BIRMINGHAM, Mich: Women in general and young women in particular made the Saturn brand a huge hit through the 90s, as they lined up to buy a so-so product through an exemplary process.
How women or men would react if Saturn actually put out a great product has not been made clear by the muddled launch of the solid L-series last year, but the answer should be obvious when both sexes get a load of the Saturn SUV.
Just unveiled to the public at the Miami auto show this weekend and scheduled to arrive in dealer lots next year, the Saturn SUV was previously shown to a small group of auto writers here in this Detroit suburb.
That viewing and discussions with Saturn executives suggest that it could very well set a style standard for the compact sport-ute category, or what I like to call the sport-cutes.
For no reason I can yet put a finger on, the Saturn SUV (its official name will be announced later) is just good to look it. Other models in this category look boxish or gimmicky, leaving the Saturn to strike just the right attitude.
Not square like the guy your mother wants you to date, or weird like the guy your father will kill you for dating. More like Angel, who used to date The Buffster but now lives in LA and culls vampires on the coast.
This would be enough to recommend the Saturn SUV to a lot of people, but as it happens there seems to be a lot of substance under that comely shape. This opinion comes from a static presentation, of course, so the definitive word will have to wait until we drive it.
Early impressions suggest Saturn could be on to something here, since it will debut with a pair of engines and the first GM use of a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which is what most of us would have picked if the engineering gods had sent manuals, automatics and CVTs to Earth at the same time.
But before we get into technical specifics, a few words on the Saturn SUV's overall packaging. Saturn executives made it clear that they were shooting for the values that consumers traditionally find appealing in an SUV-the command seating position, the extra space and versatility-but wanted to leave out the things people didn't like-the truck-like ride and handling.
The new Saturn uses space-frame construction and those famous dent-resistant polymer bodyside panels, it gets electrically-assisted power steering, and an interior design that's supposed to set a benchmark for user-friendliness, as long as the users don't number more than four, or five at the outside.
Overall, the general impression of the packaging is strong, suggesting strong that people will like spending time inside the Saturn SUV.
Inside, the Saturn SUV has a 70/30 split folding rear seat and a front passenger seatback that also folds flat, allowing long objects to be carried with the rear gate closed.
Many of the major interior functions (seat movement and so on) are designed for easy one-hand operation, and the rear cargo area includes tie-down points, hooks for plastic grocery bags, and a cargo organizer for smaller objects.
On paper, and without actually driving the vehicle, the Saturn SUV looks just as appealing in terms of ride, handling and performance.
The Saturn SUV will offer customers a choice of a twin-cam, 2.2-liter 4-cylinder engine or a dual-overhead camshaft 3-litre V6. From the inline-4 will come 138 horsepower at 5800 rpm and 145 pound-feet of torque at 4200 rpm. In the V6, the power figures are 181 horsepower at 4000 rpm and 190 pound-feet of torque at 3600 rpm.
The smaller engine's numbers are okay in a vehicle that weighs 1443 kg for the front-drive with the manual, 1462 kg for the front-drive with the CVT, and 1517 for the all-wheel-drive with the CVT, but don't appear to be anything special. The V6, which only comes with all-wheel-drive and a 5-speed automatic, should have no trouble pushing that model's 1578 kg around.
A CVT, by the way, matches engine output to vehicle speed and that provides seamless acceleration and improved fuel economy over a traditional automatic transmission and its multiple-plateau performance. It's smoother, quieter and moves the car better.
All models will get a fully independent suspension fore and aft that should improve both ride and handling, and there'll also be an all-wheel-drive version for improved traction and security in inclement weather.
Other features of note in the Saturn SUV would include:
In general, the Saturn SUV is about comparable in size with such vehicles as the Ford Escape, the Honda CR-V, the Subaru Forester and the Toyota RAV4. The key specific dimensions would include a length of 4618 mm, a wheelbase of 2708 mm, a width of 1816 mm, and a height of 1684 mm.
What's not new about the Saturn SUV is that it will be sold in the same Saturn-Saab-Isuzu Truck stores across Canada that have long specialized in the no-haggle, no-hassle, we-are-family ownership experience.
That's the process that has made less appealing cars than the SUV a success, so it should be interesting to see how it does with something with some style and ability.
How women or men would react if Saturn actually put out a great product has not been made clear by the muddled launch of the solid L-series last year, but the answer should be obvious when both sexes get a load of the Saturn SUV.
Just unveiled to the public at the Miami auto show this weekend and scheduled to arrive in dealer lots next year, the Saturn SUV was previously shown to a small group of auto writers here in this Detroit suburb.
That viewing and discussions with Saturn executives suggest that it could very well set a style standard for the compact sport-ute category, or what I like to call the sport-cutes.
For no reason I can yet put a finger on, the Saturn SUV (its official name will be announced later) is just good to look it. Other models in this category look boxish or gimmicky, leaving the Saturn to strike just the right attitude.
Not square like the guy your mother wants you to date, or weird like the guy your father will kill you for dating. More like Angel, who used to date The Buffster but now lives in LA and culls vampires on the coast.
This would be enough to recommend the Saturn SUV to a lot of people, but as it happens there seems to be a lot of substance under that comely shape. This opinion comes from a static presentation, of course, so the definitive word will have to wait until we drive it.
Early impressions suggest Saturn could be on to something here, since it will debut with a pair of engines and the first GM use of a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which is what most of us would have picked if the engineering gods had sent manuals, automatics and CVTs to Earth at the same time.
But before we get into technical specifics, a few words on the Saturn SUV's overall packaging. Saturn executives made it clear that they were shooting for the values that consumers traditionally find appealing in an SUV-the command seating position, the extra space and versatility-but wanted to leave out the things people didn't like-the truck-like ride and handling.
The new Saturn uses space-frame construction and those famous dent-resistant polymer bodyside panels, it gets electrically-assisted power steering, and an interior design that's supposed to set a benchmark for user-friendliness, as long as the users don't number more than four, or five at the outside.
Overall, the general impression of the packaging is strong, suggesting strong that people will like spending time inside the Saturn SUV.
Inside, the Saturn SUV has a 70/30 split folding rear seat and a front passenger seatback that also folds flat, allowing long objects to be carried with the rear gate closed.
Many of the major interior functions (seat movement and so on) are designed for easy one-hand operation, and the rear cargo area includes tie-down points, hooks for plastic grocery bags, and a cargo organizer for smaller objects.
On paper, and without actually driving the vehicle, the Saturn SUV looks just as appealing in terms of ride, handling and performance.
The Saturn SUV will offer customers a choice of a twin-cam, 2.2-liter 4-cylinder engine or a dual-overhead camshaft 3-litre V6. From the inline-4 will come 138 horsepower at 5800 rpm and 145 pound-feet of torque at 4200 rpm. In the V6, the power figures are 181 horsepower at 4000 rpm and 190 pound-feet of torque at 3600 rpm.
The smaller engine's numbers are okay in a vehicle that weighs 1443 kg for the front-drive with the manual, 1462 kg for the front-drive with the CVT, and 1517 for the all-wheel-drive with the CVT, but don't appear to be anything special. The V6, which only comes with all-wheel-drive and a 5-speed automatic, should have no trouble pushing that model's 1578 kg around.
A CVT, by the way, matches engine output to vehicle speed and that provides seamless acceleration and improved fuel economy over a traditional automatic transmission and its multiple-plateau performance. It's smoother, quieter and moves the car better.
All models will get a fully independent suspension fore and aft that should improve both ride and handling, and there'll also be an all-wheel-drive version for improved traction and security in inclement weather.
Other features of note in the Saturn SUV would include:
- optional side curtains for more protection in a side crash
- though there are eight inches of ground clearance, it's easy to get in and out
- car-height bumpers that provide enhanced protection from parking lot damage
- a spare tire mounted inside the vehicle, not on the back, which will reduce the potential damage from low-speed rear impacts
- the rear seat has a two-position recliner
- a cargo organizer folds out of floor
- the rear compartment features a pair of storage pockets to keep smaller items from rolling around in the back, and there are two hooks for plastic grocery bags and four tie-down loops for securing larger items, and
- a unique centre console design includes a handy space for a purse or planner.
In general, the Saturn SUV is about comparable in size with such vehicles as the Ford Escape, the Honda CR-V, the Subaru Forester and the Toyota RAV4. The key specific dimensions would include a length of 4618 mm, a wheelbase of 2708 mm, a width of 1816 mm, and a height of 1684 mm.
What's not new about the Saturn SUV is that it will be sold in the same Saturn-Saab-Isuzu Truck stores across Canada that have long specialized in the no-haggle, no-hassle, we-are-family ownership experience.
That's the process that has made less appealing cars than the SUV a success, so it should be interesting to see how it does with something with some style and ability.
Article Gallery