More MPG Please!
I was just watching MotorWeek and the show previewed the 2007 Saturn Vue Green Line which is expected to get about 32 MPG on the highway. Good for a small SUV. But is that good enough?
If you happen to catch me eating fast food in my car… uh, I mean, performing regularly scheduled maintenance, you'll be privy to me praising the car. It's a 1998 Saab 900s and still feels and looks like a Saab should. I recently took a long road trip and averaged almost 28 MPG on the highway with the car pretty loaded down (three people, lots of luggage) and I couldn't have been happier. Well, I guess higher than 28 MPG would have made me happier, but the fact that the car is quite comfortable with all the amenities one could want (i.e. not a bare-bones tin box) I was quite satisfied. So why almost 10 years later are we getting excited by a 15% increase in fuel economy? And before you say anything, the Vue won't hold much more than my Saab hatchback.
While this car is a prototype, the Loremo LS is expected to return 157 MPG. Now, yes, it's not for sale yet, it's pretty darned slow and it's not a big "stuff" hauler, but, if all goes according to plan, it'll be quite affordable at about $11,000. Thanks to Rob, Digg and I4U for the link.
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Bob, I agree that the Saturn Vue’s MPG isn’t that impressive, but that Loremo is so lame. I mean a 2 or 3 cyl Diesel and 0-60 in 20 secs??? I’d rather see some of the European Diesels here, that can get 75 mpg and cut that 0-60 nearly in half.
My biggest issue with the Vue Green Line Hybrid, is it’s city MPG rating which is lower than highway, unlike most other hybrids which get better city MPG, than highway.