Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged SUV
2002 Saturn VUE
Jul 21st
For auto industry analysts, it’s almost like watching kids grow up. General Motors’ youngest division has just grown its first sport-utility vehicle. Isn’t it just adorable?
Saturn needed the diversity, too. Its unexciting but reliable family sedans and wagons have garnered an extremely loyal following since the brand’s inception a little over ten years ago, but with the subcompact market fragmenting and seeing increased competition from “crossover” vehicles and small SUVs, Saturn needed to offer something more. The VUE should prove to be a welcome addition to the lineup. Built on an all-new chassis, the VUE is one of the new breed of car-based sport-utes that should really be called tall station wagons, since there’s not much likelihood that they’ll see much off-road duty. When it comes to tooling around on pavement, though, the VUE has plenty to offer, including a unique, gas-saving transmission that’s unique to the SUV world.
The design will be instantly familiar to anyone who’s ever seen a Saturn. The VUE’s grille-less nose and wide headlamps, wraparound hood, and slab-sided flanks are all taken directly from the playbooks of the S- and L-series sedans with which it shares showroom floor space. It’s a clean and simple look that translates well to the boxy SUV body. At the rear, the wide, wraparound rear glass with hidden D-pillars is similar to Saturn wagons, as well. The VUE looks smaller than it is, like an economy car that’s grown up a little bit but not enough to be ungainly. It’s definitely better looking than the competition from Ford and Suzuki. Does it have the traditional Saturn plastic body panels bonded to a space frame? Yup. The VUE also features optional head-curtain airbags.
Getting in and out is easy, thanks to the VUE’s size. There’s plenty of head- and legroom, and the seats are chair-height, very comfortable for long drives. Once again, the design of the interior follows standard Saturn practice, albeit with better materials than past Saturns. The white-on-black instrument panel could have been lifted directly from an S-series sedan, and the rest of the controls are contained in a center stack. Sharp-eyed designers will notice that the sculpting on the hood carries through to the console, creating an almost unbroken line from windshield to front seats. The shifter and window controls live high off the floor, in an elevated pod that places them within easy reach for short drivers or passengers, and there are two cupholders down below. Rear-seat passengers will find comfort and convenience touches once limited to Japanese mini-SUVs, such as reclining rear seats. The VUE is a great grocery-getter. Not only does a folding cargo storage organizer lift out of the floor of the cargo area for holding grocery bags in place, but large side storage bins are sturdy enough to hold large items that traditionally tumble, such as two-liters of soda or gallon jugs of milk. The front passenger seat also folds flat for carrying long cargo. With all of the seats up, there are 30.3 cubic feet of space in the back of a VUE. That expands to 63.5 cubic feet with the seats folded.
The VUE is available in four- and six-cylinder flavors. We drove a six-cylinder model. The 3.0 liter V6 cranks out 181 horsepower–and one heck of a lot of noise. The VUE was one of the loudest cars we’ve ever driven, in fact. The V6 is a source of constant growling and roaring on the freeway and around town. Despite the noise, the V6-powered VUE has ample oomph to get itself moving. The five-speed automatic transmission shifts roughly, especially when the VUE is asked for more-than-leisurely acceleration. It feels like a modern body wrapped around antiquated machinery, an accusation that has been directed at Saturn many times in the past. Does this mean that Saturn is incapable of putting modern technology into its cars? Don’t bet on it. The VUE is also available with a 143-horsepower 2.2 liter four-cylinder engine, with a gas-saving continuously variable transmission (CVT). CVTs are currently available from German luxury manufacturer Audi, renowned Japanese technology leader Honda, and Saturn. The CVT lacks traditional gears, instead relying on a system of flexible belts and pulleys to adjust the transmission’s gear ratios to fit any driving need. This allows for seamless shifting and increased fuel economy. The VUE is also available with a five-speed manual transmission.
All V6 VUEs are equipped with all-wheel drive. The full-time system drives the front wheels only on dry pavement, and allocates power to the rear wheels as needed when the going gets slick. Anti-lock brakes and traction control are optional on two- and four-wheel drive VUEs. The suspension is fully independent, with struts at the front and trailing arms at the rear. The VUE also has eight inches of ground clearance, even though it’s definitely not bred for off-roading. The suspension is nicely carlike around town, without undue waddling or dive under braking.
Our test vehicle was a fairly loaded V6 model. The base price of $22,575 was bulked up with the head-curtain airbags, ABS, sunroof and in-dash CD player, as well as GM’s OnStar system. The final tally was $26,045, which is nudging the prices of some larger SUVs. The good news is that VUE pricing starts much lower than that, at $16,325 for a four-cylinder, two-wheel drive model. Standard equipment on the base model includes a roof rack, air conditioning and a rear window defroster, so even the sub-$20,000 VUE is a decent enough deal. And, of course, Saturn dealers offer a variety of cool SUV-chic accessories, because you’re nuts if you think you can sell a sport-ute without brush bars and bike racks these days.
Do you like Saturns? Then the VUE is for you. The Car Guys will scoff and say that it’s noisy and unrefined, but they say that about everything Saturn builds. It’s a nice little SUV, and no one else will care if the Car Guys respect it or not.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2002 Saturn VUE V6 AWD, which we tested.
Length: 181.3 in.
Width: 71.5 in.
Height: 66.5 in.
Wheelbase: 106.6 in.
Curb weight: 3491 lb.
Cargo space: 30.3 cu.ft. (seats up)/63.5 (seats folded)
Base price: $22,575
Price as tested: $26,045
Engine: 3.0 liter DOHC V6
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Horsepower: 181 @ 6000
Torque: 195 @ 4000
Fuel capacity: 15.5 gal.
Est. mileage: 19/25
2003 Nissan Murano
Jul 21st
This might just be the first SUV that could be called pretty. Nissan’s all-new Murano enters a familiar market with a face that’s definitely something new. It’s a banner year for sport-utility freshmen; Volkswagen, Porsche and Volvo are all fielding their first-ever SUVs in 2003, and the Honda Pilot joins the Murano and Toyota 4Runner in the all-new brigade.
There’s more here than just a pretty face, too. Intended to compete in the growing field of on-road SUVs, the Murano rides on the same platform as the Nissan Altima. Sweetening the pot are Nissan’s excellent 3.5 liter V6 engine, a gas-saving continuously variable transmission (CVT) and interior styling that looks like it was lifted from a show car.
The design continues in Nissan’s latest theme of sheetmetal that appears to be pulled taut. The Murano’s taillights are curved slabs that accent the unique curve of the tailgate. The D-pillar has an unusual, distinctive triangular shape, and the integrated roof rack and relatively high beltline give the Murano a solid, powerful look. The large rearmost pillar and a tiny triangular window back there would seem to be a recipe for massive blind spots, but we found visibility to be uncompromised by the design. A wide, leering chrome grill dominates the bullet-shaped front end, pushing the vertical headlights out to the sides, and we haven’t decided if we really like it yet. It certainly won’t be mistaken for anything else, though. Meaty 18″ wheels are standard. Nissan has also chosen a unique and attractive color palette for the Murano, with an emphasis on metallic and wine-colored hues.
The Murano’s interior is stylish and modern without being bizarre. The instrument panel is done in a unique modular style that seems at a glance to be separate from the rest of the dash. The wide seats are comfortable front and rear, and the wide console is large enough to hold a laptop computer on end. Soft-touch switches, aluminum accents and available multi-toned leather are upscale touches. A large information display in the middle of the dash is a bit confusing and prone to being washed out by sunlight. It’s more useful when the Murano is equipped with the optional navigation system. Adjustable pedals are a handy option. Other cool stuff includes dual-zone air conditioning, an available rear-seat DVD player and rear seats which fold remotely with a lever in the cargo area, eliminating the need to crawl around inside to fold the seats. To keep things family-friendly, front, side, and head-curtain airbags are standard.
The 3.5 liter V6 under the hood has seen a lot of use in the Nissan family, and that’s a good thing. It’s already been used in the Altima, Maxima, Pathfinder and Infiniti I35 and G35 to outstanding effect. In Murano trim, the “VQ-series” V6 makes 245 horsepower and has no trouble moving this 3955-lb beast from Point A to Point B. On the technological breakthrough side, the V6 is hooked up to Nissan’s first American-market continuously variable transmission (CVT). This “gearless” automatic tranny, called the Xtronic, uses bands instead of traditional gears for smoother shifting and nearly unlimited gear ratios. The result is a smoother and more efficient powertrain that never hunts for gears. Our test drive was a short one, but we came away impressed by the Murano’s road manners and the calmness of the CVT even under hard acceleration. The Murano is available in front- or all-wheel drive.
Underneath, the suspension is fully independent, with a multi-link rear. The emphasis in on road performance rather than bashing through the boonies, and it shows immediately. Although it’s priced to compete with the Toyota Highlander and Ford Explorer, we found ourselves comparing the Murano to much more expensive iron like Mercedes’ M-Class and BMW’s X5 when it came to road manners. Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) stability control is available; it modulates brake and throttle pressure in slippery conditions to keep the Murano pointed straight. Anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes are standard equipment. Nissan also offers a tire pressure monitoring system.
The Murano is going on sale at the time of this writing, with a base price starting at just over $28,000 for a two-wheel drive model. Our test truck was a two-wheel drive Murano SL, with the Premium option package. Adding a roof rack, adjustable pedals, a six-disc BOSE CD changer in the dash, a sunroof and a cargo mat brought the bottom line to $31,484. Considering the level of refinement offered by the Murano (not to mention the distinctive styling), that’s an impressive deal indeed.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Nissan Murano.
Length: 187.6 in.
Width: 74.0 in.
Height: 66.5 in.
Wheelbase: 111.2 in.
Curb weight: 3955 lb.
Towing capacity: 3500 lb.
Cargo space: 32.6 cu.ft. (seats up); 70.8 cu.ft. (seats folded)
Base price: $28,199
Price as tested: $31,484
Engine: 3.5 liter DOHC V6
Drivetrain: continuously variable automatic, front- or all-wheel drive
Horsepower: 240 @ 5800
Torque: 246 @ 4400
Fuel capacity: 21.7 gal.
Est. mileage: 20/25
2002 Mercedes G500
Jul 21st
How tough is the Mercedes G500?
When the inattentive teen in the gargantuan Chevy Suburban pulled out of Home Depot’s lot and into the path of the big Mercedes SUV I was driving, I braked as hard as I could. My imagination immediately pictured the ensuing collision, which I expected would put some deep scratches in the G500 and reduce the Suburban to an acre of navy-blue metal confetti.
It wasn’t a completely absurd expectation, either. The G500, officially available in the United States for the first time this year (versions were available through an independent American distributor as “Gelandewagens” for many years), has been in production for a long time as a German military vehicle. You’ve probably seen this truck on CNN, in white, with a big “UN” painted on the side. That’s right, it’s a Mercedes Hummer. The G500 is considerably more civilized than our domestic “ultimate off-roader,” however. With its leather interior, navigation system and other lavish interior appointments wrapped up in an extreme-duty shell, its natural competition is the British Range Rover.
Designed with a T-square and apparently never updated, the G500 looks like a bank vault on wheels. Like any good military vehicle, it’s got a flat windshield and a tapering, old-school Land Rover-style hood. It’s a tall vehicle, a bit over six feet tall in fact, which makes it look bigger than it is. The G500 is actually quite compact, being only four inches longer than the considerably tamer Mercedes M-Class SUV, but it has more road presence than a Suburban. From the rear, it seems to be all sheet metal thanks to a vertical tail, taillights mounted in the bumper, and lonely-looking windows that are way behind the current trend toward flush-mounted wraparound glass. The G500 looks like a rolling bank vault, which isn’t too far from the truth. The five-spoke 18″ wheels are massive and quite pretty (not to mention capable of flattening a good-sized animal in one go). There’s a single black trim stripe that runs all the way around the vehicle, and it’s not just for show. That line denotes the distance to which the G500 can be submerged in water and keep plowing forward. We looked for an opportunity to test the big truck’s fording ability, but couldn’t find one.
It’s a long step up to get inside, even with running boards. The G500 is well appointed inside, but it’s not catering to the country club set any more than it has to. The dash contains familiar Mercedes-Benz components, but they’re arranged in a vertilinear fashion that’s very 1990s. From the chair-like driver’s seat, there’s a lot of headroom and not so much elbow room. The G500′s military origins are betrayed by the flat, nearly vertical windshield, similar to a Hummer’s. Compared to a Hummer, however, this is the height of luxury. Compared to a Range Rover…it’s a Hummer. Mercedes appoints the G500 with real wood, a leather interior, and heated seats front and rear. There’s a CD changer and automatic climate control crammed onto the dash, and even a navigation system squeezed in at the bottom. Even the cupholders are an afterthought. The seats are tall and very comfortable, but the driving position is big-rig upright. The G500 feels (literally) bulletproof. That’s why we fully expected to squash that Suburban.
When it was called the Gelandewagen, Mercedes’ off-roader generally made do with a diesel V6. For its American debut, the G500 has a 292-horsepower V8 under the hood. It’s the same V8 you’ll find in the full-size S-Class sedans. With a twin-spark plug, three valve per cylinder setup, the powerful V8 makes its muscle while keeping emissions low. The G500 weighs almost three tons, so it’s not going to be honestly fast with anything short of an Air Force JATO rocket strapped to the roof, but the G500 can keep up with traffic. On the freeway it will lumber along at well past a Hummer’s top speed. That flat windshield creates a lot of wind noise, though. It’s not a typical Mercedes ride by any stretch. If you listen carefully, you can hear the gasoline swirling away to the tune of a gallon every fourteen miles or so.
The five-speed automatic transmission is connected to the mother of all four-wheel drive systems. High and low ranges in the transfer case are fully synchronized, and the G500 has three locking differentials. Off-road and in extremely slippery conditions, locking the differentials helps to reduce wheelspin. Many serious off-road trucks offer a locking center differential, which splits power evenly to the front and rear. Aftermarket companies offer locking rear differentials for off-roading Jeeps and other trucks as well, but the G500 comes from the factory with locking differentials at the front, center and rear. Overkill? Depends on where you’re going to drive. On paved roads there’s never a need to lock any of the differentials, especially with Mercedes’ ubiquitous ESP stability control as part of the package. Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS are also included. The G500′s surprising stopping ability saved a certain blue Suburban from certain doom by hauling the big, heavy beast down from speed without drama.
The suspension is crude, but hard-core off-roaders will approve of the tried-and-true solid front and rear axles. Coil springs and gas shocks are mounted at all four corners. With solid axles, the ride suffers, but off-road articulation is improved. The G500 can crawl up slopes that stop most unmodified 4x4s–up to a thirty-six degree grade. On the other hand, the G500 requires attention when going around paved curves. This is a vehicle that deserves its “SUVs handle differently” warning sticker. Straight lines are fine, but in turns the G500′s height will get the better of it quickly.
You’ve probably already guessed that this is not a vehicle intended for mass consumption. Mercedes plans to keep production under 2000 G500s a year. With a price that starts at $72,500, posers need not apply. No G500 will be happy unless it gets to go in the mud once in a while, so if you’re looking for a luxury sport-ute with lots of curb presence and that all-important cachet…buy a Range Rover. If you want a luxury SUV that’s got serious off-road ability and don’t mind sacrificing a few creature comforts, the G500 might be for you. Just try not to squash any of those flimsy little pavement-only sport-utilities.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2002 Mercedes G500, which we tested.
Length: 183.5 in.
Width: 69.3 in.
Height: 72.3 in.
Wheelbase: 112.0 in.
Curb weight: 5423 lb.
Cargo space: 45 cu.ft. (seats up)/79.5 cu.ft. (seats folded)
Base price: $72,500
Price as tested: $73,165
Engine: 5.0 liter SOHC V8
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
Horsepower: 292 @ 5500
Torque: 336 @ 2200-4000
Fuel capacity: 25.4 gal.
Est. mileage: 12/14