freeway last week, I like, very nice, more distinctive and attractive then the RAV4.
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bmoredlj 10:14AM (4/30/2007)
Price hike not surprising. This Vue is vastly improved and more refined that the old Vue, itself not a bad vehicle. Now that they're playing with the big boys, they'll need to keep up with redesigns.
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Hooligan 10:16AM (4/30/2007)
Crossovers still excite me about as much as Melba toast does.
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jeffinToronto 11:22AM (4/30/2007)
The problem is that the Vue comes to the party without anything better than the Honda CRV. It seems they are relying on the "buy American" as opposed to beating the competitors. Saturn doesn't appear to beat the CRV in price, performance, resale, or anything else that goes into the "value" indicators when people are shopping. I want GM to succeed, but you can't match when you play catch-up. Unless they are relying on a future incentive, why wouldn't they bring this in for $500 less than Honda?
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Viv 11:22AM (4/30/2007)
The shape and the proportions of the VUE look so much better than the RAV4.
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roar 11:42AM (4/30/2007)
If you are going to print the numbers please get them correct. 2007 Saturn Vue automatic, $19,875. 2008 Saturn Vue automatic $21,395, difference of $1520. There will not be a manual tranmission in 2008 at launch, that base price is $18,100. Nice article, get it right.
roar
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ATL 11:42AM (4/30/2007)
"The problem is that the Vue comes to the party without anything better than the Honda CRV"
Well, it's not ugly.
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Mike 11:44AM (4/30/2007)
Goos move. The Vue has been sliding up market and the recent improvements justify the increase. Why sell a comparable car to your competition for $3k less (unless you can make up the margin in volume)? Doesn't make sense financially. I doubt their sales will suffer much because of the increase and their profit will certainly go up.
Good job whoever worked this out, increasing vehicle quality and features while slowly raising prices and reducing (labor) costs will save GM...
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That One Person 11:55AM (4/30/2007)
So does it come with a V-6? If so, that is every reason to buy it over a CR-V. Shit, the Rav4 with 268hp gets the same damn mileage as the CR-V and can actually hit 60 in less than a week!!!
Has anyone ever priced a CR-V? They get pretty expensive. And I dont see how anyone could drop over $33k for an ugly vehicle with an anemic four banger. Sorry but I dont see the appeal in the CR-V. It's a ripoff.
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MikeW 12:24PM (4/30/2007)
Does GM have their 6t40 in it yet? No, but they have a 6 speed automatic with the 3.5 pushrod V6, and that will be more$.
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Bob-omb 12:46PM (4/30/2007)
I can not believe the price of this is so high. And I had high hopes this could be my next car. But after driving the CR-V, this will have to be one *incredibly* impressive car.
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Puffy C 12:37PM (4/30/2007)
You compare this to a CRV? I was all set to buy a new CRV until we sat in one - that is one cheap POS. To me it looks great on the outside and drives nice (gets good MPG too) but that cheesy interior is worse than anything the General has ever peddled. I haven't seen any interior shots of the new Vue but there NO WAY it can be worse that the junk interiors Honda is putting in those CRV's.
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Bob-omb 12:50PM (4/30/2007)
Puffy C, you have got to be kidding me.
http://images.consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/cmsimages/articles/2006_Articles/september_06/crv_interior_600.jpg
http://z.about.com/d/cars/1/8/3/M/sp_06vuered_int.jpg
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Viv 12:58PM (4/30/2007)
#14, you are exactly right. The new CRV's interior is so lame. It looks like it belongs in a 10 yrd old kia. If that was a general's car "media experts" like autoblog here would have ripped them apart. Since it's Honda it is cool. Those who haven't seen an interior pic of the CRV should; combine that with the anemic engine.....ehhhhh
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Viv 1:00PM (4/30/2007)
#16 no the top of the line model. looks at the base CRV which the author is comparing the vue to.
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TBlueMax 1:04PM (4/30/2007)
Bob-omb,
The link to the VUE you posted is for the current VUE, not the new one with the improved interior and higher price. My wife has a current VUE Red Line and the interior is clean and ergonomic but you wouldn't confuse it for a luxury car.
TBM
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Brett 1:17PM (4/30/2007)
#7
You are so very wrong. Price is comparable by a few hundred dollars. Performance?: the Vue has 2 V6 engines. Obviously 250hp is going to have better performance than a 160-ish Hp 4 banger. Plus a new stiff suspension. Resale: you cannot predict the new Vue's resale will be lower. Value: Saturn has always been about value, much more so than Honda.
Someone said something about the 6 speeds, which the 3.5 and 3.6liter engines get, is the Hydramatic 6T70 six speed automatic, which is an incredibly good transmission.
The Vue is better hands down.
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