Editor's Rating: 
The Good: European styling, speediness, towing capacity, wide choice of engines
The Bad: Relatively poor fuel economy, no third-row seats
The Bottom Line: Check it out before buying a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4
Reader ReviewsThese days, just about every new General Motors (GM) product I drive surprises me by how good it is. The latest example is the Saturn Vue, a compact crossover vehicle that was totally redesigned for 2008. The new Vue is assembled in Mexico but is based on the Antara, a European model made by Opel, GM's German subsidiary, and its design, styling, and driving characteristics all show considerable European influence.
Saturn is becoming GM's conduit for selling Opel products in the U.S., and that's a good thing. The new Vue is much more directly competitive with its main rivals?the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4?than the previous Vue was. It's better-looking, peppier, and has a nicer, more upscale interior than the old Vue. If you're a diehard Toyota (TM) or Honda (HMC) fan who is considering one of those models, give the new Saturn Vue a test drive. You'll be surprised by what a sweet vehicle it is.
The new Vue is somewhat pricier than the old one was, but it also comes with more standard equipment and is slightly roomier inside. It's about an inch taller and wider than the previous model; the overall length is an inch shorter, but interior space is unaffected by the reduction and the wheelbase remains the same.
The size of the Vue's engine also has been increased. The previous model came standard with a 2.2-liter, 143-horsepower, 4-cylinder power plant that didn't have enough oomph for the vehicle's weight. A 3.5-liter, 250-hp Honda engine was available as an option.
Only one version of the '08 Vue?the entry-level SE with front-wheel drive?comes with a 4-cylinder engine. This 2.4-liter, 164-hp four-banger is slightly more powerful than the previous one, but it's still fairly wimpy because the Vue's weight has increased by some several hundred pounds.
With all-wheel drive, the '08 Vue SE comes standard with a 3.5-liter, 222-hp V6. Fancier versions of the new Vue?the XR and the sporty Red Line?come with a more powerful 3.6-liter, 257-hp V6, the same engine that's in the Saturn Aura XR sedan.
The '08 Vue's price starts out low but rises rapidly as you move up the line. The entry-level, front-wheel-drive XE starts at $21,335 (but has that wimpy four-cylinder engine). With all-wheel drive and the smaller of the two available V6 engines, the XE starts at $24,515.
The fancier XR starts at $24,905 with front-wheel drive and $26,905 with all-wheel drive. The Red Line starts at $27,395 with front-wheel drive and $29,395 with all-wheel drive.
The good news is most of the Vue's option packages cost less than $1,000. The main exception is the $2,145 DVD-based navigation system that also includes an MP3-compatible CD player, speed-sensitive volume, and an auxiliary jack for your iPod.
The next-most expensive option is a $1,075 Premium Trim package that includes leather interior trim and heated front seats. A $740 Preferred Package adds a power driver's seat and heated outside mirrors. A $505 Convenience package adds heated windshield washer fluid and rain-sensitive wipers, and a sunroof costs $800. Most of the other add-ons (such as a $350 trailer-towing package, $150 roof-mounted luggage rack, and $115 fog lamps) are under $500.
The bad news is the fuel economy of conventionally powered versions of the new Vue is relatively lousy. With all-wheel drive, the XR is rated to get 16 miles per gallon in the city and 22 on the highway under the new, more realistic mileage rating system the government has adopted as of the '08 model year. In 164 miles of fairly hard driving, I got 16.1 mpg in that model.
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