2007 Saturn Review

Specifications

Turning Up the Heat in a Growing Segment

Over time, venerable full-size station wagons - such as Buicks Roadmaster and Fords Country Squire - have been replaced by highly practical minivans and fuel-sucking, four-wheel drive SUVs. With its new Lambda architecture, GM plans to offer an alternative to stigmatic minivan and wasteful SUV ownership in the form of fuel-friendly, full-size SUV / wagon / minivan crossover concoctions capable of comfortably carrying up to eight occupants. The unibody design of the front-wheel drive, or optional all-wheel drive Lambda platform reduces its overall weight by eliminating a hefty truck-like frame and other heavy-duty components needed to tow ponderous loads or endure severe off-road conditions. Less weight requires less horsepower, less horsepower requires fewer cylinders, fewer cylinders require less fuel - or so the science goes.

Both Chrysler and Ford have already seen the full-size crossover light, supplying us with the Pacifica and Freestyle respectively; now, Pontiac Aztek behind them and Buick Rendezvous about to be, its GMs turn to illuminate - and why not, the crossover market is a rapidly growing automotive segment that shows no sign of weakening anytime soon. In fact, if my reproductive potential were met, I would look toward such a vehicle to fulfill family transportation needs. Although I dont require the ruggedness of a truck-based, 4WD SUV, I do like the idea of AWD traction to keep me within easy reach of ski hills and other forms of outdoor recreation. And in a climate that exposes motorists to plenty of rain and slick conditions, the added security of AWD is a boon to safety as well. By adding decent fuel economy, thanks in part to six cylinders rather than eight, to its list of attributes, the practicality of a full-size crossover doesnt carry with it the resource-depleting baggage of a true, full-size SUV.

In GMs case, a full-size crossover is expected to round out the lineup in three of its divisions, beginning with Saturns Outlook, and then followed up with Buicks Enclave and GMCs Acadia. All three vehicles will share the same basic structure while exhibiting brand specific characteristics. First to hit the launch pad will be the Outlook, which was introduced yesterday at the New York International Auto Show; incidentally open to the public from April 14 through 23. Outlook production is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of this year, so we have some time to wait before getting behind the wheel. However, from the information available to date, it appears GM is putting extra effort into ensuring the Outlook and its two cousins are the pride of their automotive families, and leaders within the segment.

By a very small margin, the Outlook will eclipse both the Pacifica and Freestyle in overall length, stretching the tape to 200.7 in; and at 118.9 inches, the Outlooks wheelbase will also exceed that of its two main rivals. In overall height, the 72.8-inch roof-rail equipped Outlook will split the difference between the taller Freestyle and lower Pacifica. The exterior dimensions of the Outlook leave it very “garage-able,” while maximizing its commodious interior. When its second and third row seats are folded flat, the Outlook will absorb 117.0 cu ft of cargo, but heres where its length really pays off: behind the third row seat remains a very useable 19.7 cu ft of grocery-hauling space. This means there is less need to constantly drop and raise the third row seat in order to stuff in sundries or alternatively, people.  And when its the alternative filling the Outlooks real estate, those sent rearward will find access to the third row contortion-free thanks to GMs industry-first, Smart Slide feature, standard on all second row configurations. Smart Slide allows the second row seat cushion to flip up as the seatback slides forward, effectively compressing the space occupied by the seat and enlarging the pathway to the third row perch.

Building an attractive yet aerodynamically efficient body around such a capacious cabin can be tricky. Based on the photos provided by GM, it appears success has been achieved. Most prominent throughout the Outlooks exterior sheet metal is the new face of Saturn, which was first applied to the Sky, cousin to Pontiacs two-seat Solstice sports roadster. The new image is more angular than rounded, highlighted with well-defined creases and a broad, horizontal band of chrome capping the grille. This theme, combined with the Outlooks wrap-around rear glass, results in a look that is fresh, bold and symmetrical. In short, I think it sets a new benchmark for the others to work toward, particularly the Pacifica. The interior architecture of the Outlook appears modeled around the cabin found in GMs new GMT900 products, such as the 2007 Yukon and Tahoe - and that is a very good thing.

Rather than sporting some sort of archaic truck-like dashboard and instrument panel, the Outlook is fitted with a low-sitting design that looks so good it could have been lifted from a newer Cadillac product. The setup features a smoothly-finished center stack flowing into a substantial center console, which houses the shift lever and two large cupholders before merging with a secondary storage bin and a larger, under-armrest storage bin. In the accompanying photos, simulated wood trim adds a touch of elegance to the two-tone interior. Of course all the looks in the world can be for not if similarly matched driving pleasure isnt delivered. Although only speculative at this point, judging from GMs literature, driving dynamics should live up to expectations.

A car-like ride is a basic tenet of crossover vehicles, and GM will utilize a fully independent coil spring arrangement to provide the Outlook with just that. The engineers will also use antilock-enhanced discs at all four corners to ensure strong braking performance complements the comfortable ride. But the heart of any new vehicle is its drivetrain, and here GM plans to lead the way with a potent, highly refined, aluminum V6 engine mated to a 6-speed autobox.

The engine is GMs latest and most technologically advanced V6 unit. It displaces 3.6 liters (217 cu in) and generates 267 horsepower and 247 foot-pounds of torque when equipped with dual exhaust in the upscale XR model. Without the benefit of twin pipes, the sophisticated powerplant puts out a respectable 265 horsepower and 244 foot-pounds of torque. This is the same V6 engine used in several Cadillac products of late. The honey-smooth DOHC mill features 4-valves per cylinder and variable valve timing to ensure linear torque delivery across the rev band. The engine is also designed to dispatch smooth, quiet performance and long life expectancy.

The electronically controlled 6-speed GM Hydra-Matic transmission backing the Outlooks powerplant achieves improved fuel economy and performance over more traditional 4-speed autoboxes often found in FWD and AWD vehicles (the Pacifica only has a 4-speed automatic, for instance); in fact GM claims an 8 percent improvement in performance and a 4 percent fuel economy improvement. Over the lifetime of a vehicle, a 4 percent increase in fuel economy is significant. Aiding in the Outlooks estimated fuel economy of 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway, is a very low coefficient of drag of just 0.361. The combined city/highway rating is 23.4 mpg for the FWD Outlook and 22.4 mpg for the AWD version. These are decent ratings for a full-size, 8-occupant vehicle, and appear significantly better than the Pacifica and at least on par with the Freestyle fuel-economy outcomes (FWD Freestyle EPA rating is 20 city and 27 highway, so its slightly better - Ed.), which is surprising given the Outlooks heavier curb weight of 4,722 lbs in FWD and 4,936 lbs in AWD trim. In both FWD and AWD configurations the Outlook maintains a minimum ground clearance of 7.4 inches. Clearly this vehicle is not intended for serious off-roading, but in return it provides lower step-in height than typical SUVs.

Another advantage of the lower ride height is a reduced likelihood of rollover, an issue that has dogged the SUV market since its inception. Even with a reduced propensity to expose its undercarriage, GM has wisely loaded the Outlook with six airbags as standard equipment; they include head curtain airbags covering all three seating rows. Extending the benefit of curtain airbags is GMs rollover-sensing system, which can preemptively activate the curtain airbags if sensors determine a rollover is imminent. In such a case the airbags will remain inflated longer to not only provide occupant protection but occupant containment as well. Of course preventing a crash or rollover is the best means of protecting occupants, and thats exactly the intention behind GMs StabiliTrak electronic stability system, available on the Outlook.

The Outlook also comes standard with OnStar Generation 6, which features the Advanced Automatic Crash Notification system capable of notifying participating 911 centers of an incident with the goal of reducing emergency personnel response times - something family purchasers would be wise to take advantage of. They may also wish to take advantage of the wide array of comfort and convenience equipment available, including ultrasonic parking assist, remote vehicle starting, power rear liftgate, DVD entertainment and DVD-based navigation.

When closely examined, the numerous attributes of the full-size crossover can be compelling enough to induce procreation just to feel entitled to own such a useful vehicle. Okay, having children in order to justify automobile ownership may fly in the face of family planning and responsible parenting, but you no doubt get my point. As a means of efficiently accommodating large families with a love of the outdoors, the full-size crossover is hard to beat. With the introduction of the Saturn Outlook, expect the bar to get a whole lot higher. Stay tuned for a full road test of the Outlook just as soon as they roll out the door of the new assembly plant in Lansing, Michigan.