Say What? A Non-Gas-Guzzling SUV?
Industry reports say that SUV sales this year have outnumbered small vehicle sales. With rising gas prices and ever increasing taxes it baffles me as to how this is true.
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| Despite offering decent performance, seating for five and a flexible cargo arrangement, the Saturn VUE won't put a huge dent in the pocketbook when it comes time to fill up. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press) |
But still, contrary to what many people think, there are some SUVs on the market that are quite stingy with fossil fuels. Take the Saturn VUE for instance. Despite offering decent performance, seating for five and a flexible cargo arrangement, it won't put a huge dent in the pocketbook when it comes time to fill up. Now that's music to my ears.
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| An Ecotec 2.2-liter 4-cylinder engine coupled with a continuously variable transmission is the secret to the VUE's gas frugality. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press) |
What makes the VUE so fuel efficient? It's simple. In base form it's equipped with GM's thrifty Ecotec 2.2-liter 4-cylinder engine, driving the front wheels through either a standard 5-speed manual, or in the case of my test car, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) GM dubs VTi. My tester also included all-wheel drive (AWD), a little harder on gas but with obvious traction benefits.
For those not familiar with CVTs, they completely eliminate the transmission's need to shift gears, using an expanding and contracting pulley system instead. This system can allow the engine to operate at a constant speed, either at low revs to save fuel or at peak output for maximum performance, with efficiencies that are similar to a 5-speed manual transmission - regular automatic transmissions are usually harder on gas than their manual counterparts, especially true when mated to low output 4-cylinder engines.