2008 Saturn VUE Hybrid

It shouldn't take a Nobel Prize in economics to realize that buying a hybrid to save money isn't always the wisest financial decision. Put simply, the price premium associated with all that high-tech gasoline-electric wizardry would take years to recoup with fuel savings alone. Federal tax credits aid some models, but the 2008 Saturn Vue Green Line has more going for it than just the generosity of Uncle Sam.

The Vue essentially shares the same unsophisticated, "mild" hybrid technology found in the Aura Green Line sedan and Malibu Hybrid. Compared to the systems found in the Ford Escape Hybrid or in Toyota's various vehicles, the Saturn electric motor provides very little assistance during acceleration and does not have enough juice to power the Vue by itself. Instead, the electric motor is mostly used to automatically restart the gas engine when it shuts down at a stop, which is where most of the fuel savings originates. However, while the related Aura Green Line sedan provides a meager 2 mpg advantage over the standard four-cylinder Aura, the Vue Green Line betters its gas-only edition by 6 mpg.

So the Vue Green Line is more fuel efficient than the regular Vue, but how does it do against its true competition? Well, the hybrid Vue is on average about 5 mpg more efficient than four-cylinder competitors like the Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue and Toyota RAV4. The Vue has a slightly higher base price, but when comparably equipped, the four cash out for about the same. But, with a $1,550 federal tax credit, it's technically cheaper. The Vue may not be a class leader (especially in terms of space), but this newly redesigned crossover still boasts solid road manners, a lengthy features list and a high-quality interior.

For now, though, the 2008 Saturn Vue Green Line makes a lot of sense. It gets significantly better gas mileage than its primary competitors and costs less when you consider tax credits, while still being an attractive, well-built compact crossover. It doesn't take a Nobel Prize in economics to view the Vue Green Line as a wise decision.

© Source: edmunds
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