NEW OUTLOOK - The Saturn Outlook is trucklike in presence, but it drives with the confidence of a big sedan. CNS Photo courtesy of Saturn.
She was holding out for the oxymoron of a large and fuel-efficient SUV with three rows of seats. She and her husband were part of a car pool that shuttled their two sons and a few more boys to school and team events. They needed the space, particularly as the boys grew into high school.
She wouldn't say the M word - minivan, which would have been ideal for their needs. The Ford Freestyle was too wagonish, the Chrysler Pacifica too minivanish, and the full-size SUVs were too unwieldy.
She liked her 1996 Jeep Cherokee and was enthusiastic about the new Jeep Commander, but couldn't buy a vehicle that got just 19 or 20 mpg on the highway.
Her wishes were not extreme and are about to be answered by a trio of so-called "crossover" SUVs from General Motors - the GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave and Saturn Outlook, today's tester.
Dealers are getting good supplies of Outlook now, Acadia bows early next year, followed by the Enclave next summer. Each will have distinct exteriors and its own array of special features.
GM may have a crown waiting for its effort on these crossovers. They offer enough truck image, minivan function and advanced technology for safety and driving security.
Crossover SUVs offer a more carlike ride and carlike environment, which includes a step-in height that doesn't require running boards. The crossover's strongest appeal, however, may be that it isn't a minivan but will carry seven to eight passengers and has cargo space equal to a very large trunk. Some of the midsize three-row offerings have a slim shelf of cargo space and a rear seatback that is alarmingly close to the tailgate glass.
Outlook is midsize, but it seems large for the classification - and large in a good way.
Not surprisingly, GM plans to get out of the minivan market by 2010. Its recent attempts to conceal a minivan beneath SUV sheet metal in the Chevy Uplander, Buick Terraza and Saturn Relay didn't fool anybody.
However, I expect the new crossovers will be convincing to just about anyone in search of a large family vehicle that isn't a minivan. This is the new "married with children" vehicle.
Outlook is sold in two models, in front- or all-wheel drive. There is one 3.6-liter V-6, rated 270 horsepower for entry-level models, or 275 for the uplevel model, which has dual exhaust. Both models use a six-speed automatic. It will tow up to 4,500 pounds and it is flat towable (no dolly or trailer), a Saturn hallmark well-known among RVers.
Fuel mileage is a respectable 18 mpg city and 26 highway on 87 octane, or 17/25 for all-wheel drive. Saturn insists the fuel economy ratings are the same for both engines. The standard tire size is 18 inches, with 19s optional.
Safety features include six air bags with head curtains that stay inflated in a rollover to help keep occupants in the vehicle.
Pricing starts at $27,990 for the front-wheel drive XE; add $2,000 for all-wheel drive. The topline XR is $30,290 to $32,290; prices include a $735 freight charge.
The XE has more black trim, less chrome and metallic inserts where the XR has attractive, woodlike inlays. There are tan, gray and black interiors with fabric or leather.
Second-row captain's chairs adds $495. The Convenience package, $1,045, adds the always-useful ultrasonic rear parking assist (tones alert that objects are near), power liftgate, remote vehicle start, heated windshield fluid and a 115-volt back-seat console outlet for plugging in video-game consoles and other gadgets.
DVD navigation radio is $2,145, but it won't incorporate a rearview camera until next year. Also available in the future will be a console or tray between the rear captain's chairs.
Performance is strong from the dual-exhaust engine, so how much worse can the single-exhaust be with just five fewer horsepower? The six-speed transmission has responsive shift points, which is good because Outlook is husky at 4,722 to 4,936 pounds. The four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes are large and integrate electronic traction control and electronic stability control with rollover mitigation.
At about 16.7 feet long, Outlook is large but tight. The styling is not exaggerated and has a slippery shape that cuts wind noise in an interior that is well-soundproofed.
The broad stance with short nose and tail provide stability and compliant ride quality. Harried parents can push the cornering limits and Outlook stays the course without the front wheels scrambling for traction or whiplash and wobble as the suspension manages the load. Those are conditions in which truck-based SUVs can be unforgiving and unpredictable.
The electronic all-wheel-drive option monitors wheelslip and throttle position to send as much as 95 percent of the drive power to the rear wheels. It is an all-weather system not intended for romping off-road.
The exterior treatment is robust, with hefty door handles, large chrome and well-fitted components, including a cover for the trailer hitch. There is a wraparound of the tailgate glass to the side glass. This glass-to-glass design adds an upscale appearance, but joining flat glass panels to a roof pillar is a cheaper way to go.
The underhood area is cleaned up by shrouds that reveal barely any engine. The battery sits under the second row, where it is cooler and out of the way in collisions, but there are terminals under the hood to give or get jump starts. The washer fluid reservoir holds a gallon, which may help eliminate the partial jugs many of us have around the garage.
And there are more areas of detail inside.
The driver has command seating to view and reach cabin controls. The dashboard seems minivan-expansive at first, but there are no reflections in the windshield from the surface.
I like the console shifter and the sliding armrest with levels of storage. There's a top box on the dashboard, large glove box and door slots among the storage areas. The steering wheel tilts and telescopes, and power seats with lumbar help dial in a comfortable position for all sizes.
The second and third rows have raised theater seating for visibility. The second-row captain's chairs have fore-aft adjustment and reclining seatbacks. And the environment is well-stocked with grab handles, coat hooks, overhead lights, cup holders and various storage areas.
Access to the third row is by GM's Smart Slide second-row seat. Pull the side handle and the seat bottom releases and folds upward as the seat slides forward in prominent floor tracks. Its smooth operation could be vulnerable to the accumulation of dirt, french fries, Cheerios and candy in the tracks.
Cargo space is flexible with second and third rows that fold without a struggle. Even the front passenger seat folds forward and has a hard back to easily load long items. The third row folds nearly flat, but doesn't connect with the second row to form a contiguous sleeping area, but almost.
The third row has head- and legroom for a 5-foot-9 occupant and conveniences such as lights and cup holders.
The cargo area has overhead lights, lights in the liftgate for tailgating ambiance and usable underfloor storage.
This series of crossovers is a big step forward for GM and a game-changing vehicle for the segment. The quality, features, technology and attention to detail support the price.
Too bad for my neighbor, though. The older son is now in college and living on his own. The other drives to school in a Jeep Grand Cherokee, newer than his mom's. And she treated her Cherokee to new paint, upholstery, wheels and tires.
Apparently she's out of the three-row SUV market - at least until the sons start bringing home grandkids.
CNS SPECS BOX
2007 Saturn Outlook XR
Body style: Seven- to eight-passenger, front- or all-wheel-drive crossover SUV
Engine: Aluminum, DOHC 24-valve V-6 with variable valve timing
Standard equipment: remote locking, dual-zone air conditioning, cruise control, rear window wiper and defroster, power locks-windows-mirrors, auto-dimming rearview mirror with compass, tilt-telescopic steering column, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, CD-MP3 audio system, eight-way driver seat with lumbar adjustment, fog lights, luggage rack side rails, heated side mirrors with integrated turn signals, deep tint windows, 18-inch all-season tires and aluminum wheels
Safety equipment: dual-stage front air bags, side air bags, head curtain bags, anti-lock brakes with electronic traction control and electronic stability control with rollover mitigation
CHASSIS
Brakes: four-wheel discs; 12.8-inch rotors front and 13-inch rear
Suspension: front coil-over struts, stabilizer bar; rear, linked H-arms, coil springs with twin tube shock absorbers
Tires and wheels: P255/60R 19-inch on aluminum wheels
PRICING
Base: $32,290, including $735 freight charge; price as tested, $43,064
Options on test car: Premium trim package, $1,275, includes leather seating and heated seats), XR convenience package, $1,045, adds rear parking assist, power liftgate, remote vehicle start, 115-volt outlet and heated washer fluid; enhanced convenience package, $690, adds driver's seat memory, power folding side-view mirrors with memory, four-way power passenger seat with power lumbar; one-touch up and down front windows; advanced audio, $510, adds 300-watt system with 10 speakers and subwoofer; second-row captain's chairs, $495; high-intensity discharge headlights, $500; sunroof with rear skylight, $1,300; XM radio, $199; trailering package, $425; DVD entertainment system, $1,295; DVD navigation radio, $2,145; touring package, $895, adds 19-inch polished aluminum wheels, touring tires and chrome exhaust tips
Warranty: 30-day/1,500-mile vehicle exchange
The competition: Chrysler Pacifica, Ford Freestyle, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander
Where assembled: Lansing, Mich.
PLUSES: The anti-minivan for the "married with children" demographic.
MINUSES: Large dashboard; flotsam of family life - Cheerios, french fries, M&Ms - will find a way into the seat tracks of the second row, possibly jamming the action.
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