It was finally time for a new car. The ZX2 that I'd been driving (and still loving) since 2000 was starting to show signs of wear and I decided it was time to get something a little larger.

After about 6 weeks of serious research and test driving smaller SUVs (RAV4, CRV, Escape, Sportage, Tribute, Santa Fe, Liberty, VUE), I decided on the VUE. The price, safety features, overall inside spaciousness, and comfort package (seat warmers!) were really what sold me.

So now, down to brass tacks. If you want gory details about technical things like engine or wheel size, cargo size in actual feet, etc., go to saturn.com...they've got all that. If you want to know what a real person who practically lives in her car thinks overall, keep reading.

(The VUE is also available in Red Line (tricked out) or Green Line (Hybrid) versions, but I did not buy or drive either one. My VUE is the standard version.)

What I like about my 2007 VUE:
Price - around $20,000 for a FWD, 4-cyl, with comfort package. Cruise control, OnStar (one year subscription) and 30-minute handsfee phone service are standard along with a boat load of other features.

Space - inside dimensions are available on Saturn's web site, but I can tell you that I can haul a 5' banquet table, three large Rubbermaid tubs, a huge (3' tall, 2' diameter) earring display, and a very large Craftsman wheeled tool box with room to spare. The back seats fold down almost flush (not quite, but that's okay) and if I were hauling something longer, I can fold down the front passenger seat flat and haul up to 8' long boards.

Seating room is awesome too...my BIL (who is probably 6'3") sat in the back seat and had leg room. I'm a medium height, medium build woman and I sit very comfortably every where in the car. The seats have great lumbar and leg support, and when we went on a long road trip recently (15 hours in the car one day), no one in the family complained about being cramped or uncomfortable.

Safety features - in addition to the aforementioned OnStar subscription, Saturn cars are widely known for their safety features (see web site for more details if I don't outline what you are looking for here). Front seat airbags (passenger front seat on/off automatically triggered by weight and distribution), auto on headlamps, auto locking doors, those famed dent-resistant door and side panels...just a few of the safety measures that come standard. It may not be considered a normal "safety feature", but the back door of the VUE lifts high into the air - testing it again on my willing BIL, he could walk under the opened door without hitting himself in the head!

Because the VUE sits higher than a car, I feel safer driving it. There is nary a blind spot, and all those windows allow you to look around in a glance.

Comfort Package - I have to admit, this is what really sold me on my VUE. It doesn't come standard, but is well worth the extra six hundred dollars. Comfort package includes electric driver's seat adjustment, SEAT WARMERS. In cloth seats! I love seat warmers, and wanted to have them, but leather and dog claws (Rex LOVES to ride in the car) just didn't seem to get along real well. Saturn has cloth seats with seat warmers though...a real plus!!

Other standard stuff on the car that I like: 12v power outlets everywhere, in-dash CD player, AM/FM radio with steering wheel volume and channel controls and an outlet for your MP3 player, lots of little storage nooks and crannys (open shelves with little rubberized liners that keep pens and paper clips from rolling around), rear storage fold up storage area that's nifty for groceries that don't take up your entire cargo area (keeps them from rolling around too), door lock feature that delays actually locking until 5 seconds after shutting the last door (just in case you forget to take your keys or Junior out), storage wells in the cargo area that hold a gallon of milk perfectly.

There are so many standard features on the VUE (that were not available or cost additional on other cars) that I can't mention them all.

Finally, I have to mention the GM 100,000 mile/5 year powertrain limited warranty that is now available on 2007 Saturn models.

That's a long list!

A short list of the things I would change about my VUE if I had a chance:
Map lights are really bright. That's not bad, except they shine RIGHT in the driver's eyes. My son likes to read in the car, and I won't let him use those map lights. And there are no map lights in the back seat. :-(

I like my 4 cyl engine for the gas mileage (around 25 mpg), but it's not very gutsy with the cruise control on. Going up hills or accelerating by using the cruise causes it to almost red-line sometimes. Don't get me wrong, it still can move out and do (mumblemumble) 85mph quite easily...but due to the "power surges" we dubbed the car "Mario Speedwagon" after our first road trip, LOL.

Hubby stated that the buttons on the steering wheel for cruise control and radio controls are too small for his manly fingers, but this is my car - I've got no problems with the size of them.

That's it for the bad stuff. ;-)

So, bottom line, I LOVE my VUE. After driving my ZX2 for 6 years and 150,000 miles, I was sad to get a new car, but this one's mine for the long haul. Saturn dealerships are great to work with too, so I can see a long relationship with Saturns in our future.