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Amid the dire predictions for General Motors' future, here's a bright spot: the 2009 Saturn Vue 2-Mode hybrid. Saturn says that its gasoline-electric hybrid Vue, set to go on sale by March, will be the world's most fuel-efficient V6 sport-utility vehicle. If its claim of a 50 percent fuel-economy gain over a non-hybrid V6 Vue holds true, the 2-Mode Vue will post a figure of nearly 30 mpg combined.

Sam Abuelsamid from Autoblog: We had a chance for a quick drive of a development prototype for Buick's upcoming plug-in hybrid crossover this week at the GM proving ground. The prototype was still wearing its Saturn grille and badging as that was the original intent of the program. When Rick Wagoner announced in late 2006 that the company would develop a plug-in hybrid, it was intended to the be the Vue. Of course, at that time, Saturn still had a future as part of GM but we all know how that tu...

Colin Bird from Cars.com: Remember the Saturn Vue Two-Mode Hybrid? If you don't, you'll never know it, as this Saturn Vue model will never go on sale. The vehicle was so close to launch that the EPA even tested it: The Vue Two-Mode would have received a 27/30 mpg city/highway, 28 mpg combined rating. That means the ill-fated 255-hp hybrid crossover would have been more fuel-efficient than the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid (though that model is larger and comes equipped with all-wheel drive), but...

Sam Abuelsamid from AutoBlog: While perusing the EPA's fuel economy listings, one of our readers stumbled across a vehicle that we didn't even know had been rated. The 2-Mode Hybrid version of the Saturn Vue had initially been scheduled to go into production in November of 2008. However, as General Motors careened toward financial apocalypse, many product programs were put on hold or canceled altogether. Among those was the new hybrid Vue, which was delayed at least twice before finally being te...

General Motors wants you to know that the 2009 Saturn Vue 2 Mode Hybrid is the "world's most fuel-efficient V-6 SUV." That's the glass half full. The other half of the glass is that the Saturn Vue 2 Mode Hybrid is, in our view, the world's most powerful fuel-efficient compact SUV. So forget about the old half-full/half-empty conundrum. The Saturn Vue 2 Mode Hybrid is a glass full to the brim.

The Vue 2 Mode Hybrid is pretty self-explanatory: it's a Saturn Vue, and it's the first non-GMT900 ride to get the 2 Mode hybrid setup. It'll slot above the existing Saturn Vue "light" hybrid (née Green Line) in the lineup, targeting drivers who desire fuel economy on par with the four-cylinder hybrid, but want more power and/or towing capacity. The 2 Mode Vue's gas engine is a direct-injected version of the widely-used 3.6L "high feature" powerplant. In this case, it makes 262 horsepower and 2...

With General Motors reassessing its brands in preparation for its next appearance before the U.S. Congress, Saturn of Wausau’s future is uncertain. John Bergstrom, chief executive officer of Bergstrom Automotive, said Friday his Saturn dealerships in Wausau and across the state are part of a still-developing "alternative" business model, making it too early to say whether they will close or remain open. "We're hoping that they don't (close)," Bergstrom said. "We want to be in the Saturn busine...

Every throne has its challengers, or pretenders in some cases, and Toyota's hybrid crown is finally getting a bit of a test. Not only has Ford said its Fusion hybrid will have a better fuel economy rating than the Camry hybrid, but General Motors is making a play to beat Toyota, too. In a couple months, Saturn will start selling a hybrid version of its Vue with the two-mode system that powers the hybrid Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade. (Saturn already sells a mild hybrid system in t...

Lawrence Ulrich from the NY Times: Last year at this time General Motors expressed high hopes for its first full-range hybrid-drive system, which G.M. executives insisted was superior even to Toyota's gas-electric technology. But buyers may have been scared off by a trifecta of factors: high price, a truck-hostile market, and high gas prices. GM's next shot at hybrid redemption will be a two-mode version of the Saturn Vue, to go on sale in early 2009. The Saturn, smaller than GM's current hybrid...

Step on the gas of the Saturn 2 Mode Hybrid and be prepared for an exhilarating ride. With the added kick from electric assist, Saturn’s new advanced hybrid really scoots thanks to 262 horsepower and 250 lbs-ft of torque. Improved acceleration is important, but for many the added fuel economy provided by electric drive at both low and high speed will likely be the primary appeal. We were also impressed with the fully blended electro-hydraulic brake system that enables regenerative braking, tra...

The Vue 2 Mode differs from the Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid in that it pairs a two-mode hybrid powertrain with a V6 engine. It can be considered a strong hybrid because it's capable of running on the batteries alone, the engine alone or the two together. The regular Green Line can't do that. It uses its batteries to provide a boost to performance only, but can't actually run on straight electric. The 2 Mode system is also different from the Hybrid system you find in the Toyota Prius. Just like ...

GM's much-touted Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid will plug into a wall socket to recharge its 16-kilowatt-hour battery pack for up to 40 miles of travel solely on electricity. It may be many Americans' first exposure in a century to cars that plug into the wall. Next up in the growing lineup of hybrid Saturn Vue models will be the Vue Two-Mode Plug-In Hybrid, which will run up to 10 miles on electricity alone at 35 mph or less. That vehicle is expected to launch late in 2010, at roughly the same t...

General Motors wants you to know that the 2009 Saturn Vue 2 Mode Hybrid is the "world's most fuel-efficient V-6 SUV." That's the glass half full. The other half of the glass is that the Saturn Vue 2 Mode Hybrid is, in our view, the world's most powerful fuel-efficient compact SUV. So forget about the old half-full/half-empty conundrum. The Saturn Vue 2 Mode Hybrid is a glass full to the brim. The '09 Saturn Vue 2 Mode Hybrid is the first smaller-vehicle application of the two-mode hybrid technol...

This green SUV will have a 3.6-liter V6 under the hood to garner 260 horsepower, zero to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds, all while boasting a 3,500-pound towing capacity. It will also include GM's first front-wheel-drive two-mode transmission and a total driving range of more than 500 miles per tank of gas. Boasting a 50% improvement in overall fuel economy (when compared to the Vue XR V6 model), we fully expect this to be a big hit, especially if gas prices begin creeping back up in preparation for the ...