It’s hard to believe that 25 years ago, GM didn’t have a modern crossover utility vehicle. The closest thing in the portfolio was the Chevrolet Tracker, and even though it was unibody, it still featured a two-speed transfer case and a live rear axle. However, it didn’t take long after the new millennium for the first GM crossover to appear, not as a Chevrolet or a GMC or a Pontiac or a Cadillac, but as something from the company’s somewhat experimental subsidiary. I’m talking about the original Saturn Vue, an oft-forgotten machine that was truly groundbreaking for the General.
It all started with what was then a bespoke platform called Theta, a transverse front-engined unibody architecture with packaging protection for all-wheel drive that could accommodate a wide variety of engines. Right from the get-go, Saturn offered one that made sense and one that didn’t. The corporate 2.2-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine plucked out of the family parts bin was a logical choice. At the time, 143 horsepower and 152 lb.-ft. of torque were respectable numbers for a four-cylinder crossover, right in the ballpark of the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V on power but out-muscling both on torque. The three-liter L81 54-degree V6, on the other hand, probably wasn’t the smartest move. Sure, it already saw duty in the Saturn L Series, but 181 horsepower fell short of the 200 available in the Ford Escape, and sourcing the V6 from England didn’t seem particularly efficient considering Vue production happened in Tennessee.
At the same time, some of the transmission choices were also curious. The standard five-speed manual for four-cylinder models made sense, but the automatic available on the four-bangers was a wretched CVT with a reputation for early resignation. As for the three-liter V6, it came with the relatively sophisticated Aisin AF33 five-speed auto, a transmission employed by the likes of Volvo and Renault.
Once the unitary steel space frame was loaded with powertrain components, Saturn wrapped it all up in the brand’s signature plastic panels and gave it some neat little touches. The front passenger seat folded flat for loading of long items, storage bins aft of the rear wheel wells kept gallon jugs secure so drivers wouldn’t spill the milk, window switches on the center console and a two-spoke steering wheel added some quirkiness to the interior, dedicated seat-mounted inboard armrests for the front passengers boosted comfort, and cargo lights in the liftgate just seemed smart.
If this all sounds like a competitive package, you’d be right. When Motor Trend first got behind the wheel of a Vue, it came away impressed not just by the physical package of the CUV, but also with its ride quality.
The chassis is wonderfully poised and smooth-riding on a variety of surfaces, including the major pothole we managed to find. Longer than its competitors, the VUE’s spring rates and damping were spot-on for our tastes and give it a larger-than-it-really-is demeanor. Front disc and rear drum brakes seem up to task, although we’ll reserve final judgement until we can actually test the vehicle.
In the context of competitors that still rocked their spare tires on their tailgates, the original Vue was an impressive machine, especially with a starting price under $18,000. As the magazine summed up Saturn’s crossover:
We think the VUE has a bright future with GM. It’s a vehicle that will satisfy thousands of people while costing thousands less than its closest competitors. It offers innovation, content, and performance superior to what’s currently on the market and does so with few compromises.
Given the state of the compact crossover market around the turn of the millennium, Saturn could’ve left it there, but it wasn’t long until the engineers got to tinkering. After a delayed introduction of a front-wheel-drive three-liter V6 model, sights quickly turned towards finding a locally produced V6 engine and automatic transmission. However, instead of going into its own parts bin, the General decided to call up Honda. Yes, Honda. For 2004, the 54-degree GM V6 was out and Honda’s 3.5-liter J35 went in. Output jumped from 181 horsepower to a whopping 250, which transformed the Vue, as Car And Driver found out:
The Vue is no Honda, although it now sounds and accelerates like one. Compared with the weak jabs of last year’s British-built 181-hp, 3.0-liter iron-block V-6, the 250-hp Honda 3.5 delivers a solid right hook. The new Vue’s 7.0-second scoot to 60 mph is a substantial 1.4-second trimming of the old time, and the quarter-mile shrivels from 16.6 seconds at 83 mph to 15.5 at 89. Flat-foot the pedal, and the Vue squats on its buns and lunges like a stink bug in heat. On the freeway it zooms by tractor-trailers as if they were rolling on square wheels.
Suddenly, not only was the V6 Vue the second-speediest thing in the compact crossover segment behind the berserk Subaru Forester XT, it was also dent-resistant machine with Honda reliability and Saturn pricing. Saturn wasn’t about to let the output go unannounced, so it also readied what was arguably the first mass-market performance crossover. Say hello to the Vue Red Line.
This hunkered-down variant launched in atomic snot green sat an inch lower than a regular Vue, got stiffer suspension, re-tuned steering, 18-inch wheels, and a proper body kit. It’s one of my greatest automotive guilty pleasures because it just looks so 2004 in the best way. The metalcore, edgy racing games, and “EuroTrip” 2004, that is. Also for 2004, the CVT started to be ditched for a regular torque converter automatic. Thank goodness.
For 2006, the Vue got a little bit weird by getting a little more normal. It gained new headlights with a grille between them in a facelift that frankly, wasn’t cohesive with the rest of the car. The updated front end was a little bulbous in the context of the silhouette, but perhaps the most future-forward Vue was just around the corner. The 2007 model year saw the launch of the Vue Green Line, a 36-volt mild hybrid model with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that offered 26 more horsepower than the non-hybridized four-cylinder and a 23.8 percent combined fuel economy improvement. It was a step towards the future, and while it wasn’t as advanced as the series-parallel Ford Escape Hybrid, it was ahead of the curve on mild hybrid adoption.
The first-generation Saturn Vue was absolutely a hit, aside from the early CVT. The Chevrolet Equinox didn’t show up until three years into its production run, by which point the Vue had evolved into the sleeper hit of the crossover segment, adding nicer interior appointments as it went. It was a case of a GM divison trying something new and absolutely succeeding. In 25 years, GM went from building its first modern crossover to building pretty much nothing but body-on-frame trucks and SUVs, performance cars, and crossovers. How’s that for a pivot?
Top graphic image: Saturn
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The presence of the Honda V6 was proof of just how bad GM’s engine options were in prior to the bankruptcy. The push-rod sixes were clearly not the way forward but GM was forced to install a Chinese-market engine in the early Equinox (I’m pretty sure Chevy would not have allowed a Honda mill) and by 2006 had finally had something from Holden to sell. By this time, though, Toyota and others had started offering V6s in the small SUVs and the small advantage offered by early crossovers like the Vue melted away.
I had an 04 V6 in Blue for a few years. It was such a sleeper. I had wanted to get a stick one, but the wife decided at the last minute that she wanted an automatic, so I went for the V6. That was the right move vs. the automatic 4, because that had the garbage CVT in it (I’m pretty sure that stuck around until 2005). The other interesting parts bin item the V6 got over the 4 was the very nice steering wheel from the CTS.
I absolutely adore the Vue and have always felt it was one of the best looking SUVs of the decade; and it must have been extremely embarrassing to the rest of GM that it actually had a good V6 engine under the hood.
However:
I’d say the closest thing to a crossover GM had would have been the crossover Aztek that Pontiac already had on the market the year prior.
Yes, definitely, alongside the Rendezvous, which was basically the same except for a longer wheelbase.
And somehow, much less attractive.
Lost my virginity in the back of one of these. Hell yeah.
COTD material right here.
This is a strangely applicable article, Thomas: I had a ’99 Tracker 4dr, an ’03 Vue with the 3.0-liter/AT, and an ’07 Vue with the Honda J35/AT. 🙂
I don’t remember too much about the ’03 Vue, but the 3.0-liter six was an improvement over the 2.0-liter four in the Tracker, so I was all right with it. The Tracker’s live axle was a PITA when making turns on wet roads, primarily because the OEM Uniroyal (?!?!) tires were craptacular: even with the modest power output it would still spin the inside rear wheel. The transfer case was fun, though the only times I used it were for test purposes.
The J35 was fantastic – no notes. Fun fact: with the front passenger seat folded down, the ’07 would carry 2’x8′ plywood, MDF, etc. – with the liftgate shut and without interfering with the shifter or anything. I don’t know if that was intentional but it was really handy.
However, the ’07 was around long enough to die of rust. It was no longer safe to drive and had to be decommissioned.
I had a friend with a Redline Vue as the family hauler, I drove it once in a rush; and it was surprisingly capable. It was nicer than I expected from a Saturn of the day. Sadly most of them around here are pretty beat these days.
This is my memory of them as well – better and more capable than one would expect of a Saturn. The Vue was good, and the Redline better, though the refresh in 2007 was definitely a step backwards in the looks department.
I believe the cvt was an more expensive option then a standard automatic and sold along side. The cvts were manufactured in turkey and seawater was getting in the cases. I knew of several that got lemon lawed because of cvt failure upon failure. Allegedly Honda wanted the cvt and traded engines for the cvt design. Not sure how true but it was talked about frequently in 03 / 04. I’ve had a few of them they are fairly junky on the inside but the panels were really great. It’s amazing when you go to sell them how many people won’t believe the 4 cyl is a GM and not a Honda.
The mom of the girl I dated through most of high school had the first year of one of these. I remember thinking it was really cheap feeling, but a solid vehicle. They got it solely because their SL1 (that they still had, and for some reason had a pile of melted Crayola crayons on the rear parcel shelf) was such a trouble free experience.
It was a terrific appliance vehicle.
Cheap feeling, but a solid appliance describes a lot of non-Opel Saturns
It was. I owned a used 2003 with the 5 spd for almost 4 years. It was so reliable, thrifty and practical I could forgive the scratchy plastics, wide panel gaps and the tinniest dash padding I have seen to date
“the Chevrolet Tracker, and even though it was unibody”
Are we sure about this? I’m 99% sure it had a full frame.
https://share.google/images/aIKAmYmHF7OhdAyNW
According to this guy it is body-on-frame:
https://www.theautopian.com/i-just-bought-a-rust-free-manual-chevy-tracker-4×4-for-700-but-it-doesnt-run-and-is-filled-with-mouse-crap/
Well, at least he achieved the life goals in the first sentence of that article.
I had a Suzuki Grand Vitara, which is the vehicle the tracker was based off of, and it was definitely a full ladder frame on those.
Yeah, I was going to comment on that. How dare you insult the glorious Chevy Tracker that way‽
I really miss small SUVs like the Tracker with “a two-speed transfer case and a live rear axle”.
Suzuki Jimny says hello
Not to many in my area to buy, no Suzuki dealers, no Jimnys on lots and Samurais have long rejoined the earth as rust. I would love one but no spare change to import one and I would want a left hand drive one in addition.
How about old Suzuki Sidekick/Vitara / Geo Trackers?
More daily-drivable than Samarai, and with slightly more that haven’t rusted out yet?
I saw a guy driving a newish Mexican Jimny in San Diego last week! Reminded me of bombing around in my buddy’s stick shift open top Samurai in the 90’s.
This makes me miss Saturn (not the rebadged Saturn, but this weird Saturn).
Agreed. When GM finally does something right, they always abandon it and bury it in the ground. It was their only brand worth shopping back in the day.
Their current products are junk. I recently had a ’24 Malibu as a rental and it had zero character. The transmission and steering provided zero feedback to the driver and the engine had the drone of a high-strung weed whacker.
Plastic on the outside with rust behind