Saturn Sky Reviews- part 2

Saturn Sky Road Test

The Sky borrows parts and pieces from GM products around the world, including a set of bucket seats from a Mexican Chevrolet model, driveshaft and differential from the Cadillac CTS, a manual transmission from the Chevrolet Colorado, door panels from the Pontiac Solstice, and a glovebox door from the Chevy Cobalt, none of which should be of consequence to a prospective buyer because the designers and engineers have done such a good job of turning all those parts, with appropriate tweaks, into a Saturn Sky.

We have been trying to like the GM Ecotec engines for years, with few positive results. The 2.4 version is undersquare (a bigger stroke than bore), with a very high power peak of 6600 rpm, and that means you have to wind it up through the gears to have any fun with the car, and that winding produces loud, thrashy noises under the hood which we find not much fun to listen to shift after shift. The noise problem extends to a low, somewhat blatty exhaust note as well. If you stay out of the throttle all the time, we think you'll still have difficulty reaching EPA's estimated highway mileage of 28 mpg. In short, it's not a free-revving engine such as the one found in the Mazda Miata.

The engine, mounted longitudinally in the chassis and leaned over at a 10-degree angle, has electronic throttle control, variable valve timing and most of the other modern conveniences, but it just doesn't make enough power or torque down low where you need it. The clutch actuation was fine, and the fat little short-throw shifters in our test cars were smooth and slick with a little bit of notchiness here and there.

The handling capability of the Sky is very, very good, with an eight-foot wheelbase and a five-foot track width, 53/47 front/rear weight balance, and four meaty 245/45-18 tires supporting its nearly 3000 pounds of weight. We thrashed the Sky heavily on some California wine country mountain twisties, and it was wonderful fun to toss around, far better than we expected. Saturn says the Sky will pull 0.9g on the skidpad, which is world-class for a car in this price class. The steering is pretty accurate and nicely weighted. The ride quality is what you would expect from a short-wheelbase car with big, fat heavy tires and wheels, smooth and pleasant on good pavement, but a bit harsh on railroad tracks and bad pavement.

One of the attributes we like best about the Sky is its powerful, progressive braking, with very little slop at the top of the pedal before deceleration starts. These are big discs brakes for such a small car, and they work very well and very consistently.

I got this useful review from www.usedcarschannel.com

Saturn Sky Reviews - Part 1

Saturn Sky Interior Review

The interior of the Sky is its Achilles heel. While the dashboard and deeply tunneled instrumentation are done well, set in hard-finished plastic with dramatic Piano Black shiny trim not made of ebony or any other natural material. The controls are all reachable and easy to use, but there is a lot of flash and reflection from the chrome rims on every knob and dial and the shiny black piece.

Storage inside the cabin is limited. The glovebox is small, and there are no door pockets. The storage bin between the seats has an awkward push/twist lock instead of a simple pushbutton, and that bin doesn't hold much either. There are storage pockets on the back side of the seat backs and storage nets on the rear wall, but the seatback latch is buried in the darkness and it's hard to use. In a new twist on cupholders, they are mounted between the seatbacks below the storage bin, which forces you to use your outside hand to park or retrieve your drink, reaching across your body. Weird, but it works.

The bucket seats are comfortable enough for short runs, and offer good lateral support but little thigh support for the long haul, and they don't have enough built-in adjustability for tall folks, limited by the short length of the cockpit. The seatback rake adjuster is a wheel, not a lever, and it is in a very tight space between the side of the seat and the door, nearly impossible to use with the doors closed.

The cargo room in the Sky is barely adequate for a single person's weekend getaway, let alone a fun couple's. There's only 5 cubic feet of space under the decklid with the top up, only 2 cubic feet with the top stowed, and the shape of the space is interrupted by a huge domed area in the center to accommodate the rear axle assembly, so the space isn't conducive to anything but soft, pliable luggage that can be squished around to fit. Maybe it's time for decklid-mounted luggage racks to make a comeback.

I got this useful review at www.usedcarschannel.com

2008 Saturn VUE review - Part 3

Saturn VUE Lineup

The 2008 Saturn Vue comes in a choice of XE and XR trim. Three powertrains are available, the 2.4-liter four-cylinder Ecotec engine, the 3.5-liter V6 engine, and a high-feature 3.6-liter V6 with variable valve timing. The four-cylinder engine comes with a four-speed automatic transmission, and the two V6 engines are mated to GM's new six-speed automatic. Both XE and XR versions are available in front-drive and all-wheel-drive versions. Later in the year, an sportier Vue Red Line or RL version will be added to the lineup, featuring larger tires and wheels, the 3.6-liter engine, and other sporty interior and exterior touches and decors. In the last quarter of 2007, Saturn will offer the Vue Green Line hybrid, or GL version, using the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, front-wheel drive, and GM's compact, inexpensive hybrid power unit.

Option packages for the Vue include a Preferred package with eight-way power driver's seat, leather wheel, heater power mirrors, lighted visor vanity mirrors, and automatic temperature control ($740); a Convenience package with rain-sensing wipers, heated washer fluid, remote starting and a universal remote for gates, garage doors and home lighting ($505); a Premium package with leather seating, leather shift knob, heated front seats ($1075). Options include a DVD navigation and CD/MP3 player system ($2145) and a high-end stereo system ($325). Also available is a tap-shift feature on the automatic transmission ($170), a trailer towing package ($350), power sunroof ($800), fog lamps ($115), cargo cover ($50), cargo divider, chrome trim package, and a stereo/6CD upgrade ($295).

All-wheel drive is available for the XE ($3120), XR ($2000), and RL ($2000).

Safety features include OnStar Safe and Sound emergency communications, ABS, traction control, and StabiliTrak electronic stability control. This version of StabiliTrak includes a trailer-stabilizing system that automatically applies the brakes when it detects the trailer swaying behind the vehicle.

I got this useful review at http://www.usedcarschannel.com

2008 Saturn VUE review- Part 2

Saturn VUE Road Test

Compared with other five-seat crossover utility vehicles from the Japanese, Korean, European and domestic competition, the Saturn Vue behaves more like a European vehicle. That makes sense, given its German Opel roots.

The power steering is not overboosted or mushy, and has good but not great road feel. The ride is taut without being jarring, and body roll control is right up there with the best of the other Europeans, including BMW and Land Rover, so the Vue invites spirited driving, especially through long sweeping curves. Isolation from the world outside is very good.

We were very impressed with the acceleration performance from the available 3.6-liter V6. Paired with the new six-speed transmission, this engine makes the Vue smooth, quiet, and authoritative without a lot of noisy cabin intrusion. The 257-hp V6 engine is near the top of the class in terms of power and torque. It'll accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about seven seconds flat. In sixth gear, the engine sound all but disappears, providing a relaxed, easy cruising mode.

We like brakes that start braking right at the top of the pedal travel, and the Saturn Vue's brakes delivered on that, with lots of braking power at the initial stab of the pedal and even more with more pedal travel, very linear and effective.

I got this useful review at www.usedcarschannel.com

2008 Saturn VUE review- Part 1

Saturn VUE Interior Review

Our first impression inside the 2008 Saturn Vue was extremely positive. Where the outgoing vehicle had cheesy imitation wood and plastic, the new European look is clean, modern and classy in terms of design, appearance, materials and function. There's a good balance of brightwork to panels from the left door across the instrument panel and dashboard to the right door, and the heating/air conditioning vents are big, round and nicely done.

The driver's bucket seat is comfy, containing but not restrictive. The seating position at front left is commanding and comfortable, and everything is within easy reach. Arranged ahead of the driver is lovely array of multi-colored instruments surrounded by brushed-metal rings. The instrument panel is pleasant to look at, easy to read and use, night or day. Saturn has chosen brushed metal over shiny chrome, which avoids problems with fingerprints and sun reflections, and for that we give them high marks. The steering wheel is a work of art, with radio and cruise control buttons built in, a thick rim with lovely stitching and a nice set of metallic accents in the lower half. The steering wheel offers tilt adjustability, but does not telescope.

The touch-screen for the AM/FM/XM radio and the navigation system is big and bright and high enough in the center of the dash to be read quickly and safely, and low enough to stay out of the glaring sunlight most of the time. It's one of the easiest systems to use of all the competitors in this segment, with big markings and good contrast. This is a mid-market Opel design, so there's no wood in here at all, but the plastics, metals and fabrics are all very touchable and good-looking. Down below, the shifter is a single-gate model, surrounded again by brushed metal.\

There's 56 cubic feet of cargo room just inside the easy-lift tailgate with the 60/40 second-row seats flopped down. There's a huge glovebox, an under-seat box under the front passenger seat, more storage in the second-row console, and, hiding under the cargo floor is a whole network of nooks, crannies and cubbies built into the spare tire carrier assembly, and some almost-hidden storage way up front in the compartment.

In the cargo compartment floor are two sets of rails into which fit a set of six sliding chocks to help secure cargoes of all shapes and sizes, with more tie-downs in the floor and in the seatbacks. Fold the front passenger seat down, and you can easily carry a one-man kayak inside the Vue with room left over for wetsuit, paddles and a whole lot more gear. The 2007 Vue carried a rating of 63.8 cubic feet of cargo with the second seat down, some 13 percent larger using EPA measuring methods, but less useable overall than the open and hidden space in the new truck.

I got this useful review at www.usedcarschannel.com

Coming Soon.........