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