Click above for a high-res gallery of the Two-Mode Vue

Ever since the initial hybrid version of the Saturn Vue, the "different kind of company" chose to go its own way by badging its fuel-saving wares as Green Lines. This designation will be going the way of the Dodo in favor of the much more simple and recognizable designation of simply "hybrid." The reasoning is that the Green Line badge adds unnecessary confusion to Saturn's line of vehicles and is too long for marketing purposes. This becomes especially true as General Motors rolls out new versions of its hybrid technology. Soon, the Saturn Vue will be granted the sophisticated 2-Mode technology as is used on full-size SUVs from GM such as the GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Tahoe and Cadillac Escalade. While the current Vue is well priced considering its decent fuel mileage of 25 mpg in the city and 32 on the highway, the new 2-Mode model will be capable of powering the vehicle on electricity alone and should be available in 2009.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Click on the photo of the Aura hybrid for a huge high-res gallery

The U.S. General Services Administration GSA announced this week that it has updated 55 cars in the Federal fleet by taking delivery of that many Saturn Aura Green Line hybrids. The cars are destined for the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy, and to the Departments of Transportation, Interior, Energy and Commerce, the Environmental Protection Agency and National Space and Aeronautics Administration (leases of 43 of the vehicles will make up that portion). GSA will keep the other 12 to use as daily driver and for demonstrations, for example during sales presentations to federal customers.

The Aura hybrids are just the latest greening of the GSA fleet. Since 1991, GSA has purchased over 140,000 alternative fuel vehicles and hybrids.

Related:

• In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2007 Saturn Aura Green Line hybrid

[Source: U.S. General Services Administration]

Auto Electronics magazine has good rundown of the mild hybrid system in the Saturn Vue and Aura Green Line models. The system basically functions like a battery powered turbo-charger, providing some extra oomph to the engine when needed. The motor is not connected directly to the drive-line, but does seem to provide some decent improvement in economy, while keeping complexity to a minimum. How close is this system to the one in new plug-in hybrid GM is showing off in a few days? Stay tuned.

[Source: Auto Electronics]

When is a hybrid not really a hybrid? When it's a "mild" hybrid, with a battery pack that can slightly improve fuel economy, but cannot drive the car on its own. The Saturn Vue Green Line is one of these mild hybrids, and the LA Times' Dan Neil was certainly unimpressed with it. He calls the Vue "as conventional as Victorian sex", a great phrase to describe this unexciting SUV. In fact, Neil's full of clever wordings that express his dislike of this vehicle. After doing a lot of comparisons of fuel savings and hybrid premium cost, he busts out this: "As much fun as playing with a calculator is, let's stow it for now and answer the question: What's the Vue GL like from behind the wheel? Well, all things considered, I think I'd rather be under the wheels." Ouch. You can read the whole article here, and see that in the end he has more for the Vue hybrid than pure scorn, he just wishes it could be more.

Related:

• Quick review of new Vue Green Line Hybrid

[Source: LA Times/Dan Neil, hat tip to starlightmica]

Derrick got a peek at the new Saturn Aura hybrid at the NextFest a few weeks ago, and for those of you interested in GM's latest mild hybrid, the good news is that production on the test vehicles will start this week and the cars should be available early next year. GM's plant in Fairfax, Kansas will begin making five hybrid Aura Green Lines a week for testing. There's not a whole lot of numbers out about the Aura hybrid, but we do know that standards Auras get 20 mpg in the city and 28 or 29 on the highway, and the hybrid version is expected to get about 10 to 15 percent better mileage. Price for the Aura Green Line has also not been announced.

The Ford Motor Co. plant in nearby Claycomo makes the hybrid Ford Escape-Mercury Mariner sport-utility vehicle. GM's next hybrid should be the Chevrolet Malibu, also coming next year.

[Source: Kansas City Star]

AutoblogGreen reader Christopher Howell wrote in the other night to say he'd just picked up "the first Vue hybrid in Southern California". Perhaps he'd like to give a quick review of how it drives in the comments below. Until then, here are some earlier posts on Saturn's first hybrid offering and one on how quickly the higher cost of a Vue Green Line will likely pay off against savings at the pump (the estimate from late last month says it'll take about six years).

Related:

• Quick review of new Vue Green Line Hybrid
• Saturn Vue Green Line Revisited
• When owning a hybrid begins to make cents\

[Source: ABG Reader Christopher Howell]

All right, GM's now in the "affordable" hybrid game. So, how does the company's new Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid drive? The Saturn Vue isn't a hybrid in the same way a Prius is (the electric motor can't drive the Vue on its own, for example), but the electric side of things does increase fuel economy (to 27/32 mpg for the SUV). Kicking Tires reviewer David Thomas recently took a Vue for a spin and discovered a quiet ride that felt like driving a standard gasoline-powered SUV. The only things that set the Vue hybrid apart from standard SUVs, he writes, are two gauges in the dashboard, the charge/assist meter and the "Eco" indicator light.

Related:

• Saturn Vue Green Line Revisited
• Saturn Vue delivers best SUV highway fuel economy
• GM vice president says automakers need to produce hybrids, sense be damned

[Source: Kicking Tires]