CR Reviews Saturn Vue

For the 2008 model year, General Motors marque Saturn will be introducing a completely redesigned version of their bestselling nameplate - the Vue crossover SUV. The new Vue is the product of the collaboration between Saturn and another General Motors marque, the German brand Opel. The two brands have been working together to give Saturn a revitalized lineup.

The Saturn Vue has been well received by many automotive journalists. The compact crossover SUV's redesign has captured the attention not only of those involved in the workings of the industry but the general population as well. The European styling of the new Vue has generated interest not only in the said vehicle but in the entire Saturn lineup.

And recently, the Vue was passed under the microscope of Consumer Reports, a publication trusted by many which can make or break sales of a vehicle. The said institution has this to say about the new Saturn Vue: The much-improved Vue boasts some European road manners, which help make it competitive with the better small SUVs. While there is no question that the new Vue leapfrogs the old one, we'll have to wait to see if that's enough to propel it to the top of this competitive class.

The publication announced that an in-depth report on the new Saturn Vue will be part of their December issue. According to the initial review of Consumer Reports of the Saturn Vue, it is a product of General Motors worldwide shopping spree. This is because the new Vue uses a platform developed by General Motors in the United States - one that was styled by Korean Daewoo, fine-tuned by German carmaker Opel and was finally assembled in a facility in Mexico.

The Vue in essence symbolizes the blurring border between domestic and foreign cars. It also shows that carmakers are now taking advantage of their global connections. This move by General Motors to pair Opel, Saturn, and Daewoo has turned out to be the thing that could turnaround Saturn's fortune. The new lineup of the car brand has led to its increasing popularity among consumers. Saturn is now one of the fastest growing brands in the United States.

The Saturn Vue competes directly with two Asian vehicles which are well-established in the market. The Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4 have been popular with American auto buyers and General Motors is looking to win over the trust of American auto buyers. One thing that the new Saturn Vue has to prove to consumers is that it is as reliable as Asian made vehicles. This is one of the problems being faced by American automakers.

The Big Three, on the other hand, continuously claim that they have closed the gap between them and their Asian rivals in terms of reliability of their vehicles. But the Big Three is up against time as they are looking to turn a profit as early as 2010. But winning back the trust of American auto buyers would take time. In fact, General Motors and Ford are already taking aggressive marketing stance just to get the attention of car shoppers. Ford has the Fusion facing off with the Camry and the Accord on their ads. The Saturn Aura, on the other hand, is being offered for a test drive alongside the Camry and the Accord in Saturn dealerships.

Saturn in the past was only known for its no haggle marketing strategy and use of plastic body panels. New Saturn vehicles though now use metal body parts from the front Saturn bumper and to the rear and everything in between. Fortunately for consumers, Saturn maintained their excellent consumer relations.