Article Comments - Full Test: 2008 Saturn Vue XR

33 messages, Last post on Aug 27, 2008 at 11:10 AM

You are in the Saturn VUE Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester

What is this discussion about? Saturn VUE, SUV

Article comments for Full Test: 2008 Saturn Vue XR - The 2008 Saturn Vue has the same 106.6-inch wheelbase as before, but it's a little wider and a little taller. More important, the curvaceous new bodywork has a clean, polished Euro-style look, especially in the Polar White of our test vehicle. Full Test: 2008 Saturn Vue XR

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#24 of 33 Re: Real world MPG [tidester] by 03yellowvue Nov 23, 2007 (6:03 pm)
Replying to: tidester (Nov 18, 2007 11:44 pm) I have an 03 V6 AWD vue with 125000 miles on the clock. this is the 175 HP V6 the year before they started using the Honda engine. My mileage ranged from a worst of 16 mpg on a tank that I spent driving through 1' to 1.5' of snow to a high of 29 mpg on I95 on my way to Myrtle beach. Before I took that trip I added a bottle of Motor Silk that can only be bought on line at www.evergreenamerica.com . This lubricant is boron impregnated and my first addition was at 26,000 miles. before that my best mileage was 24.5 mpg. Typically my vue still gets between 18.5 and 23.5 mpg depending on temperature, traffic and driving conditions. I generally get 18 to 20 around town my original EPA sticker rated this Vue at 23 Hwy 16 city. to too far off the mark in most circumstances. The car needs a few thousand miles for all the various computers and sensors to be trained and optomised to the most important variable "the driver". Good luck
#25 of 33 Re: fatso [bearcrkrd] by twain Nov 24, 2007 (12:43 pm)
Replying to: bearcrkrd (Nov 14, 2007 6:24 pm) If Toyota built this vehicle, it would be referred to as 'Solid and Refined', with no mention of lousy gas mileage. ---------------------------------------------------------- Toyota builds a similar vehicle, the RAV4. It has an optional third row and a powerful V6. It gets much better mileage than the VUE. The point is, Saturn should not have introduced a new VUE, a compact 5 passenger vehicle, that gets no better mileage than the larger, 7 passenger Outlook. Weight is crucial for economy. IMO, the new VUE should have been under 3500 lbs with MPG in the 22-30 neighborhood. Similar to the CRV and RAV4. We had a 2003 VUE and I was looking forward to the all new 2008 model. When I read it weighed 4300 lbs, my jaw dropped. That must be a misprint. No, it wasn't. Replies to this message: bearcrkrd (Nov 24, 2007 7:28 pm)
#26 of 33 Re: fatso [twain] by bearcrkrd Nov 24, 2007 (7:28 pm)
Replying to: twain (Nov 24, 2007 12:43 pm) Yes they do. It's a good one, and it weighs hundreds less. If Toyota built the VUE exactly as it is, it would be referred to as 'Solid and Refined' by most if not all who review/rate it. I get your point. When I saw the weight, it seemed like a bit much. I bet it's solid as a rock. But, it's a Saturn, not a Toyota, so we will not hear that. We will hear comments like your original post. Toned down if from a professional source. That's my point. You owned an '03 and were waiting for this one. Hope you give the '08 a spin. 16/22 mpg would be a bit tough if you drive lots, or don't have lots to spend on gas. It does look a bit like a Kia, too. Not a bad looking Kia, though. Not meant as a joke. I never drove the previous one, or the new one, so should probably back off and leave this to those who have. I'm almost always thinking when I'm behind the wheel. About what the vehicle feels like, etc etc. Most of the time. Even after all these years and all the miles I've driven. I got lots of thoughts/recollections stored up. LOTS. That's why I get off on these Forums, and why I jumped on your post. I did drive the Rav 4 cyl for 150 miles or so as a rental from a Toyota dealer last year. Real nice, but the one I had was $25,000+
#27 of 33 My test drive impressions by chigirlintexas Nov 25, 2007 (9:57 am)
Hi All, I am in the market for a new SUV and test drove the XR V6 Vue (w/leather and nav). It was nice, but I just didn't come away impressed. My husband and I are both tall (6'3" and 5'11"), and the interior felt tight to us. I think someone else's comments about the seats being short was pretty much right on. I also did not like the fake wood trim inside; it just looked cheap to me. It did not have anything to compel me to buy it. My husband ended up walking over to see the SKY while we were at the dealership, which did not bode well for the salesman! We talked a little bit about a deal, but I think the salesman could tell our hearts were not in it. I will say, the engine accelerates well and transmission shifts very smoothly. It's very quiet inside the cabin. It rides like a car, so if you want that kind of ride, this is your vehicle. I just found it uninspiring, although it will probably have a long life in terms of durability. Just my two cents' worth; hopefully it will prove helpful to anyone considering this vehicle.
#28 of 33 Re: Real world MPG [mrbizness1] by florida2 Dec 01, 2007 (9:48 am)
Replying to: mrbizness1 (Nov 18, 2007 7:28 pm) Our Saturn Vue has been great...It has 850 miles on it and our first 2008 XR had a paint run so the dealer exchanged it for another new one at our request. We traveled 1300 miles and it was within the month time limit when we decided we want another one. The South Florida Saturn dealer was great. MPG for a 500 mile run was 24 and it takes regular gas which was what I wanted. We have a fully equipped Saturn Vue SR V6, leather, tinted windows, nitrogen in tires and all options except NAV because we opted for an additional year on the hands-free OnStar.. The MPG is just OK while the drive is very comfortable and quiet... The Toyota RAV4 produced a hum while going 20-45 MPH and it was more noticable when speeds exceeded 60. Tires? Maybe but the RAV4 limited should have this corrected and I drove 3- 2008 RAV 4's with a listed sticker price of 30k +..and leather seats were additional... Also, there seemed to be a disturbing height retraint and I am 6'2"...Seats were small and rather uncomfortable compared to Saturn Vue and I am a 235lb person I was shunned away from Toyota and Honda due to their high interest rates.. A Japanese SUV from Honda or Toyota quoted us an interest rate were 5.9% on a Honda and the offer from Toyota was 6.2 to 7.2% depending on if we wanted leather.?????? I thought that was rediculous for us who have a 825 credit score. The method of selling from 2 Toyota dealerships were the worse experiences we have ever encountered. The Toyota RAV 4's does get better miles per gallon than the Saturn but we also wanted comfort that Toyota and Honda could not provide.. I just paid $3.21 for Regular gas where we live and I remain happy with our Saturn Vue XR.
#29 of 33 Re: Why Saturn Vue? [cotmc] by florida2 Dec 01, 2007 (10:20 am)
Replying to: cotmc (Sep 10, 2007 5:52 pm) You have the same concerns as I do and we own a nicely equipped FWD 2008 Black/Tan Saturn Vue XR. Telescopic steering wheel is what I would also like to have too but I am happy with their current up/down lever control. Lighting the cabin light switches would be great because I have to feel around to located them. The garage door opener is also an option we have and enjoy.... To date, and we have 850 miles on our Saturn, are the only other things I would have liked to have standardized. We opted for additional minutes on the OnStar telephone and XM radio and hope we will never have to use the OnStar Emergency button. Steve
#30 of 33 Re: seats stink [orangelebaron] by kbtillo Dec 15, 2007 (10:04 am)
Replying to: orangelebaron (Jul 14, 2007 9:39 pm) This vehicle does have the fold flat front pass. seat, although it does have a netting on the back, also, in case you would want to use it for storage when upright. Also, the seats are not very long, but I have not had 1 person say that it is not comfortable or does not offer enough support after a test drive. We still have a 30 day exchange policy, and we have not taken any back because of the seats.
#31 of 33 Gas cost vs big picture by myob Apr 26, 2008 (10:21 am)
Keep in mind that if another COMPARABLE vehicle gets say, even 25% better fuel economy, and you drive 12,000 miles a year, at $3.75 your fuel cost is only about $525/year more. Yes, this is significant. But other things matter too such as resale value, longevity under warranty (100K vs 60K powertrain allows you to keep it longer and save that way), repair and service costs, etc, as well as non-financial items such as safety, comfort, styling, and PERFORMANCE! I emphasize the latter because the RAV4, even in sport form, handles and steers soft and doesn't inspire confidence. If you want an SUV that simply waddles around you can save money and go with various other cheaper models. The RAV4 has a lot going for it (I own a Tacoma) but handling and interior materials are not class-leading. But if you hate the styling, don't find it comfortable, it's not fun to drive, it's not safe, and it's a vehicle you're itching to sell sooner, great fuel economy is no bargain.
#32 of 33 Vue has class, Chrome, and drives great by jgibson146 Jul 13, 2008 (10:57 pm)
I have had my 2008 Vue XR for a month now. Two road trips already. First the Vue is extremely solid, drives very well, steering has a nice on center feel, and is very quiet on the road. The car is well optioned. I have the Nav and Convenience package + leather. Small details such as the headlights that turn on when the wipers come on, The remote start, the six speed auto, Auto Climate control, Auto headlights, Auto wipers, of course OnStar. The audio is great also. The seats while the bottom cushion is shorter than it should be is comfortable, I rented a vue for a week, and found that the seating is comfortable and I am 6ft. CHROME, yes this vehicle has plenty and it makes it standout compared to the boring RAV that everyone talks about. Saturn didn't aim to produce this car for a family of 6, so if you need seating for 7, get an Outlook. Weight, the 257HP engine manages it very well, my Highway MPG was an honest 24 MPG. Weight, after driving through some severe rain, this Vue never tried to Hydroplane. Tell me a story about a RAV in the rain. RAV's are boring! The Vue engine is smooth and very quiet, never ever sounds strained, lots of torque in the low end that we all use in day to day driving, plus will run hard when pushed without sounding strained, but rather sounds like it enjoys running hard. Everything I touch in the Vue seems upscale, not cheap. The wiper and turn signal stocks are thick and have nice rubber boots that connect to the steering column. My Vue is a head turner, black with tan leather and loads of Chrome. Friends are surprised when I say it is a Saturn. I even had a friend from Brazil that is a Millionaire many times over looking to buy one to take back to Brazil. This car fits my needs and looks great, this is how we should all buy a car.
#33 of 33 Driver Seat Comfort Report by richardhgregg Aug 27, 2008 (11:10 am)
Our driver seat comfort report has predicted that the cushion length was executed correctly but has the appearance of being too short and lacking thigh support for medium and large occupants due to the lack of rearward travel of the seat combined with the soft seat cushion. Check for the upcoming release (8/28) of our automotive seat comfort review website (www.OCCUZONE.com) for objective reviews of vehicle packages and seats. We use virtual software, human body models, advanced biomechanics, and decades of comfort and ergonomic research to score vehicles in an objective manner. The scores are even broken down into occupant sizes as well. The initial site release is pretty basic but will incorporate many new features soon. All free! Any feedback appreciated! Thanks!