2003 Saturn VUE Base

2003 Saturn VUE FOR A VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHzWaXiACdc, Kelley Blue Book Retail $6,325–$6,500, A horizontal bar sits between large rectangular headlights, and the Vue has large flares above each wheel. Car-height bumpers that will resist 5-mph impacts are installed. The Vue measures 181.3 inches long overall, rides a 106.6-inch wheelbase, ps 71.5 inches wide and stands 66.5 inches high with an 8-inch ground clearance. The spare tire fits inside beneath the load floor. The Vue has a fully independent suspension and 16-inch tires; AWD models have aluminum wheels., , Interior, Saturn stylists made user-friendliness a prime focus for the interior. The Vue seats five occupants, and its step-in height is 2 to 3 inches lower than usual in order to ease entry and exit. The front-passenger seatback folds flat, and rear occupants have a 70/30-split, folding bench with a two-position recliner., , The Vue’s cargo volume is 30.8 cubic feet with the backseat up and 63 cubic feet with the seat folded down. The rear cargo area includes tie-down points, hooks and a cargo organizer. The gauges reside on a sloped panel. GM’s OnStar communication system is optional., , Under the Hood, Two engines are available in the Vue. The base power plant is a 2.2-liter Ecotec four-cylinder that produces 143 horsepower. A European-built Getrag five-speed-manual transmission is standard, and the optional unit is a VTi continuously variable transmission that has no conventional gearing. Instead, it operates with two variable-diameter pulleys and a special steel belt. It’s always in a state of compression and is made up of 500 stacked elements., , , Safety, Curtain-type airbags that deploy in side-impact collisions and protect the heads of outboard occupants are available. Antilock brakes are also optional. Three sets of child-safety seat anchors are installed in the rear., , Driving Impressions, Saturn has done an admirable job of taking the typical boxy SUV profile and giving it a special sort of character. With a V-6 engine and an automatic transmission, this new SUV is more capable and comfortable than expected. Its ride quality is close to flawless on smooth pavement. The Vue’s acceleration falls short of phenomenal, but performance is reasonably eager for a vehicle in this class. Some engine blare turns up when the pedal is pushed hard, but it’s not objectionable., , Its handling can’t be called sporty, but it is precise enough to send the Vue exactly in the right direction. Front and side visibility are excellent due in part to a very low cowl. The driver benefits from typical Saturn gauges that are large, fully calibrated and easy to read., , Getting in and out of the Vue is exceptionally easy, thanks to the low step-in height. The seats may appear a little unconventional, but they are more comfortable and supportive than expected. The front occupants enjoy plenty of headroom and legroom. While rear space is also ample, the rear seats are unpleasantly hard; the seatbacks are especially firm and feel almost like the unwanted center rear position in so many of today’s vehicles., , In both subtlety and performance, the multitronic transmission slots between the CVT unit that Honda introduced for its Civic a few years back and the CVT that Audi offers in its A4 and A6. Honda’s initial attempt was innovative and effective but noisy (but the latest version is smooth and refined), while the CVT-equipped Audis are sophisticated, swift and quiet., , Acceleration with a CVT-equipped Vue is sufficiently eager, but it won’t set any records. Engine noise while accelerating is abundant, and that increases the driver’s tendency to wait for a transmission shift to occur — but that doesn’t happen because the CVT has no gears. Regardless of the extra noise, a CVT-fitted Vue is curiously appealing, especially for drivers who appreciate imaginative technology., , very well maintained, sold with ny state inspection and warranty , credit/debit cards we