Saturn Releases Teaser Photo of 2007 Outlook SUV

Yeah, but Toyota's latest Highlander is also a hybrid model with far better mpg than this will have. GM is still resting on its laurels - or whatever. No wonder Toyota has nearly 5 times the worth of GM lately (and even Harley-Davidson passed GM). They need to get on the ball with their engineering and technology faster -- like the supposedly hybrid Vue that never has appeared as did their Chevy pickup.

On foot forward. Two steps back.

B~

How so? The current Vue meets Highlanders highway EPA numbers. I havent even seen the Outlooks numbers.

GM is still resting on its laurels - or whatever.

One has to seriously question if Toyota actually meets the EPA mileage numbers or even their rated Horse Power. Often they "do not", however GM's MPG numbers hold true well past the EPA highway test speeds, of which do NOT exceed 60mph and average 48mph. (who drives 48mph on the highway anymore?) People who do nothing but city driving are the only people who could benefit from hybrids AND thats only if they're WELLLL over due for a new car and have to have new car "warranties" for some reason... After the 3 year warranty is up it likely has yet to pay itself off on fuel savings. Also the electric motor does nothing after 50mph and once past that the batteries and electric motor are dead weight... I'd still take a Vue over a Highlander anyhow. The Vue is WAY cheaper and gas will always be cheaper than the repairs on those f*^$ers. Eventually the Hybrid hype will pop once hydrogen powered cars are perfected.

From Edmunds.com site:

2006 Toyota Highlander "Hybrid": City: 31-33 mpg Hwy: 27-28 mpg

2006 Saturn Vue: City: 19-22 mpg Hwy: 25-28 mpg

Most others shown are: City: 13-18 mpg Hwy: 18-21 mpg

That said, the Highlander is a much larger vehicle than the Vue. Edmunds calls it a mid-size and it weighs in at around 5,500 pounds as well.

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid (

)wins as far as city mpg where their Synergy Drive excels. GM hasn't even approached those numbers. Where I was in Northern California a couple of weeks ago, gas (regular) was $3.39 per gallon (Old Station, and diesel was around the same price).

If you check Toyota's site, they are working on a hydrogen hybrid as well (check the Future/Concept section under Vehicles). However, trying to get pure water via steam generation is costly and I doubt if hydrogen will be the answer - although it will free us of oil based fuels (short of electricity to purify it). Buying distilled water costs more than gas now ($1.00 for 16 ounces of water, not the filtered stuff). Want to buy some truly distilled, not deionized or filtered, water for less than $3 gallon? Good luck.

Good things are the Ni-Metal Hydride batteries are recyclable and the hybrid will reduce the dependency of petrol in the long run. That's one advantage where the Toyota system runs the battery between 40-60 percent in charge so they get the battery to last a long time (warranty is 7 years in CA). Price of the vehicle shouldn't matter since some people think a Hummer is a bargain and buy whatever floats their boat anyhow.

You could argue the Toyota Camry verses their soon to be out Toyota Camry V6 Synergy Hybrid which would be the best comparison of different vehicle operating expenses. If the owner puts serious miles on the hybrid model in

5 years - and gas goes above $3/gallon - the hybrid owners should come out ahead if the vehicle's price differential is approx. $2K (discounting any governmental tax "exclusion," not the "deduction" most assume to be the hybrid's tax benefit -- which may go by the wayside soon).

As I said, GM (and Ford) needs to speed up their technology no matter what they decide on for fuel. Toyota is leading the way right now -- and pretty far ahead. You cannot get an "Employee's Price" on them as yet as you can with GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Go figger.

Aside, if you look into the Prius online forums where they are doing some competitions for best mpg, there is some CHP officer in CA that was getting

111 mpg in his Prius. So people can learn how to drive them and keep the gasoline engine offline. Still pretty amazing stuff going on with the hybrids and getting over 450 miles on a 11-13 gallon tank cannot be dismissed. No doubt we'll all be in them in a few years.

B~

quote " there is some CHP officer in CA that was getting

111 mpg in his Prius. "

LOL, I hope the FHP decides to switch to Prius, like to see them try and catch -er anything. That would be funny.

marx404

Yeah, that would be funny had it been a patrol car but it's his own personal car and I think he likes the competitive mpg contests. However, the Kern County Sheriff in Lake Isabella does have a Prius for its Citizen Patrol car. I about fell over when I saw it. Don't know what they use it for, but since it's a retirement area maybe they can catch grandma in her cart. Sure does look odd though.

Our city cops have H-D motorcycles. You can tune into police band and hear them often getting outrun by cars, and seems like Honda's like to do it often around here - maybe the same guy? CHP has the quicker BMW bike and they don't seem to lose their prey as often . damhik! >:o(

B~

Outlook -- really? I wonder if we're going to see a Microsoft suit vs GM? :)

Let me stop you right there.

You think the Highlander is larger? Think again, the basic Highlander is nearly the same weight and demensions as the Vue. It only gets about

500lbs heavier when you add batteries.

Highlander Hybrid Limited 4X2

-Wheelbase: 106.9

-Width: 71.9

-Curb Weight AT: 4070

-Horsepower @ RPM: 208@5600

-Torque @ RPM: 212@4400

-Cty/Hwy 33/28 mpg

-MSRP: $37,890

-Highlander V6 4X2

-Wheelbase: 106.9

-Width: 71.9

-Curb Weight AT: 3520 Horsepower @ RPM: 230@5800 Torque @ RPM: 242@4400

-Cty/Hwy: 19/25 mpg

-MSRP: $25,340

Vue 3.5L FWD V6

-Wheelbase: 106.6

-Width: 71.5

-Curb Weight AT: 3478

-Horsepower @ RPM: 250@5800

-Torque @ RPM: 242@4500

-Cty/Hwy: 20/28 mpg

-MSRP: $21,390

(Vue vs Hybrid - 13mpg difference "city" driving, the average mpg will never justify the $16k diff in price)

As for highway travel the Saturn/Honda wins out hands down. You can buy a LOT of gas with a $16,500 price difference. My personal Land yacht's worst mileage thus far has been 23.9mph in the winter when I do a lot of short driving and morning idle warmups. The only comfortable cars compairable to my car are well either not compairable or not much better on gas. If you want to drive a body numbing cramped up Prius be my guest. I can buy a good Fiero for under a grand and save a lot more "money" and "gas" than a new Prius hybrid could ever save me if I wanted to drive something that small.

Probably not - I don't believe they sued Hyundai for the "Excel"... :)

True, but they are not the same vehicle nor do they need to have the same price. Look at the fit and finish of the interior. Saturn has a lot of plastic (door panels) and that leads to rattles (Got one. I know) and that creates a noisy interior. I just got back in form an out of town trip and took the ear foams out so I know about noisy interiors firsthand. Saturn's interior finish is borderline poor in my book even with their better option package. The difference in price between the two is irrelevant as they are not the same, no more than a Viper and a Corvette are the same. Performance is quite different though.

The two Camry's will be the true test. Until that happens, discussing the Toyota Hybrid verses the Vue is pointless as would be discussing the Lexus RX-400 (?) Hybrid verses the Toyota SUV hybrid which are almost the same vehicle. Price difference may be $10,000, but some will buy the Lexus regardless that the Toyota is cheaper overall. My sister is one: "If it isn't a Lexus, I wouldn't own it!" Her's is nice and very quiet whereas the Vue seems to have more interior road noise. Not a good comparison, other than price and fuel economy. Some don't care about price, but they care about not stopping at gas stations or finding one closed along I-5, air quality, no smog checks, remote warmups and cool-downs (via their electrics & remote), and less dependecy on foreign and domestic oil. A smile on her face is worth more than a price tag.

B~