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The redesigned Saturn Vue compact crossover utility vehicle has arrived for 2008. Gasoline-only versions of the second-generation Vue are already on sale, and the reworked Green Line hybrid model will arrive later in the fall. The Vue's new exterior design has a European flavor in keeping with the recent Saturn renaissance as General Motors Corp. moves the brand upscale.

A week with the new Vue helps explain the popularity of these vehicles and also explains why - perhaps you have heard - Saturn's star seems to be rising again, thanks to a showroom filled with fresh product.

The 2008 Saturn Vue XR delivers BMW X3-beating performance and Lexus-standard cabin tech, all for around $30K.

Normally, I'm not a fan of front-wheel-drive sport-utility vehicles. Without the benefit of four-wheel-drive traction, front-drive SUVs are little more than taller, squarer wagons. 2008 Saturn Vue Green Line. I was willing to make an exception for the Saturn Vue Green Line for several reasons, the most notable being that it seldom snows in Canada during the summer. Then there's the fact that I put to good use the compact ute's generous cargo room, ferrying detritus from my garage to the regiona...

The Vue Green Line has only a "mild hybrid" system used in the Chevrolet Malibu and Saturn Aura hybrid sedans, but here it offers a 6 mpg fuel-economy boost, not just 2, as in the other vehicles. An advantage of the Vue Green Line's hybrid, as compared to full-hybrid systems, is some serious hidden underfloor storage space in the back because there's no huge battery pack. One big downside: Try finding a Saturn Green Line at a dealer near you. So far, GM is producing just a trickle of these cross...

It's time to take a new view of Saturn's Vue. After all, the only thing this all-new 2008 model has in common with the old model is the name -- and I think you will be pleasantly surprised when you see what this small crossover has to offer. To say that this new Vue is nothing like the old one is to indulge in understatement.

The Vue offers three engines, two automatic transmissions and multiple trim levels, including a mild hybrid called the Green Line and a sporty Red Line. The 2009 Vue, out next summer, will offer GM's more robust two-mode hybrid system, promising a 45 percent improvement in fuel economy. Further in the future, GM plans to configure the Vue as a plug-in hybrid. The basic front-drive XE version employs a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder with 169 horsepower and a four-speed automatic. The XE with all-wheel driv...

More impressive than interior space are the design and the materials used. Aside from the center stack and the cheap-looking gauge faces, the Vue's insides are identical to the Antara's. Marked improvements include tightly grained low-gloss plastics and metallic and chrome trim; these clearly put the Vue ahead of the competition. Our test vehicle's optional leather interior wouldn't look out of place in a Saab, and come to think of it, the tilt steering wheel may be from Saab's shelves. We wish ...

Saturn's Vue Green Line does many things well, but none of them will make more friends than its ability to use less gas. Green Line is a hybrid, getting its power from a combination of a 2.4-liter, 169-horsepower, four-cylinder gas engine and an electric motor/generator. It's linked to a four-speed automatic transmission. The system saves fuel in four ways. First, the electric motor provides a power assist for the gas engine during acceleration. The engine is shut off early when decelerating ...

Like other hybrids, the Vue uses low-rolling-resistance tires, which lack the foul-weather grip of tires used on other Vue models. Yet it retains the nimble feel, tight construction and firm ride of its higher-powered siblings, making it fun to drive once up to speed. And it feels more refined than the Escape, despite the numb feel of the Saturn's electric power steering. The interior is nicely finished with good quality materials, although the hardness of the center console lid makes it an unco...

From GlobeandMail.com: The Vue hybrid interested me for a couple of reasons. First, it's an all-new model for 2008. Second, Canada's auto journos — the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada — voted it best new vehicle in its class. By the way, that was a decision that took me by surprise and appeared to even to shock GM Canada's people. But there you go. And third, the Power Information Network people sent along the latest sales data about the new Vue. More than two-thirds, 68.1 per c...

A monster SUV with four-wheel-drive is a great DogCar; problem is, with gas over $4 a gallon and no relief in sight, it's a DogCar few people can afford to operate and fewer still want to use for the daily commute. So what do you do if you need room for your dogs, their gear and yours but want to go easy both on the environment and your gas-guzzling? The new hybrid SUVs and crossovers may be the answer for more and more people. Fresh out of the box and worthy of consideration: The Saturn VUE Hyb...

The 2008 Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid is a smart choice for SUV buyers seeking an eco-friendly compact crossover. With a base price of just $24,170, the Vue Green Line is one hybrid that doesn't have a hefty premium added to its pricetag. And as expected, being a hybrid means that the Vue Green Line delivers better fuel economy than its non-hybrid counterpart. The Vue Green Line is rated at 25 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. That’s 6 mpg better than the four-cylinder powered non-hyb...

Why would a buyer choose the Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid over an Escape Hybrid, then? While the GM system is less advanced than the Ford hybrid powertrain, it's also significantly less expensive. A Saturn Hybrid starts at about $26,200, more than $3,000 less than the lowest-priced Ford Escape Hybrid. Unfortunately, it's also about $4,000 more than a comparably equipped non-hybrid Vue XE; that money buys you about a 6 MPG improvement both city and highway. Actually, that money buys you the mi...

What's really unique about this Vue is that, according to Transport Canada, the Green Line edition has the best highway fuel economy rating of any SUV offered in Canada, sipping 6.1 litres of gas for every 100 kilometres traveled (8.2 L/100 km in the city). Saturn credits its belt-alternator-starter (BAS) system for this frugality. The Vue's "mild" hybrid technology is also less complex than most other hybrids, its BAS motor connected to the four-cylinder Ecotec's fan belt, eliminating the need ...