CHASSIS
THE LOWS
Luxo interior, soothing interstate cruiser, Euro suspension tuning.
Daggerlike lumbar supports, smaller inside than it looks.
THE VERDICT
A handsome lad who is 400 pounds overweight.
JEEP LIBERTY LIMITED 4X4 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER SE 4WD NISSAN ROGUE SL AWD SATURN VUE XE AWD SUZUKI GRAND VITARA 4WD TOYOTA RAV4 4X4 *Stability-control-inhibited.
44
FEB 2008
11.9-inch vented disc
10.0-inch drum
yes
yes
11.7-inch vented disc
12.0-inch disc
yes
yes
11.0-inch vented disc
11.2-inch disc
yes
yes
11.9-inch vented disc
12.4-inch disc
yes
yes
11.6-inch vented disc
11.9-inch disc
yes
yes
11.8-inch 11.7-inch vented disc vented disc
yes
yes
11.7-inch 11.9-inch vented disc vented disc
yes
yes
11.6-inch vented disc
10.1-inch drum
yes
yes
10.8-inch vented disc
11.2-inch disc
yes
yes
TIRES
STABILITY CONTROL
HYUNDAI TUCSON LIMITED 4WD
multilink, coil springs, antiroll bar multilink, coil springs, antiroll bar struts, coil springs, antiroll bar rigid axle, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar
ANTI-LOCK CONTROL
HONDA CR-V EX 4WD
struts, coil springs, antiroll bar struts, coil springs, antiroll bar struts, coil springs, antiroll bar control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bars struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar
REAR
FORD ESCAPE XLT AWD
BRAKES FRONT
CHASSIS
SUSPENSION
REAR
BEST IN TEST
FRONT
C/D RESULTS
Continental ContiTrac, P235/70R-16 104T M+S Continental 4X4 Contact, 225/65R-17 102T M+S Bridgestone Dueler H/T 687, P235/60R-16 99T M+S Goodyear Fortera HL, P235/60R-18 102T M+S Goodyear Eagle LS2, P225/55R-18 97H M+S Continental 4x4 Contact, P225/60R-17 98H M+S Firestone Destination LE, P235/65R-16 101S M+S Yokohama Geolandar G92, P225/70R-16 101H M+S Toyo Tranpath A14, 215/70R-16 99H M+S TEST AVERAGE
LANE CHANGE (mph)
THE HIGHS
ROADHOLDING 300-FT-DIA SKIDPAD (g)
SATURN VUE XE AWD
BRAKING 70–0 MPH (ft)
6
The new Vue, developed in Germany by Opel, is so much better than its predecessor that GM might well have considered changing its name. For one thing, the suspension tuning is now Teutonic—supple, yet with fine path control and no untamed wheel motions. For another, the ’08 Vue looks luxurious inside. Its faux-chrome and carbon-fiber trim bits feel rich to the touch, the amber IP backlighting looks Euro classy, and there’s been no attempt—inside or out—at styling gimmickry. You sit tall in the saddle, with vast headroom and an unobstructed view of the world—a room with a Vue. We did, however, bitch about the seats’ super-aggressive lumbar supports, and we also complained about the big steering wheel, whose squared-off inner lip resists your grip. But the platform proved solid and rattle-free, and everyone agreed the Vue was as comfy as the Escape on long interstate hauls. Nor was this Saturn humiliated offroad, although its poor approach angle resulted in the dismemberment of its chin spoiler. Otherwise, GM’s all-wheeldrive system was quick to transfer up to half of the pushrod V-6’s 222 horses—the most in this group—to the rear wheels. That power, by the way, pulled the Vue to 30 mph sooner than any of its competitors and placed it only 0.2 second behind the Nissan on the journey to 60 mph—all of
198
0.68*
53.8*
181
0.79
58.4
186
0.73
56.9
194
0.67*
49.5*
176
0.78
59.2
185
0.79
57.4
181
0.76
58.7
178
0.68*
58.3*
179
0.74*
58.5*
184
0.74
56.7
CARANDDRIVE R .C O M
Luxo interior, soothing interstate cruiser, Euro suspension tuning.
Daggerlike lumbar supports, smaller inside than it looks.
THE VERDICT
A handsome lad who is 400 pounds overweight.
JEEP LIBERTY LIMITED 4X4 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER SE 4WD NISSAN ROGUE SL AWD SATURN VUE XE AWD SUZUKI GRAND VITARA 4WD TOYOTA RAV4 4X4 *Stability-control-inhibited.
44
FEB 2008
11.9-inch vented disc
10.0-inch drum
yes
yes
11.7-inch vented disc
12.0-inch disc
yes
yes
11.0-inch vented disc
11.2-inch disc
yes
yes
11.9-inch vented disc
12.4-inch disc
yes
yes
11.6-inch vented disc
11.9-inch disc
yes
yes
11.8-inch 11.7-inch vented disc vented disc
yes
yes
11.7-inch 11.9-inch vented disc vented disc
yes
yes
11.6-inch vented disc
10.1-inch drum
yes
yes
10.8-inch vented disc
11.2-inch disc
yes
yes
TIRES
STABILITY CONTROL
HYUNDAI TUCSON LIMITED 4WD
multilink, coil springs, antiroll bar multilink, coil springs, antiroll bar struts, coil springs, antiroll bar rigid axle, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar
ANTI-LOCK CONTROL
HONDA CR-V EX 4WD
struts, coil springs, antiroll bar struts, coil springs, antiroll bar struts, coil springs, antiroll bar control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bars struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar
REAR
FORD ESCAPE XLT AWD
BRAKES FRONT
CHASSIS
SUSPENSION
REAR
BEST IN TEST
FRONT
C/D RESULTS
Continental ContiTrac, P235/70R-16 104T M+S Continental 4X4 Contact, 225/65R-17 102T M+S Bridgestone Dueler H/T 687, P235/60R-16 99T M+S Goodyear Fortera HL, P235/60R-18 102T M+S Goodyear Eagle LS2, P225/55R-18 97H M+S Continental 4x4 Contact, P225/60R-17 98H M+S Firestone Destination LE, P235/65R-16 101S M+S Yokohama Geolandar G92, P225/70R-16 101H M+S Toyo Tranpath A14, 215/70R-16 99H M+S TEST AVERAGE
LANE CHANGE (mph)
THE HIGHS
ROADHOLDING 300-FT-DIA SKIDPAD (g)
SATURN VUE XE AWD
BRAKING 70–0 MPH (ft)
6
The new Vue, developed in Germany by Opel, is so much better than its predecessor that GM might well have considered changing its name. For one thing, the suspension tuning is now Teutonic—supple, yet with fine path control and no untamed wheel motions. For another, the ’08 Vue looks luxurious inside. Its faux-chrome and carbon-fiber trim bits feel rich to the touch, the amber IP backlighting looks Euro classy, and there’s been no attempt—inside or out—at styling gimmickry. You sit tall in the saddle, with vast headroom and an unobstructed view of the world—a room with a Vue. We did, however, bitch about the seats’ super-aggressive lumbar supports, and we also complained about the big steering wheel, whose squared-off inner lip resists your grip. But the platform proved solid and rattle-free, and everyone agreed the Vue was as comfy as the Escape on long interstate hauls. Nor was this Saturn humiliated offroad, although its poor approach angle resulted in the dismemberment of its chin spoiler. Otherwise, GM’s all-wheeldrive system was quick to transfer up to half of the pushrod V-6’s 222 horses—the most in this group—to the rear wheels. That power, by the way, pulled the Vue to 30 mph sooner than any of its competitors and placed it only 0.2 second behind the Nissan on the journey to 60 mph—all of
198
0.68*
53.8*
181
0.79
58.4
186
0.73
56.9
194
0.67*
49.5*
176
0.78
59.2
185
0.79
57.4
181
0.76
58.7
178
0.68*
58.3*
179
0.74*
58.5*
184
0.74
56.7
CARANDDRIVE R .C O M
