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When the first Saturn rolled off the assembly line in July of 1990 it represented such a clean break from the corporate bureaucracy of General Motors that it instantly gained almost cult-like status. Saturn owner clubs sprang up all over the country with a collection of drivers so passionate about their car that they wanted to hang out together. Classic car owners like the Porsche owners and even muscle cars enthusiasts like Mustangers have long shared this phenomenon but rarely do buyers of inexpensive sedans feel the need to bond and share life experiences with other buyers of cheap cars. Saturn however sparked a nerve with their commitment to "No Hassle - No Haggle" marketing and enthusiastic customer satisfaction. Innovations such as polymer side panels and traction control offered features not found on competing vehicles. Saturn was fresh, innovative and fun. As we have learned with our local baseball players, it is sometimes difficult to repeat a home run every night. It would take Saturn almost nine years to come up with another truly original idea until they introduced the three-door coupe in 1999. During this time they continued to enjoy high marks for Customer Satisfaction but the brand became stale and refused to offer the one vehicle that Saturn customers wanted - a small SUV. Personally, I think most SUV's are the wrong choice for most people but because I am a freedom loving American, I support the right for you to make bad choices - as long as you make informed choices. For most I would recommend the Saturn L Series rather than the VUE, but many want the feeling of the SUV. While the taller stance may give the driver a feeling of control and safety, taller vehicles are more difficult to control in panic avoidance situations. Four-wheel drive often give drivers the false impression that because they have more traction accelerating in snow that they can drive and stop faster. Saturn understood that their customers wanted sporty, utilitarian transportation that feels and looks good. The Saturn Vue is a crossover rather than the traditional pickup converted into a passenger van. This is designed for the urban warrior to assault the mall rather than an off-road truck doing battle in the backwoods wilderness. I picked up this Red 2003 Saturn Vue from Charles Wright at Saturn of Blue Springs. Charles is new to the automotive retail business and went to work for Saturn because of the same reasons people buy Saturns. He wanted a "No Haggle - No Hassle" environment. We talked about both the six cylinder all wheel drive and the four-cylinder front wheel drive. I chose to drive the four-cylinder because in the front wheel drive configuration it has the continuously variable transmission. There is no question the larger engine would make a better performer on the highway, but when you consider that the four cylinder is rated 22 MPG in the city and a whopping 28 MPG on the highway it did just fine. The 2003 Saturn Vue does not stand high off the ground making it easy to get in and out. I believe this makes it a safer vehicle as well. Controls are are easy to use and storage compartments are very useful. This is not a luxury SUV and does not have the rich touch that more expensive models have, but my vehicle was very well equipped for only $21,285. If you opt for the All Wheel Drive, six cylinder version with leather, you get over $28,000 which puts this vehicle in some very tough competition. But for the low twenties, I like this vehicle. It is larger, more comfortable, better looking and fresher technology than many of the small SUV's on the market. It was never made to compete in off-road 4X4 competitions, but competing for that parking spot at the mall this little warrior does just fine. Because the local Saturn dealerships are all owned by the Jay Wolfe group and Saturn has stuck with the "No Haggle, No Hassle" philosophy, your decision making process should be less stressful. With less stress should come higher satisfaction. Will this SUV create the same cult like following the original cars did in 1991? Probably not, but for Saturn, they will be satisfied with enthusiastic customer loyalty regardless if you need a coupe, sedan, wagon or now the 2003 Vue SUV.
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©2003 - Stan Risener