2009 Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid
June 15, 2009 by Jyle Dupuis
Filed under Cars
The 2009 Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid is a great new compact crossover SUV that uses the latest in gas/electric motor technology. You will love the Vue if you are looking for a compact SUV that has a green edge but doesn’t compromise in comfort.
2009 Saturn Vue
Engineers at Saturn decided that they needed to reinvent what being a hybrid means. Instead of switching between a gas and electric powered engine they decided to have an electric motor used to assist the gas engine. What this means is that the electric motor is actually a large alternator or rotor that kicks in to assist the engine when the power is needed. In this way the engine needn’t be large like most other SUV’s. Instead the Vue has a very light 2.4L that can get an impressive 24 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. Compare that to the Vue XE that also uses the same 2.4L engine that only gets 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. The comparison shows that the electric rotor is an effective little tool.
The gas engine on the Vue also has the ability to shut on and off when stopping for long periods of time. The only difference you might find on the hybrid is that there may not be as much power when needed. The Vue Hybrid also doesn’t come in all-wheel drive which might annoy some purchasers. In all though the Saturn Vue is impressive and gets you more for your buck, a bargain if you ask me.
Image: Saturn.com
