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"         The may be the vehicle that helps finally become a genuine contender in the U.S. marketplace. Although a late entry into the small sport-utility segment, Saturn&amp;#039;s first-ever SUV offers some interesting features and technologies (it&amp;#039;s the first SUV with a continuously variable automatic transmission; more on this later) that set it apart from the herd.   While VUE doesn&amp;#039;t actually stand for anything, Jill Lajdziak, vice president for Saturn sales, service and marketing, said, &amp;quot;We named it the VUE because it brings a new perspective to the sport-utility market.&amp;quot; That perspective? Combining the utility and safety features of a traditional SUV with the comfort and handling dynamics of a sedan.   The VUE looks like a combination of an SUV and the Saturn S- and L-series cars. It&amp;#039;s fairly blocky, but carries the Saturn family grille and rectangular headlight treatment. While the styling is a bit bland, the headlights and the trademark Saturn side-view swoosh spark some interest.   But what you really care about is how this all-new Saturn drives. While it won&amp;#039;t set the world on fire, it does quite well for itself. Despite steering that&amp;#039;s certainly not sports-car precise and a bit of a floaty nature to the suspension, you can really flog this sport-ute on twisty roads. It helps that the VUE front-wheel-drive models ride on P215/70SR-16 tires, while all-wheel-drive VUEs plant themselves on P235/70SR-16s. The VUE corners with carlike ability, with a minimum of roll (for an SUV) and tire squeal. And because of a longest-in-class wheelbase, there isn&amp;#039;t a feeling of choppiness.   The suspension is independent front and rear, which contributes greatly to its on-road prowess (Saturn acknowledges that the VUE is not intended for serious off-roading). It also features electrically assisted power steering, which does a good job of providing assist for low-speed maneuvers while giving greater feedback at higher speeds. Another benefit to this system is the lack of a hydraulic pump to run the power steering, thereby increasing fuel efficiency.   The VUE uses the same engine lineup as the midsize L-series sedan. The base engine is an aluminum 2.2-liter dohc 4-cylinder with 143 bhp and 152 lb.-ft. of torque, mated to either a 5-speed manual or Saturn&amp;#039;s all-new CVT, which they&amp;#039;ve dubbed VTi. The manual is available only in front-wheel-drive configuration, while the VTi can be either front- or all-wheel drive.   The VTi is not available with the 3.0-liter 181-bhp V-6, as the transmission would have to be considerably stronger to handle the extra power and torque (195 lb.-ft.). But the V-6 VUE comes with a 5-speed conventional automatic that is quite good, and all V-6s have all-wheel drive.   People not familiar with CVTs might be thrown off at first by its operation \u2014 on acceleration it seems to stay at the same rpm forever. But the VTi can help compensate for an underpowered engine \u2014 especially on long, sustained climbs where a lack of power and the up-and-down hunting of a conventional automatic can be annoying. While slow off the line (and having a bit of the rubber-band effect like a snowmobile), the VTi gives very smooth, basically shiftless operation.   While the VUE mimics its competition in the brake department, using front (vented) discs and rear drums, it&amp;#039;s surprising that the higher-end V-6 awd model does not come with ABS standard (it&amp;#039;s optional). This seems odd for a vehicle (and company) promoting safety.   In trying to give the VUE some carlike qualities, Saturn gave it a very low step-in height (much appreciated). The interior is Saturn-pleasant, with the generously sized analog speedometer and tachometer dominating the dashboard \u2014 simple, but very effective. The front seats are comfortable, and the front passenger seat folds down flat to allow the hauling of 8-ft.-long objects with the tailgate closed. The rear seat is also easy to get in and out of.           While it would be nice to have a little less hard plastic and more soft-touch pieces, this is a cost-conscious vehicle. And cost (or lack thereof) will be one of the selling points of the VUE. The 4-cylinder front-wheel-drive model with the 5-speed manual starts at $16,835, with the V-6 all-wheel drive coming in at $23,085.   That&amp;#039;s a lot of SUV for the money, and when you factor in the Saturn dealer experience (low-pressure salespeople and no-haggle pricing), the VUE should find plenty of happy &amp;quot;soft-roader&amp;quot; buyers. And that should keep Saturn in the ballgame. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/reviews/a9394/saturn-vue/>