Best Reviewed
Hybrid SUVs
- Most fuel-efficient hybrid SUV 2012 Ford Escape Hybrid *Est. $30570
- Best family-sized hybrid SUV 2011 Toyota Highlander Hybrid *Est. $38140
- Best luxury hybrid SUV 2011 Lexus RX 450h *Est. $44735
- Best hybrid SUV for towing 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid *Est. $60565
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- Lowest-priced hybrid SUV available
- Top crash ratings
- Smooth ride, solid feel
- Only slightly better fuel economy than non-hybrid
- Mediocre performance and handling
- No all-wheel drive available
Note: 2009 is the last model year available for the Saturn Vue Hybrid. As part of General Motors' post-bankruptcy reorganization, the Saturn brand was permanently shut down.
The 2009 Saturn Vue Hybrid sheds its old "Green Line" moniker. This "mild" hybrid was introduced in 2007 and updated to the current body style in 2008. The front-wheel-drive-only mild hybrid is essentially a 172-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder with stop-start technology -- a battery pack restarts the engine after it stops automatically when the car comes to a halt. The batteries cannot propel the vehicle on electricity alone. Test drivers say power is adequate but not plentiful, and the batteries' small boost during acceleration is imperceptible. Fuel economy is rated at 25/32 mpg city/highway, about 6 mpg better than the non-hybrid four-cylinder 2009 Saturn Vue (Base MSRP: $23,745).
The Saturn Vue hybrid still comes with a federal tax credit, which helps to offset its higher price and make it a good buy, many reviewers say. They are pleased with the Vue's road manners, solid feel and high-quality interior. For buyers seeking a high-mileage SUV, reviews say the Vue Hybrid is a better buy than a non-hybrid version of the larger 2009 Toyota Highlander ($25,705 to $34,520). While the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid (Base MSRP: $29,305 to $33,385) or similar 2009 Mercury Mariner Hybrid (Base MSRP: $29,750 to $31,500) get better gas mileage, they are priced higher than the Saturn without offering more equipment, reviews emphasize. But shoppers are advised to also consider lower-priced, non-hybrid alternatives such as the 2009 Honda CR-V (Base MSRP: $21,095 to $28,795) and 2009 Toyota RAV4 (*Est. $21,500 to $27,810).
Because the 2009 Saturn Vue is little changed from 2008, we utilized several reviews that evaluate the 2008 model. Edmunds.com offers a comprehensive summary review, while more detailed road-test reports are found at CNET, MyRide.com and Automobile.com. ConsumerGuide.com gives the Vue its "Recommended" rating for 2009 and provides a summary report. AutoWeek gives details and driving impressions of the new two-mode hybrid Vue. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives the 2009 Vue its Top Safety Pick honor for crash-test results.
Our Sources
1. Edmunds.com
This summary review calls the mild-hybrid Vue "one of the few hybrids to make financial sense," and they praise its "solid road manners, a lengthy features list and a high-quality interior."
Review: 2008 Saturn Vue Hybrid Review, Editors of Edmunds.com
2. CNET
CNET writer Kevin Massy emphasizes the Saturn Vue Hybrid's technological features, such as OnStar's turn-by-turn navigation. Fuel economy is lower than expected, Massy reports, achieving only 22.8 mpg in the test vehicle. In addition, "throttle response is disappointing, even with the assistance of the electric motor," Massy says.
Review: 2008 Saturn Vue Hybrid Green Line review, Kevin Massy, March 26, 2008
3. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Top-rated vehicles in crash tests are honored by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety with a Top Safety Pick award. The 2009 Saturn Vue is one of the few cars to earn ratings of "Good" in frontal, side-impact crash tests, as well as in evaluations of head restraints for protection against neck injuries in rear impacts. In addition, each winning vehicle must offer electronic stability control.
Review: Top Safety Picks, Editors of Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
ConsumerGuide.com gives the Saturn Vue a "recommended" rating, rather than name it a best buy. A general 2009 Saturn Vue review includes an evaluation of the mild hybrid variant, in which test drivers achieved an average 31.6 mpg. They call the single-mode hybrid system "notably smooth and generally unobtrusive," although it could use more power for merging or passing.
Review: 2009 Saturn Vue, Editors of ConsumerGuide.com, Nov. 13, 2008
5. MyRide.com
MyRide.com, a part of Autobytel, reports average fuel economy of only 23.5 mpg during test driving with a high use of air conditioning. Acceleration is called "lackluster," the electric steering "offers no road feel," and handling also gets no compliments.
Review: 2008 Saturn Vue Green Line Review, Vernon Heywood
Writer Justin Couture admits that he was no fan of the previous-generation Saturn Vue with the mild hybrid system. However, he is pleased with the many improvements on the current model, commenting, "Compared to the old Vue Green Line, the new car feels like a proper, full-hearted 100-percent effort on the part of GM to do things right."
Review: 2008 Saturn Vue Review, Justin Couture, June 2, 2008
7. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
Editors of ConsumerReports.org have a good summary review of the non-hybrid Saturn Vue with a road-test evaluation and specific reliability history of the hybrid version, as compiled in large owner surveys. You must be a subscriber to read this report.
Review: 2009 Saturn Vue review, Editors of ConsumerReports.org
8. AutoWeek
AutoWeek describes the Vue's new two-mode hybrid version, expected to go on sale in March 2009. Bob Gritzinger says the test vehicle "pulled smartly away from standing stops" and still has "power in reserve when needed at higher speeds."
Review: Saturn Vue 2-Mode Hybrid- Another Vue of green, Bob Gritzinger, Dec. 3, 2008
9. Car and DriverDetails/Subscribe
Car and Driver provides a list of the most fuel-efficient SUVs and gives the second-place spot to the 2008 Saturn Vue Green Line, beat only by the Ford Escape Hybrid. The article is not a full review, although it notes that compared with the Escape Hybrid, the Vue has a lower price and "offers lower gains in fuel economy but is wrapped in far more attractive packaging."
Review: Frugal Utes: The 10 Most Fuel-Efficient SUVs in the U.S., Staff of Car and Driver, July 2008
10. Cars.com
Cars.com's descriptive overview of the two hybrid Vue models -- the Two-Mode Hybrid and the carry-over "mild" system -- is not a full evaluation and contains no driving impressions.
Review: 2009 Saturn Vue Hybrid, Staff of Cars.com, July 22, 2008
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