2007 Saturn Vue Green Line First Drive

Unlike most hybrid vehicles, the 2007 Saturn Vue Green Line uses a rather low-tech four-speed automatic transmission to transmit power to the front wheels. The Green Line’s platform allows for all-wheel-drive capability, though there’s no word on if – or when – an AWD Green Line will be made available. For now, Saturn’s hybrid SUV is a front-driver with an aluminum 2.4-liter, dual overhead cam, 16-valve four-cylinder engine ponying up 170 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 162 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,400 rpm. The hybrid system consists of a five-kilowatt electric motor, or generator, bolted onto the engine to replace the traditional alternator, working in conjunction with a 36-volt NiMH battery pack located beneath the front portion of the cargo floor. When extra power is needed, the electric motor “assists” the gas engine; the battery pack is recharged via regenerative braking and is designed to kick in as soon as the driver lifts off the throttle. All told, the hybrid version of the Saturn Vue weighs about 130 pounds more than its gas-only counterpart, and should return 27 mpg city and 32 mpg highway, representing a 20-percent gain in fuel economy. Also interesting to note is that the hybrid’s battery assistance helps the Green Line reach 60 mph a full second faster than a traditional four-cylinder powered Vue, at a still leisurely 10.2 seconds.