Saturn Releases Teaser Photo of 2007 Outlook SUV

This has been a big news week for Saturn!

http://www.saturnfans.com/

Earlier this week, Saturn released details and photos of their 2006 models.
Then, today Saturn general manager Jill Lajdziak announced news about two
upcoming 2007 models:
- Larger Saturn SUV to be Called 'Outlook'
- Saturn Releases First Teaser Photo of '07 Outlook
- Saturn Teases with Aura Tidbits

Visit www.saturnfans.com for all the details.

Enjoy,
Charlie

 

Yeah, but Toyota's latest Highlander is also a hybrid model with far better
mpg than this will have. GM is still resting on its laurels - or whatever.
No wonder Toyota has nearly 5 times the worth of GM lately (and even
Harley-Davidson passed GM). They need to get on the ball with their
engineering and technology faster -- like the supposedly hybrid Vue that
never has appeared as did their Chevy pickup.

On foot forward. Two steps back.

B~

 

How so? The current Vue meets Highlanders highway EPA numbers. I havent
even seen the Outlooks numbers.

GM is still resting on its laurels - or whatever.

One has to seriously question if Toyota actually meets the EPA mileage
numbers or even their rated Horse Power. Often they "do not", however
GM's MPG numbers hold true well past the EPA highway test speeds, of
which do NOT exceed 60mph and average 48mph. (who drives 48mph on the
highway anymore?)
People who do nothing but city driving are the only people who could
benefit from hybrids AND thats only if they're WELLLL over due for a new
car and have to have new car "warranties" for some reason... After the 3
year warranty is up it likely has yet to pay itself off on fuel savings.
Also the electric motor does nothing after 50mph and once past that the
batteries and electric motor are dead weight...
I'd still take a Vue over a Highlander anyhow. The Vue is WAY cheaper
and gas will always be cheaper than the repairs on those f*^$ers.
Eventually the Hybrid hype will pop once hydrogen powered cars are
perfected.

 

From Edmunds.com site:

2006 Toyota Highlander "Hybrid":
City: 31-33 mpg Hwy: 27-28 mpg

2006 Saturn Vue:
City: 19-22 mpg Hwy: 25-28 mpg

Most others shown are:
City: 13-18 mpg Hwy: 18-21 mpg

That said, the Highlander is a much larger vehicle than the Vue. Edmunds
calls it a mid-size and it weighs in at around 5,500 pounds as well.

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid (
http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/minisite/hhybrid/index.html )wins as far as
city mpg where their Synergy Drive excels. GM hasn't even approached those
numbers. Where I was in Northern California a couple of weeks ago, gas
(regular) was $3.39 per gallon (Old Station, and diesel was around the same
price).

If you check Toyota's site, they are working on a hydrogen hybrid as well
(check the Future/Concept section under Vehicles). However, trying to get
pure water via steam generation is costly and I doubt if hydrogen will be
the answer - although it will free us of oil based fuels (short of
electricity to purify it). Buying distilled water costs more than gas now
($1.00 for 16 ounces of water, not the filtered stuff). Want to buy some
truly distilled, not deionized or filtered, water for less than $3 gallon?
Good luck.

Good things are the Ni-Metal Hydride batteries are recyclable and the hybrid
will reduce the dependency of petrol in the long run. That's one advantage
where the Toyota system runs the battery between 40-60 percent in charge so
they get the battery to last a long time (warranty is 7 years in CA). Price
of the vehicle shouldn't matter since some people think a Hummer is a
bargain and buy whatever floats their boat anyhow.

You could argue the Toyota Camry verses their soon to be out Toyota Camry V6
Synergy Hybrid which would be the best comparison of different vehicle
operating expenses. If the owner puts serious miles on the hybrid model in
5 years - and gas goes above $3/gallon - the hybrid owners should come out
ahead if the vehicle's price differential is approx. $2K (discounting any
governmental tax "exclusion," not the "deduction" most assume to be the
hybrid's tax benefit -- which may go by the wayside soon).

As I said, GM (and Ford) needs to speed up their technology no matter what
they decide on for fuel. Toyota is leading the way right now -- and pretty
far ahead. You cannot get an "Employee's Price" on them as yet as you can
with GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Go figger.

Aside, if you look into the Prius online forums where they are doing some
competitions for best mpg, there is some CHP officer in CA that was getting
111 mpg in his Prius. So people can learn how to drive them and keep the
gasoline engine offline. Still pretty amazing stuff going on with the
hybrids and getting over 450 miles on a 11-13 gallon tank cannot be
dismissed. No doubt we'll all be in them in a few years.

B~

 

quote " there is some CHP officer in CA that was getting
111 mpg in his Prius. "

LOL, I hope the FHP decides to switch to Prius, like to see them try and
catch -er anything. That would be funny.

marx404

 

Yeah, that would be funny had it been a patrol car but it's his own personal
car and I think he likes the competitive mpg contests. However, the Kern
County Sheriff in Lake Isabella does have a Prius for its Citizen Patrol
car. I about fell over when I saw it. Don't know what they use it for, but
since it's a retirement area maybe they can catch grandma in her cart. Sure
does look odd though.

Our city cops have H-D motorcycles. You can tune into police band and hear
them often getting outrun by cars, and seems like Honda's like to do it
often around here - maybe the same guy? CHP has the quicker BMW bike and
they don't seem to lose their prey as often . damhik! >(

B~

 

<snip>

Outlook -- really? I wonder if we're going to see a Microsoft suit vs
GM?

 

Let me stop you right there.

You think the Highlander is larger? Think again, the basic Highlander is
nearly the same weight and demensions as the Vue. It only gets about
500lbs heavier when you add batteries.


Highlander Hybrid Limited 4X2
-Wheelbase: 106.9
-Width: 71.9
-Curb Weight AT: 4070
-Horsepower @ RPM: 208@5600
-Torque @ RPM: 212@4400
-Cty/Hwy 33/28 mpg
-MSRP: $37,890

-Highlander V6 4X2
-Wheelbase: 106.9
-Width: 71.9
-Curb Weight AT: 3520
Horsepower @ RPM: 230@5800
Torque @ RPM: 242@4400
-Cty/Hwy: 19/25 mpg
-MSRP: $25,340

Vue 3.5L FWD V6
-Wheelbase: 106.6
-Width: 71.5
-Curb Weight AT: 3478
-Horsepower @ RPM: 250@5800
-Torque @ RPM: 242@4500
-Cty/Hwy: 20/28 mpg
-MSRP: $21,390

(Vue vs Hybrid - 13mpg difference "city" driving, the average mpg will
never justify the $16k diff in price)


As for highway travel the Saturn/Honda wins out hands down. You can buy
a LOT of gas with a $16,500 price difference. My personal Land yacht's
worst mileage thus far has been 23.9mph in the winter when I do a lot of
short driving and morning idle warmups. The only comfortable cars
compairable to my car are well either not compairable or not much better
on gas. If you want to drive a body numbing cramped up Prius be my
guest. I can buy a good Fiero for under a grand and save a lot more
"money" and "gas" than a new Prius hybrid could ever save me if I wanted
to drive something that small.

 

Probably not - I don't believe they sued Hyundai for the "Excel"...

 

True, but they are not the same vehicle nor do they need to have the same
price. Look at the fit and finish of the interior. Saturn has a lot of
plastic (door panels) and that leads to rattles (Got one. I know) and that
creates a noisy interior. I just got back in form an out of town trip and
took the ear foams out so I know about noisy interiors firsthand. Saturn's
interior finish is borderline poor in my book even with their better option
package. The difference in price between the two is irrelevant as they are
not the same, no more than a Viper and a Corvette are the same. Performance
is quite different though.

The two Camry's will be the true test. Until that happens, discussing the
Toyota Hybrid verses the Vue is pointless as would be discussing the Lexus
RX-400 (?) Hybrid verses the Toyota SUV hybrid which are almost the same
vehicle. Price difference may be $10,000, but some will buy the Lexus
regardless that the Toyota is cheaper overall. My sister is one: "If it
isn't a Lexus, I wouldn't own it!" Her's is nice and very quiet whereas the
Vue seems to have more interior road noise. Not a good comparison, other
than price and fuel economy. Some don't care about price, but they care
about not stopping at gas stations or finding one closed along I-5, air
quality, no smog checks, remote warmups and cool-downs (via their electrics
& remote), and less dependecy on foreign and domestic oil. A smile on her
face is worth more than a price tag.

B~