The aging little SUV from Saturn, the VUE, is getting a hybrid option for 2007, but just barely. The VUE Green Line is like a hybrid hybrid: lower-powered batteries that help the engine, but can't step in for it. This low-impact hybrid system means that gas mileage is supposedly up by just 20% or so (to around 30mpg). On the other hand, the price is only $2,000 higher than the standard VUE (around $23,000). Cheap cheap cheap.
And it has 170hp, compared to the standard gas version, which has 143, which is good.
But Consumer Reports hates it, which is bad.
But it's the lowest-price hybrid SUV on the market, which is good.
But GM mucked up the front end design, putting a weird mask on what has always been a neatly designed little SUV, which is bad.
But when you're driving, you don't have to look at the front end, which is good.
But it's only available in 2WD, which is bad.
But it's---hm. Did I mention it's Green?
Saturn VUE Green Line Priced [jalopnik]
I think you mean cheapest hybrid SUV.
Why do they even bother? Do they think people are really so desperate to have a hybrid that they will settle for a not-really-doing-anything hybrid on an SUV tha only comes in 2WD? It's like they're trying their hardest to alienate every single sector of the market.
This is from the company that recently had the bright idea to subsidize gas for its high end SUVs, so you know they're not doing this for the right reasons.
Sigh.