Base price: $28,770
As tested: $31,865
3.6-liter, 252-hp V6
16 city/22 highway
More info:
www.saturn.com
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Saturn proved it could run with the big boys in the convertible field with the sporty, stylish Sky. Now they've turned their attention to fans of low-slung, urban sport utes like the Acura RDX and the Lexis RX, as well as aficionados of sport-tuned SUVs like Jeep's SRT line. The result is a head-turning machine that rides right on the line between power and style. The 18-inch alloy wheels, dual chrome exhaust tips and pavement-hugging front fascia with an aggressive, honeycomb air intake hint at the performance packed under the hood. On the other hand, smart, aerodynamic body styling (including cool turn-signal-integrated side vents) won't have you feeling out of place at a chic restaurant's valet stand.
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True to its performance-minded Red Line tag, Saturn went for more sporty than swanky with the interior. Leather-appointed bucket seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and a racing-style instrument panel make for a comfortable, albeit not luxurious driving experience. The interior is roomy and the cargo space more than adequate. Our tester came with an optional, very user-friendly, 3-D navigation system ($2,145), always a plus, considering how complicated some nav systems can be. A standard MP3 plug-in lets iPod users rock out without dusting off their old CDs.
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Saturn's Red Line series is at heart about performance, and our 6-speed automatic Vue didn't disappoint. On our cruise to South Bend to make the kickoff of the Notre Dame-Georgia Tech game, the 3.6-liter 252-horsepower V6 delivered plenty of passing power and jumped off the line. We didn't find much use for the TAPshift manual shift control, however. Tap shift manual technology never seemed very useful to us in the thumb-controlled, steering-wheel based arrangement; it's even more awkward to use on the Saturn, where you need to reach down and tap the entire gearshift to manually shift. We just let the automatic transmission do the work. Then again, with the Vue Red Line, you don't need manual shifting to enjoy the ride.
-- by Sam Jemielity |
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