No New Saturns or Hummers after 2009

During GM’s announcement today that Pontiac would no longer exist after 2010, the company also said it would stop producing new Saturns after the 2009 model year and Hummers by the end of 2009.

Previously, GM had said it would build Saturn through 2011. The 2009 model year is currently being sold; GM generally switches over to the new model year during the summer. This means no new Saturns — and likely no new Hummers — will roll off assembly lines after this summer.

While the end of Pontiac may be seen as a sad day to automotive buffs, the same can’t be said for Saturn and Hummer. The two brands don’t have the cachet or fanbase of the 83-year-old Pontiac. However, this accelerated timeline caught the industry off guard.

If you’re thinking of buying a car or SUV from either brand, spokesmen from both companies say that they will be fully backed by GM’s warranty until either brand is sold. That same warranty is also backed by the U.S. government for any GM vehicle sold through May 31.

Both Saturn and Hummer are in the process of being sold to new owners. There are a number of scenarios for each brand, which we detail below.

2009 GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, Chevy Traverse, Saturn Outlook Are Top Safety Picks

We apologize for listing all four members of GM’s three-row crossover family in the headline, but felt it was odd to go with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s headline of just the GMC Acadia getting the highest safety honor the group bestows on new vehicles. The IIHS award goes to any vehicle that scores a top rating in frontal, side and rear crash tests. The rating is considered much harder to achieve than the government’s five-star safety rating.

The Top Safety Pick designation also carries over to 2008 versions of the Acadia, Enclave and Outlook, while the Chevy Traverse is all-new for 2009. The 2008s are available with huge discounts during GM’s Employee Pricing sale we covered last week, which runs through Sept. 2.

Related
2008 Buick Enclave Expert Review (Cars.com)
2008 GMC Acadia Expert Review (Cars.com)
2007 Saturn Outlook Expert Review (Cars.com)

Saturn Employee Pricing: Good Prices, No Haggling

The No Haggle approach from Saturn has always been a mixed blessing, drawing in folks who don’t want pressure from salesman while turning off shoppers who think they won’t get the best deal. Well, with GM’s new employee pricing program there are some very good deals to be had at Saturn. While the total savings might not “wow” buyers like the ones available on big SUVs and aging models will, remember that Saturn’s entire lineup has been revamped over the past two years. 

While there will be a more fuel-efficient four-cylinder version of the Aura sedan for 2009, the 2008 Aura XR with a V-6 will remain basically unchanged, and it’s seeing almost 18% in total savings. Saturn’s two excellently reviewed — and Cars.com favorites — SUVs, the Outlook and Vue, both have more than 10% in total savings.

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.