Best Used Saturn Hybrid - VUE Green Line, Aura Green Line
It's not easy for a brand to differentiate itself in the modern marketplace, particularly a company as small as Saturn. There are so many different vehicles competing for the attention of buyers that it is easy to get lost in a sea of well-built products despite offering good value and attractive styling.
Fortunately, Saturn has the resources of General Motors at their disposal, and this has lead to them being able to build and sell hybrid versions of several of their vehicles. GM's investment in this technology has gradually spread itself out across their numerous divisions, and Saturn has directly benefited from a pre-existing hybrid solution that was a good fit into their product lineup. With the recent focus on environmental awareness and fluctuating fuel costs keeping buyers on their toes, hybrid vehicles have become a lightning rod in the automotive industry. Saturn's 'Green Line' of automobiles has becomes an effective tool for focusing media attention on some of the more advanced vehicles sitting in their showrooms.
Hybrids are automobiles which typically use an electric motor in addition to their gasoline engine in order to provide some or all of the energy required to drive an automobile. The first hybrids released by Saturn were known as 'mild' hybrids. This distinction means that instead of using their battery-powered motors primarily to drive the vehicle's wheels, computer software is employed to shut down the gasoline engine while the automobile is stopped, preventing idling and keeping the rest of the vehicle's systems functioning until the foot is removed from the brake and the standard motor is re-engaged. This type of hybrid also cuts off the fuel flowing to the engine while slowing down, and uses regenerative braking to help charge up the battery. Under heavy acceleration, the electric motor in this system is capable of providing extra torque to help get the vehicle moving, but at no point does the hybrid drive exclusively on battery power.
Saturn's hybrid system was initially installed in the VUE compact SUV and the Aura sedan, providing a two-pronged attack that reached a large number of buyers. These two vehicles represent the best used hybrids available from Saturn, and their excellent fuel economy helps to make them amongst the most efficient and greenest automobiles sold by the company. This article examines the specifications and features offered by each of these hybrid automobiles.
2007 Saturn VUE Green Line Hybrid
Aside from a subtle badge, the 2007 Saturn VUE Green Line Hybrid doesn't give much away from the outside in terms of letting people know it's more than just a standard compact SUV. The vehicle's attractive styling is thanks to a refresh that occurred the year before, and the VUE stands up well in terms of styling when compared to other popular SUV's on the market.
Popping the hood of the 2007 Saturn VUE Hybrid, however, quickly reveals that something special is at hand. In addition to a large panel with the word 'Hybrid' prominently displayed, the engine is also festooned with all of the associated electrical goodies which are part and parcel of a hybrid drivetrain. The vehicle's 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder engine produces 170 horsepower and 164 lb-ft of torque, which is by itself quite respectable. Throw in the additional 115 lb-ft of torque on tap from the electric motor when the pedal is mashed to the floor and the VUE Hybrid leaps to 60 miles per hour from a standing start in just 10 seconds, which is 1 second faster than the conventionally powered version of the vehicle. A 4-speed automatic transmission channels all of this power to the front wheels. Fuel mileage for the hybrid is 27 miles per gallon in city driving and 32 miles per gallon on the highway, which are good but not amazing numbers when compared to other hybrid SUV's.
The interior of the 2007 Saturn VUE Hybrid is quite similar to the standard edition, albeit with an extra set of indicator lights to keep drivers informed of the vehicle's electrical system status. In terms of passenger space, the VUE finds itself somewhere near the middle of the compact SUV market, and in general even adults will be comfortable in the rear accommodations. Around 64 cubic feet of total cargo space makes the hybrid as useful as it is economical, and no amount of utility is sacrificed in the name of environmental protection.
The 2007 Saturn VUE Green Line Hybrid is a used hybrid that might not be quite as frugal as the equivalent version of the Ford Escape, but which still allows drivers to cut back on their emissions and fuel consumption without letting go of the features and power they need in an SUV.
2007 Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid
The 2007 Saturn AURA not only hit the ground running as the company's newest and most advanced sedan, but it also offered a hybrid version dubbed the Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid. While the name might be a mouthful, the vehicle itself actually presents one of the best hybrid values currently on sale, as at the time of its introduction it was priced much lower than many other gasoline / electric vehicles. Saturn's hope was to attract as many potential buyers as possible through a combination of value and reduced fuel consumption, wrapped up in the attractive styling of the European-inspired sedan.
At the heart of the 2007 Saturn AURA Green Line Hybrid is essentially the same drivetrain found in the VUE Green Line compact SUV. Rated at 164 horsepower and 159 lb-ft of torque, the 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder engine is aided and abetted by an electrical motor which can provide an additional 115 lb-ft of torque when called upon under hard acceleration. This helps the Aura Green Line keep pace with the V-6-powered Aura XE, and it also helps to improve fuel economy by about 20 percent when compared to the model with the larger engine. The Aura Green Line sees 28 miles per gallon in the city and 35 miles per gallon in highway driving, thanks to the fact that the gasoline engine can shut itself off the vehicle is resting at an intersection or stuck in traffic. A 4-speed automatic is the only transmission choice.
Riding on a mid-size platform, the Aura Green Line is quite adept at fitting 5 adults comfortably into its roomy passenger compartment. The hybrid is not provided with nearly as long a list of options as the regular editions of the car, but it can be outfitted with a sunroof and features like a power driver's seat. The Aura's cabin is built to a price, and while the vehicle doesn't feel cheap it certainly would never be confused with a luxury automobile.
The 2007 Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid is a used hybrid that makes for an inexpensive, ecologically conscious choice for mid-size sedan buyers.