How Can You Call This Ugly ?

[06VRL]

http://www.caranddriver.com/assets/image/2007/Q1/020120071223036453.jpghttp://www.caranddriver.com/assets/image/2007/Q1/020120071223015149.jpg

Taking an objective look at this, how can you call this ugly, sure, it's different looking than the current models, but it is far, far from ugly, I find it quite smart looking actually, it does not look like a Kia, Hyundai, or any other SUV or CUV currently available on the market, although I must confess I prefer the RL body versus the stock version, oh yah, the folding front seat is still available to those who were asking, I came across an animated picture of it, but I didn't save it and do you think I could find it again, noooooo!

[06VRL]

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/02/x08st_vu027.jpg
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/02/x08st_vu026.jpg
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/02/chi07_saturn-vue-rl---03.jpg

Larger Pics, plus one that really shows it's stance

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/02/chi07_saturn-vue-rl---01.jpg

I think that interior is an improvement!

[06VRL]

http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/41178
http://www.saturnfans.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/41179

Now that is definitely improved door panels

[BobbyP]

Are you trying negative psychology?

[greyhound bus]

Very easily. It's kinda ugly. I've seen worse, but is no match for the old Vue.

[Ritz]

Ugly? Nah. But I don't find it very distinctive either. However, the Opel interior blows away the existing VUE interior. Thank goodness someone woke up and decided that pictures of wood stuck onto plastic components was not "an upgrade" over painted or brushed aluminum surfaces. Just say no to plood!

Cheers,

[ems1]

I think it's way better looking than the CRV or Rav4. That is the competition not the polymer Vue. It seems that people can't get enough of the CRV. I just saw that it is outselling the Ford Explorer. I think the engine options, styling and price will make the '08 Vue a winner in the marketplace, if people can get over their "anything but American bias."

[06VRL]

Are you trying negative psychology?

Well, when it comes to you, we have to use "REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY" :dizzy:

Got to balance out the negatives with positives!

[MarvC]

It is in a class by itself..Like a guppy or something. Rather oval in shape. The Rav4 looks much better (aerodynamic) the VUE possibly looks better than the CRV.
The interior will look better than the photos I hope.

[DesertPuma]

Easy: (With apologies to Monty Python) :D

Reason #1: Blatant Rebadge of another company's product, no Saturn engineering whatsoever, ergo....Not a Saturn (it is an Opel)
Reason #2: NO POLYMER!!
Reason #3: You mean to tell me that that nose doesn't look it has a Deviated Septum to you? (as well as all the other "Saturns")
Reason #4: NO POLYMER!!
Reason #5: Gen 1 Design has more of an aggressive, cleaner, "bulldoggish" look, Gen 2 looks goofy. Gen 3 Design is too "blingy" (admittedly, not near as bad as the Aura is in this department), "squished", too low to the ground (not sure what the spec is on this, but it looks lower). In short, it looks ordinary, nothng stands out.
Reason #6: NO POLYMER!!
Reason #7: Just what are those unsightly slits behind the wheel wells?
Reason #8: NO POLYMER!!
Reason #9: Hecho en México!
Reason #10: NO POLY...(well you get the idea)!! :D :D :D :D

If it doesn't look good on the outside, there is no sense looking on the inside, the interior is immaterial to me. (It is anyway.)

Then again, maybe it's just the natural human tendency to resist change. :rolleyes:

[dorseto]

Looks very very asian...more specifically, very korean.

[wolfman]

Well, at least we now know what the result of an HHR / PT Cruiser love child would look like....

[KrgION03]

Well, at least we now know what the result of an HHR / PT Cruiser love child would look like....

Explain to me how this somewhat bland, European-inspired suv with zero retro influence looks like the lovechild of two over-the-top retro wagons.

I see zero in common.

[BobbyP]

Well, at least we now know what the result of an HHR / PT Cruiser love child would look like....

Speaking of the father of the PT Cruiser / HHR, Bryan Nesbitt, he's 38.

In May 2007 GM named Bryan Nesbitt to the newly created position of vice president of design for North America

In January 2002 Bryan Nesbitt, 38, was named Executive Director of Design, Body-Frame Integral Architectures, at GM.

He was responsible for GM's unibody architecture designs. These include small, midsize, large and mid-luxury cars; Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac's rear-wheel-drive lineup; and front-wheel-drive minivans and crossover vehicles.

Nesbitt joined GM in April 2001 as the chief designer for Chevrolet at the Design Center in Warren, Mich. Presently, he is engaged in the re-design of numerous GM portfolio entries for the North American Market, ala HHR. Also, Nesbitt is working on Chevrolet vision portfolio for future entries from the brand, and visually defining brand essence.

He came to GM after seven years at DaimlerChrysler Corp., where he was mostly a design manager and the primary exterior designer for the production version of the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser.

A native of Phoenix, Ariz., Nesbitt received a bachelor's degree in industrial design from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif.

[junie]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Nesbitt

[homerec130]

I've spent time all around the world and this is NOT ugly. Remember the Citroen, some early versions of the Renault, and who can forget the Edsel. I drove a Citroen with the original panoramic sun roof - you folded the canvas top back. This has character - add a chrome pedestrian catcher (if they make one) and voila - a Vue with a chrome pedestrian catcher (it's been a long morning in the office tilting windmills).

Homer

[06VuePcola]

On a positive note, I do like this vue more than any of the other 08's I have seen. Maybe it's the color or the fact that it's a RL. I also like the interior and would have to say that it looks to be far more luxurious than the current model. I wouldn't call it ugly but there's no way I'd call it "pretty" either. I think we've all discussed this enough. We all have our opinions and posting a thread saying "how can you call this ugly?" isn't going to do anything but further divide us. There are bound to be more than a few people who will chime in with several reasons that they dislike the new vue no matter how you phrase it. Are you trying to prove it's not ugly to us or trying to convince yourself?

[wolfman]

Speaking of the father of the PT Cruiser / HHR, Bryan Nesbitt, he's 38.

In May 2007 GM named Bryan Nesbitt to the newly created position of vice president of design for North America

In January 2002 Bryan Nesbitt, 38, was named Executive Director of Design, Body-Frame Integral Architectures, at GM.

He was responsible for GM's unibody architecture designs. These include small, midsize, large and mid-luxury cars; Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac's rear-wheel-drive lineup; and front-wheel-drive minivans and crossover vehicles.

Nesbitt joined GM in April 2001 as the chief designer for Chevrolet at the Design Center in Warren, Mich. Presently, he is engaged in the re-design of numerous GM portfolio entries for the North American Market, ala HHR. Also, Nesbitt is working on Chevrolet vision portfolio for future entries from the brand, and visually defining brand essence.

He came to GM after seven years at DaimlerChrysler Corp., where he was mostly a design manager and the primary exterior designer for the production version of the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser.

A native of Phoenix, Ariz., Nesbitt received a bachelor's degree in industrial design from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif.

Thank-you. I think that about covers it nicely....

[06VRL]

I think we've all discussed this enough.
I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were the official decider of worthy and unworthy threads?
We all have our opinions and posting a thread saying "how can you call this ugly?" isn't going to do anything but further divide us.
Once again I'm sorry, I didn't realize this was a "ME AGAINST THEM THING"
I posted this thread to gain a perspective of why some people on here think this is ugly, since I am "In The Market" for a new vehicle and have looked at many, many vehicles, from my perspective there are far more "UGLY" vehicles than what some perceive this one to be! I guess since my buying and product satisfaction with Saturn so far with 3 vehicles has been a positive one, I'm looking at vehicles from Companies who have made a conscious decision to be among the Innovators, Saturn although part of GM has made that decision, they are leveraging their Design, Engineering and Product Manufacturing Collaboration with Opel to bring Common Interest Products to Multiple Markets.

There are bound to be more than a few people who will chime in with several reasons that they dislike the new vue no matter how you phrase it.
And there are bound to be more than a few people who "REALLY" are on a positive note, and chime in with several reason why they like the new vue!

Are you trying to prove it's not ugly to us or trying to convince yourself?
I'm not trying to prove anything, I asked a question of why some here think the new Vue RL is ugly and gave them a place to give their reasons one way or the other, nothing more, nothing less.

After looking at many vehicles from domestic and import, I have come to the conclusion for myself that Saturn still has a vehicle I am interested in, including buying, owning, and driving on a daily basis, although the price increases do peak my interest, they don't necessarily sway my decision because I typically load them up with options anyway, what others on this board have said one way or the other does not sway my decision, that doesn't mean I'm not interested in what others have to say, negatively or positively!

If you feel this thread is unworthy of your intelligent input, don't post in it!

[06VuePcola]

Sorry 06vrl....Did I ever say the thread was unworthy? I didn't mean to imply anything of the sort and I think you totally misconstrued what I was saying. Which is that there have been a lot of threads on here that seem to be nothing more than debating who likes/ dislikes the new vue which is fine... beating a dead horse, but fine. So back to beating that horse... By the way, did you see the new thread with links to the reviews on the new vue. The reviews seem to be very favorable, you should definitely check them out if you are interested in an 08'. http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1057513#post1057513

[mellissam]

...... Thank goodness someone woke up and decided that pictures of wood stuck onto plastic components was not "an upgrade" over painted or brushed aluminum surfaces. Just say no to plood!

Cheers,

LMAO
I have to laugh when the 'upgraded' version gets the shaft, and gets plastered with wood ornaments....funnier yet, it costs almost three times as much to get the plood!! I had to price it out, as I marred the top of my centre bezel with my hula dancer....cheap Hawaiian crap...anyway, the 'brushed' aluminum is a third of the price....I don't get it? Is the plood have real wood in it? The plastic bezel is the same, just the trim is different....
Hard to call a new car ugly.....even if it looks like all the others on the outside.....I am warming up to the interior....but so much heavier with poorer gas mileage would have me looking elsewhere....

[VTHokie00SL2]

I don't like busy designs, with a lot of funky shapes in the light fixtures, unnecessary creases in the body, etc. So, I find the new VUE to be kind of ugly. Like, what's with that air vent thing ahead of the front doors? Also, it's too round and stubby looking. I guess at best it's cute. It's definitely neither rugged nor sleek looking.

Not that the current VUE is real rugged, but it does look like an SUV rather than a tall wagon. Seems that they totally changed the character of the vehicle.

[VTHokie00SL2]

It is in a class by itself..Like a guppy or something. Rather oval in shape.

Hahaha...exactly!

[BobbyP]

Well, when it comes to you, we have to use "REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY" :dizzy:

Got to balance out the negatives with positives!

I noticed that a couple days ago... Too bad you can't edit your posts...

[VTHokie00SL2]

If I were king of the world, or at least king of GM, I'd have made the new VUE look like a smaller version of the Outlook. I actually really like the looks of the Outlook, both inside and out. Of course, I'd have kept the polymer panels, but that goes without saying! :yes:

[06VRL]

By the way, did you see the new thread with links to the reviews on the new vue. The reviews seem to be very favorable, you should definitely check them out if you are interested in an 08'. http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1057513#post1057513

Yes, I did, I'm quite disappointed, it's a slug that get's the same mileage as an Outlook, so since an Outlook has more room, more towing capacity, also great looks and interior, might as well pony-up the extra and go with the Outlook, so that's where I'm at, but thanks for the links anyway!

[06VuePcola]

might as well pony-up the extra and go with the Outlook

Now there's a nice lookin' truck. My neighbors already owned three saturns, one the older sedans for their teenage son, a wagon, and an 06' vue (it's a regular saturn neighborhood around here, my neighbors on the other side also have an 05' vue). When it came time to replace the wagon he bought an outlook...I don't know how the powertrain was because I never drove it, but I know it sure was a nice lookin' vehicle. He ended up returning it for an 07' vue though, said it was too big for him and gas mpg to harsh. I know it has the best mpg rating of any 8 passenger suv so I don't see that as a complaint but I guess the size was the main thing. If you want a BIG suv I think the outlook is a great choice, but it was just too big for him. He couldn't even park it in his car port and open the doors. So now there are 4 vues between my neighbors houses on either side and my own LOL. I guess this truck really speaks for itself! Here's a pic from when he had the outlook...

[Ollie]

Nice to see that the eliminated the big gaps between panels. Oops, there's that sarcasm.

[BobbyP]

LMAO
I have to laugh when the 'upgraded' version gets the shaft, and gets plastered with wood ornaments....funnier yet, it costs almost three times as much to get the plood!! I had to price it out, as I marred the top of my centre bezel with my hula dancer....cheap Hawaiian crap...anyway, the 'brushed' aluminum is a third of the price....I don't get it? Is the plood have real wood in it? The plastic bezel is the same, just the trim is different....
Hard to call a new car ugly.....even if it looks like all the others on the outside.....I am warming up to the interior....but so much heavier with poorer gas mileage would have me looking elsewhere....

Exactly... The reduced gas mileage and reduced cargo area, and utility will be around every 2008 VUE owner for life... Much less the aggravation when the get their first dent in their car door when a big SUV like an Expedition slams their door into the fragile 2008 VUE exterior. That first dent is a killer, and it's all down hill from there...

Considering the price, the fact it's less competitive than the competition, the Asian styling; it's going to be hard to sell this vehicle.

[cdp326]

Exactly... The reduced gas mileage and reduced cargo area, and utility will be around every 2008 VUE owner for life... Much less the aggravation when the get their first dent in their car door when a big SUV like an Expedition slams their door into the fragile 2008 VUE exterior. That first dent is a killer, and it's all down hill from there...

Considering the price, the fact it's less competitive than the competition, the Asian styling; it's going to be hard to sell this vehicle.
How is less competitive when it competes far, far better than the old VUE? You're just biased, IMO. No offense.
How is the Asian styling bad? Especially since its primary competitors are Asian.

[macbox]

The lines have no flow.
Very chunky.
Sadly, its Ugly.

[ciciusss]

How is less competitive when it competes far, far better than the old VUE? You're just biased, IMO. No offense.
How is the Asian styling bad? Especially since its primary competitors are Asian.


cdp326,

I agree with you. If anything, the reviews of the 08 Vue have pointed out that it is a much more competitive compact SUV than the 1st generation Vue. Indeed, most of the reviews of the outgoing Vue were lukewarm at best.

As for the polymer issue, if it was that big a deal there would be more than 200,000 people a year purchasing Saturn's. For the most part, the ding issue has been overstated.

From my perspective, the people who have been most critical of the new Saturn Vue (without seeing it in person or driving it) are doing so because the old Vue represents that last remnants of the old Saturn, with the polymer panels, manufactured in Spring Hill, Tennessee, etc, etc. The new Vue and Saturn in general, has obviously changed directions.

Too many, this new direction is the antithesis of what Saturn meant to them. Saturn in their minds is now, just another GM brand. The Vue is the link where you can see this transformation between old and new. My bet is if the new Vue still had polymer panels and was manufactured in Spring Hill, some of the criticism directed at this compact crossover would be much less critical.

[BobbyP]

How is less competitive when it competes far, far better than the old VUE? You're just biased, IMO. No offense.
How is the Asian styling bad? Especially since its primary competitors are Asian.

It all boils down to freedom of choice. I personally never liked typical Japanese car interiors, or the Asian exterior designs. I stopped saying anything negative about the appearance of the new VUE until I see it in person.

At times pictures make a car look worse than it really is.

[BobbyP]

Yes, I did, I'm quite disappointed, it's a slug that get's the same mileage as an Outlook, so since an Outlook has more room, more towing capacity, also great looks and interior, might as well pony-up the extra and go with the Outlook, so that's where I'm at, but thanks for the links anyway!

Since the mileage is so close, an Outlook should get serious consideration.

[montrealvue]

Since the mileage is so close, an Outlook should get serious consideration.

True, but for some (like me) who do alot of city driving the Outlook is too big a beast. I think Saturn's strategy of Vue being the smaller, practical SUV and the Outlook being the family hauler missed the mark. One is too small and one is too big! If the Vue were the same size as an '07 Mitsubishi Outlander it would make much more sense. I don't think present Vue owners will want to go to an 8 passenger vehicle.:xeye:

[s-seriesguy]

Sorry, it's ugly. It looks too wimpy, at least the 04-07 have the look of an SUV with agressive styling. It looks too much like other foreign vehicles, but I'm sure it will do good for all of the import fanboys who want to give domestics another chance. You would think that there would be larger/more agressive looking wheels than those put on it, maybe they'll chnage before production. Well, I can say one nice thing about the 08 Vues. I like the use of in-dash navigation.

[Complex]

I don't think it is ugly. I think it looks like the Tucson, which looks like the Santa Fe, which looks like the CRV, which looks like the . . . well, you get the point. The aesthetic is safe and pedestrian overall. No risk whatsoever.

I like the 07' much better. It think the angular rear and the car-like front end while in theory seem like an oxymoron, as executed it sets 07' model apart from the rest of the pack.

Although I am sure it is a great ride, I think for the price many potential buyers will go elsewhere.