Saturn VUE Green Line

[Bimmer325]

From AutoWeek:

It'll feature a 2.4L ECOTEC Belt Alternator Starter Hybrid powertrain.

Fuel Economy: 27/32 (highest highway for any SUV)

Buyer's will pay a $2,000 premium over the base VUE's sticker.

Official images and info will be released at 12:01 AM EST tonight.

[pow]

Good info!

For comparison purposes, the Escape Hybrid FWD gets 36/31 MPG, the HHR gets 23/30, the VUE 2.2 FWD automatic gets 22/27, and the Escape 2.4 FWD automatic gets 22/26.

[Northstar]

We'll have the full press release posted once the clock strikes 12:01 AM EST.

[Dave]

We'll have the full press release posted once the clock strikes 12:01 AM EST.

How can it be the highest when the escape beats it?

[Darc Requiem]

Given the small increase in price over the standard Vue, GM has a winner on its hands. GM is really having a good autoshwo season thus far. I can't wait to see more from their Saturn greenline series. I wonder how long its going to take them to get their two mode hybrid system across the whole lineup. Given that trucks and suvs are their bread and butter I think its great strategy that they are focusing their hybrid efforts on those vehicles first.

[HarleyEarl]

This hybrid is marginally better than the standard 4 and at a higher price. Just pointless this whole hybrid thing....just to appease the silly tree huggers and warped perceptions of hybrids of the competition....GM is forced into this nonsense.

[packardlust]

How can it be the highest when the escape beats it?

The 32 mph is GM's estimate, not the EPA estimate. I suspect that is the basis for the difference. GM seems to try to be more realistic about mpg's. Just look at the differences people who own the Toyoya and Honda hybrids often refer to, or even auto mag results for these vehicles. The review I read of the Toyota Highlander hybrid got less than 18mpg.

[pow]

How can it be the highest when the escape beats it?

Highway MPG... Escape Hybrid gets 31 MPG.

[cmattson]

We really should be getting excited by the debut of this vehicle for a couple of reasons:

#1: It enters GM into the consumer-hybrid market.

#2: At a price that is practically free to the consumer. You get a tax credit that almost equals the additional price. It's a no-brainer.

#3: The belt-alternator-starter hybrid system is fairly easy to implement. It'll find it's way into multiple GM vehicles -- the Vue being the first. Can you imagine moving this over to an already "green" vehicle like the Malibu. Consider the current 2.2l Vue goes 0-to-60 in 9.1s and delivers 22/27 mpg. A 2.2l Malibu does 0-to-60 in the same 9.1s and delivers 24/35 mpg. A 2.4l hybrid Vue shaves a full second off of the 0-to-60 time and bumps mileage to 27/32 (an increase of 22.7% city / 18.5% hwy). If a 2.4l hybrid Malibu was produced, you could expect the same acceleration gains (interesting to note that a hybrid 2.4l Malibu would nearly match a non-hybrid V6 Malibu for 0-to-60 performance (8.1s for the hybrid, 7.9s for the V6)).. but the mpg gain would put the Malibu at 29.5mpg/42.7mpg. You probably could expect even better results as the Malibu would probably be able to use the electric motors a bit longer due to it's decreased mass.

[Bimmer325]

The government currently offers a $2,000 tax return to owners of hybrids.

[haypops]

From AutoWeek:

Buyer's will pay a $2,000 premium over the base VUE's sticker.

The hybrid comes with an automatic transmission, the base VUE with a standard transmission. I wonder if this will mean an actual $1000 difference.

[pow]

The hybrid comes with an automatic transmission, the base VUE with a standard transmission.  I wonder if this will mean an actual $1000 difference.

Unlikely if the VUE Green Line costs $23K. Manual VUE 2.2 starts at under $18K.

[todaresqSL2]

How can it be the highest when the escape beats it?

I am thinking empowah had a typo... and it was 26/31 for the Escape & 27/32 for the VUE...

[enzl]

I am thinking empowah had a typo... and it was 26/31 for the Escape & 27/32 for the VUE...

Just the opposite, escape gets better city mileage b/c of the nature of its hybrid design...31 city/26 hwy.

The mild hybrid in the Vue doesn't operate alone, but rather as a secondary source of power...

[PurdueGuy]

Fun with math!

Assumptions:

GM's estimates are correct

Overall MPG = average of city/highway MPG.

Equivilant Vue non-hybrid cost: $21K

Vue Hybrid cost: $23K

Hybrid MPG = 29.5

2.2L Vue MPG = 24.5

Break even point (in miles, X), Cost of gas = $2.50/gal:

(X/29.5)*2.5 + 23,000 = (X/24.5)*2.5 + 21,000

X = 115,640 miles

So, if maintenance & repair costs are the same, the hybrid will start paying for itself after about 116K miles, which should be well within the reasonable life of the vehicle. Of course, if the batteries go out and cost $2,000 and aren't covered by warranty, you've got another 115,640 miles to go until you break even...

[todaresqSL2]

Just the opposite, escape gets better city mileage b/c of the nature of its hybrid design...31 city/26 hwy.

The mild hybrid in the Vue doesn't operate alone, but rather as a secondary source of power...

Interesting... very interesting.

[jrockb4]

Fun with math!

Assumptions:

GM's estimates are correct

Overall MPG = average of city/highway MPG.

Equivilant Vue non-hybrid cost: $21K

Vue Hybrid cost: $23K

Hybrid MPG = 29.5

2.2L Vue MPG = 24.5

Break even point (in miles, X), Cost of gas = $2.50/gal:

(X/29.5)*2.5 + 23,000 = (X/24.5)*2.5 + 21,000

X = 115,640 miles

So, if maintenance & repair costs are the same, the hybrid will start paying for itself after about 116K miles, which should be well within the reasonable life of the vehicle.  Of course, if the batteries go out and cost $2,000 and aren't covered by warranty, you've got another 115,640 miles to go until you break even...

That math works with almost every hybrid out there lol People who think they are saving money, really are no it almost every circumstance, they are just giving to the auto maker, rather than the oil company!!!! Right now it is all a perception thing, I think that is what GM kept telling people and the press. No one listened, that is why they are so late to the game. They kept hoping everyone would wake up. Everyone know at the current state of technology a good turbo diesel will beat a hybrid for cost of ownership everytime. That is why the Europeans are laughing at us.

[LutzNutz]

The mathematical assumptions above, though, don't take into account the $2000 rebate from the gov't, right? If so, then the increased cost is a wash, and savings would begin immediately...?

[SingleStylish]

Remember time is money use F/P factors at an annual discount rate of 1.5% (roughly close to inflation over time). My bet, even without the rebate the hybrid will be paying you back in 3 years. Maybe not?!

[pow]

That math works with almost every hybrid out there lol   People who think they are saving money, really are no it almost every circumstance, they are just giving to the auto maker, rather than the oil company!!!!  Right now it is all a perception thing, I think that is what GM kept telling people and the press.  No one listened, that is why they are so late to the game.  They kept hoping everyone would wake up.  Everyone know at the current state of technology a good turbo diesel will beat a hybrid for cost of ownership everytime.  That is why the Europeans are laughing at us.

The majority of the hybrids include an increase in power, so it's the equivalent of spending extra to get more power but without sacrificing fuel economy. With that said, the Honda-engined VUE V6 isn't much more, and offers 105 more horsepower than the base 2.2, and 80 more than the hybrid 2.4.

Edit: And about the Europeans, they're getting into the hybrid craze as well. GM's dual-mode hybrid system was co-developed with both DCX and BMW. Imagine what'd happen if they combined a low-sulfur diesel engine with hybrid technology. GM did that with the Astra concept.

Edited January 12, 2006 by empowah

[Northstar]

The VUE Green Line is going to be a great value. Those doing the calculations forget to take off the money the government pays hybrid buyers. Sure, it will take a while to pay off the money, but if it's only a $2k option and the government pays you $2k when you buy it, it's basically more power and better fuel economy for free. Plus, it starts paying for itself right away.

I just listened to GMTV and an auto analyst said he thinks it could become the most significant production debut at the show.

[PurdueGuy]

The calculations weren't meant to credit or discredit the Vue Greenline, or any hybrid necessarily. It's just an analytical tool that EVERY buyer considering a hybrid should do. As some have noted - you also have to look at other differences. What's the value in the extra 40 hp? What's the value in knowing you're polluting less and consuming less oil? (Granted, there can be issues of disposing of batteries - though that's less of an issue in this hybrid since it's mild and there are fewer batteries.) Personally, if I could get $2,000 back from the gov. for buying it, it would be a no-brainer - especially after it's been out for a little bit and bugs worked out.

Personally, I think this model will be great as long as it proves reliable.

Edited January 13, 2006 by PurdueGuy