GM Crossovers to Get Improved Mileage, More Power

At the Chicago Auto Show today, GM officials said to expect the automaker's three-row crossovers to receive similar engineering improvements as the just-introduced Chevrolet Traverse. That means slight gains in power and gas mileage for the Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia.

The improvements come thanks to GM's direct-injection V-6, a potent engine we've driven in the new Cadillac CTS. In the Traverse, the engine makes an estimated 286 hp, slightly more than in the other crossovers. Vehicle line executive Anna Kretz said she expects it to migrate to the Outlook, Enclave and Acadia, though she didn't specify a timetable. We imagine it will happen for the 2009 or 2010 model year.

Gas mileage should also improve, though GM has yet to release exact figures.

"Any time you do a direction injection [engine], you're going to improve your efficiency," Kretz said, adding that she expects the mileage gain to be "certainly one that is noticeable."

With front-wheel drive, the Outlook, Enclave and Acadia get 16/24 mpg city/highway. In the CTS, gas mileage is slightly lower for the direct-injection V-6 versus its port-injected equivalent, but that engine makes 304 hp. If the Traverse's variant can raise highway mileage to 25 or 26 mpg while providing a bump in passing power, it should be a win-win for all.

Consumer Reports Praises New Saturn

General Motors’ decision to take its Saturn division off life support by giving it some viable new products is paying dividends.

Consumer Reports, which traditionally doesn't fawn over domestic vehicles, says the 2007 Saturn Outlook crossover is among the best models from GM in years and that it gives both the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander a run for their money.

Consumer Reports’ August issue, which comes out today, includes a test of eight mid- and full-size crossovers and SUVs in which the Outlook scored a "very good" and ranked as the best domestic crossover and third-best crossover overall, behind the top-rated midsize Highlander Hybrid and Pilot. Rating it against full-size SUVs, the midsize Outlook was rated second best behind only the Mercedes-Benz GL450. The Outlook outscored the Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator and Chevrolet Suburban.

Friday Fleet Notes: 05.25.07

We’ve got a healthy list of staff reviews this week, as we’ve been flooded with some particularly interesting cars, such as the 2007 Chevrolet HHR Panel and a couple of new models from Saturn. Senior reviewer Joe Wiesenfelder gives his take on the Audi RS 4 and 2008 Saturn Vue that we recently posted full-length reviews of earlier this week.

2007 Chevrolet HHR Panel

I’m not sure who would buy this car. A florist in Malibu? A contractor in the Hamptons? Purely as a delivery skiff, it didn’t impress me. I hauled my mom and her luggage to the airport one morning, and the rubber floormats could’ve used some dividers to keep things from shifting around. We didn’t mess with the dual storage bins behind the front seats, but they seemed large enough to swallow a bag or two.

Not that anyone looking for serious storage would choose this. With a starting price north of $18,000, you could easily ramp up to a Dodge Caravan cargo van — it has more than double the room in back, and with the current discounts the outgoing 2007 model starts in the same price neighborhood.

Granted, the HHR panel has a higher cool factor than the Caravan, but some of its features have more style than substance. The two rear doors unlatch with the push of a dashboard button, but that requires you to climb up front first. I wish the buttons had made it onto the key fob, or — imagine this — Chevy had left the handles on the back doors. The paneled windows, meanwhile, make for a wicked blind spot. My advice: Change lanes reeeaaal slow.

• Kelsey Mays, assistant editor

Reader Review of The Week: 2007 Saturn Outlook

The best no-prize award in the automotive blogosphere finds its way to Canada this week. Glenn, a new Saturn Outlook owner, left an informative missive about his new mode of transportation. We always find it interesting to hear real-world stories about the first 500 miles driven or trips to camping sites. You can read Glenn’s full consumer review below, and you can write your own review here.

Cars.com Gives Saturn Outlook Clean Bill of Health

When senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder tested the all-new Saturn Outlook crossover in December, he discovered a significant hesitation in the transmission. It turns out he wasn’t the only one. Many of our readers noted the same thing, and GM recently addressed the issue with a software upgrade. This week, the GMC Acadia (the sister vehicle to the Outlook) was in the fleet for testing with the recalibrated transmission — identical to the Outlook’s — and Joe deemed it lag-free this time out. 

Read his full take on the Outlook, including his note on the transmission update, here.

Related:
Saturn Tackles Outlook Engine Lag

Saturn Tackles Outlook Engine Lag

Saturn says it is now addressing a problem with transmission hesitation in its new Outlook SUV. As reported in our Dec. 5 full review, lag in the six-speed automatic was the only major strike against what is otherwise an impressive new eight-seat crossover. We found in our test Outlook that there was a slow reaction when the accelerator was depressed, and that raised safety concerns. As hoped, Saturn has developed a new calibration for the transmission-control module, which the company has begun to use in manufacturing new Outlooks. Though there is no recall at this time, any owner who is dissatisfied with the transmission performance can have it recalibrated at the dealership.

We’re attempting to get our hands on a revised Outlook as soon as possible and will report back if it gets a clean bill of health.

Related:
2007 Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia Recalled Due to Faulty Airbag Sensors
Taking on the Saturn Outlook

2007 Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia Recalled Due to Faulty Airbag Sensors

GM has recalled its all-new crossovers, the GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook, because of potentially faulty airbag sensors. The recall affects all 13,032 of the vehicles on the road. The problem stems from a faulty sensor that controls the front airbags’ deployment. It will also prevent the vehicle from alerting owners of a malfunction.

GM says the problem is a software issue and can be remedied with a service — no parts need to be replaced — at the dealer at no cost to owners. The company discovered the problem during internal testing and no incidents have been reported.

Letters went out Thursday to Outlook owners, and letters for Acadia owners will go out Feb. 28. Owners can call GMC at 1-866-966-9463 or Saturn at 1-800-972-8876 for more information.

That Was Fast: Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia Back on Sale

After yesterday’s dust-up about a sale stoppage of two of GM’s most anticipated models it looks like things are almost back to normal. Dealers should receive a formal service bulletin today detailing the fix to the vehicles’ motor mounts and once adjusted they’ll be able to go on sale.

Around 550 Outlooks and Acadias have been sent to dealers and a few have been sold, but none have been delivered to the any customers so the issue won’t be considered a recall. While we don’t like to see any issues with new vehicles, GM was proactive about fixing the issue and kept the media up to date.   

Related:
Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia Problem Revealed
GM Halts Sales of Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia

Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia Problem Revealed

Cars.com’s Joe Wiesenfelder has the details on the problem that has temporarily stopped the sale of GM’s new Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia from being sold to the public. The issue seems to be a motor mount that can collect water and freeze during cold weather. This would lead to vibration and roughness during driving.

There is a relatively simple fix — drilling drainage holes so the water never collects — that can be done at the dealership. The extreme move of stopping sales was to ensure a successful launch of both vehicles. There is still no word on when both models will go on sale.

Related: GM Halts Sales of Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia

GM Halts Sales of Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia

In a significant move, GM has told dealers to temporarily stop selling the Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia, two all-new crossovers that are immensely important to the automaker. According to a GM release:

“Based on recent learnings from our pre-production test fleet, GM has requested that dealers make two (non-safety) enhancements to all 2007 GMC Acadia and 2007 Saturn Outlook vehicles in their inventory to ensure customer satisfaction."

The company says it has not sold either of the models to retail customers yet, and it wouldn’t provide specifics about what the two fixes are. Cars.com’s Joe Wiesenfelder reviewed the new Outlook last week and found issues with the transmission and acceleration of his test vehicle. Again, we don’t know if those were the issues targeted by this stop order. 

There’s no word on when the vehicles will go on sale or if the fix can be easily completed by the dealers. Without more information, we’re hesitant to guess at the impact this will have on initial quality, but it sure won’t look good on the evening news. We’ll post an update as soon as we receive more specifics.

[Breaking! GM Issues "Stop Sale" To Dealers On Saturn Outlook And GMC Acadia, Jalopnik]

Related:  Taking on the Saturn Outlook

Taking on the Saturn Outlook

One of the most anticipated new vehicles around our office this year has been the Saturn Outlook. It might not be the sexiest of sports cars or manliest of SUVs, but this new version of the family-hauler is a hugely important vehicle for GM, and the first of a trio of nuevo minivans to come to market. While Joe Wiesenfelder was knee-deep in writing his review of the Outlook, Kelsey Mays and David Thomas took the Outlook out of the Cars.com garage and onto the Chicago streets to see if they agreed with Joe’s assessment. 

DT: You certainly notice the transmission lagging when you try to pass on the highway, but overall I don’t see why Joe devoted so much of his review to this single aspect of the Outlook. Perhaps his rant will actually get GM to fix the problem, but I don’t see it in any way influencing the shoppers who will be looking at the Outlook: large families.

KM: Transmission performance, accelerator lag, torque curve — for most buyers, it all adds up to one question: Is the Outlook quick enough? Those taken to large SUVs will say no, as it lacks the low-end grunt a V-8 delivers. But anyone used to a minivan’s get-up-and-go will come away satisfied. Once the Outlook’s 3.6-liter V-6 revs past its dowdy beginnings, the SUV scoots as well as any mom-mobile.

All-New Saturn Outlook Priced Under GMC Acadia

The price points we guessed at for GM’s new trio of full-size crossovers seem to be coming true. Saturn’s upcoming Outlook — out near the end of the year — will start at $27,990. That’s a full $2,000 less than the GMC Acadia.

The $27,990 price is for the front-wheel-drive base model, dubbed the XE. An all-wheel-drive XE starts at $29,990. The XE comes with a 3.6-liter V-6 engine that produces 270 hp and 248 pounds-feet of torque. There’s also an uplevel XR with the same engine but dual exhausts and slightly more power — 275 hp and 251 pounds-feet of torque. Both models also feature a six-speed automatic transmission. Prices for the XR are $30,290 for the front-wheel-drive model and $32,290 for all-wheel drive. All prices include a $735 destination charge.

EPA mileage estimates were also revealed, at 18/26 mpg city/highway for front-wheel drive and 17/24 mpg for all-wheel drive. These numbers are on par with popular and less-powerful minivans like the Honda Odyssey.

All Outlooks come standard with stability control, side curtain airbags for all three rows and rollover sensors. Like the GMC Acadia, we think the Outlook will appeal to those looking for a minivan alternative. Because of its lower entry price, the Outlook may be GM’s most popular crossover.

Related:
All-New GMC Acadia Pricing Announced
Walking Around the 2007 Saturn Outlook
GM's Crossover Conundrum