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Is the Saturn Vue Green Line a Turning Point for Hybrids?
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I really don't think it would. Many cars have instant mileage readouts and I doubt the consumption is going down. I put it on the automakers to quit building cars just for performance and make economy a higher priority. As long as people buy for performance all the little gadgets in the world will not save a nickels worth of gas. Take Toyota the big Green automaker. They have built 5 hybrids. 2 for economy 3 for performance. How is that helping any cause except Toyota's bottom line. It makes the fat cats look green. None of the 3 are even PZEV rated.
Not enough. Far too few. My point is that ALL HYBRIDS SHOULD and that is not an opinion but an obviously plain observation from an educated hybrid advocate.
And of course it would save gas if people knew. That's how anything is saved...
1. you save electricity in your home because there is a meter.
2. you save water in your home because it is metered and you know how much you are using.
If you have a meter, you will use it when your WALLET is associated with it. That's undeniable.
2. you save water in your home because it is metered and you know how much you are using.
C'mon how many people check their electric and water meters? That is craziness. I turn off lights and use the AC and heat sparingly. But I don't remember ever checking the meter. I just think it is another crutch that is not needed and adds cost to the car. KISS is a good motto that cars are drifting too far away from. Makes me want to buy older cars and fix them up. I don't like the tinny plastic cars we are being sold today. They get worse every year not better.
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I meant to imply that people will CARE about improving gas mileage WHEN THEY CAN MEASURE IT THEMSELVES AND CONTROL THEIR CONSUMPTION.
And to do that, a hybrid needs a real-time MPG meter.
It's not deniable. They need it. As a self-educated hybrid expert and hybrid advocate and owner of two hybrids and a Segway, I have credentials in these areas.
Hybrid cars need real-time MPG meters to help the drivers learn how ro reduce fuel usage and improve the economy. All cars need them, but hybrids even MORESO because they have the technology to make the information PAY OFF in the POCKETBOOK of the owner.
If the owners who "don't want another distraction" want to keep their eyes on the road all the time, more power to them. But to those who WANT such a tool, it's inexcusable to leave it off the vehicle.
It's like my old Granpappy used to tell me:
Sonny Boy, it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it !!!
Hybrids need to get EPA mileage without all that crappola. I thought I read on the TCH thread that you did not get all the fancy mileage features without the NAV. Didn't you buy the stripped version?
I'm at a disadvantage (like I was with my HCH) because my commute is so short (7 miles one way in the summer and about 6 miles one way during the school year) so my car is usually more than halfway finished before the car will go into EV mode.
This short commute is all that kept me from getting 52-53 MPG from my HCH, and it's likely to keep my TCH numbers at 36-37 MPG.
The TCH shines at highway speeds though. I have a little video of the dashboard at 75 MPH and the real-time mileage registering at 45-55 MPG at that speed.
Anyone who drives a solid 15+ mile hwy commute at 50-75 MPH should seriously consider the TCH.
I also think the EPA tested the TCH, because the early reports had the TCH at 43 city/37 hwy and then the EPA ratings came out and it was 40/38. I think Toyota gave the EPA the 43/37 and after the Prius bruhaha, the EPA decided to test the TCH themselves.
Let's stick to the Vue debate here. We simply cannot go off into everything in every discussion.
PLUS, Prius is for fat cats and VUE is for joe average, this is true too. Money is not the only factor to separate fat cat and Joe, say 26k vs. 23k. It depends on how he spend it and how much function does he get. People willing to buy a 20k mini is a fat cat, while people buy a 25k impala is still Joe, since he weight function more than the "image". "
the above quote is nonsense:
HMMM....I guess all those people who ride $20,000.00 dollar H-D motorcycles or even a 10,000 H-D's are not joe average. It seem like everyone in my office wants a Harley, but they call a Prius impratical for the needs of my family.
orginal topic comment:
But sinse the VUE is the cheapest SUV hybrid. I believe those who cant not afford the Ford/Mercury & Toyota SUV hybrids can afford the VUE Greenline. It will get more people into hybrids who hate the "look at me,...im green" hybrid.
A fat cat complains when he has to "slum it" by flying 1st class on an airline because his coprate jet is out of order. Now thats a fat cat, not a bling bling wannabe.
"You think people rid 20k HD are joe average?"
No,A H-D is the motorcycle equivelent of a premiun car. Many here consider, H-D's having a yupee image or a Hell's Angels wannabe.(stereotype but if you want to sterotype a Prius owner, im free to stereotype a H-D owner) In a land of winters a bike is impratical, at lest you can drive a Prius during blzzard. I do admit riding in the summer breeze n' sun is fun.
" Prius has a yapee image, why?"..."That is their hobby, not basic transportation."
I believe thats a stereotype that those who prefer to dismiss hybrids like to perpetuate. There is your "why". Most prius owners seem to be willing show & tell you their car. Some use their Prius as basic transpoeration and other seem to make a hobby out of it. Similar enthusisam to a VW tdi
"do you think yapees are all joe average? Maybe your part of the world."
My part of the world represents a broad spectrum of society. Does yours?
On the new Saturn hybrid, there is a charge/assist gauge that clearly tells the driver when they are charging the battery and when the electric motor is helping to drive the engine/vehicle. In addition, there is an "eco" light that illuminates when the vehicle is meeting or beating the EPA rating...its calibrated to match slow speeds to city MPG, high speed to highway MPG.
True, the info displays are not hight tech like some other vehicles, but the Vue hybrid starts at $22,995 and gets the best highway fuel economy of ANY suv. Its just a different approach to saving fuel -- and one that make hybrids more affordable for more people. Complicated systems are not automatically better. I'm amazed when people seem to get mad at Saturn for offering a vehicle that delivers a 20% fuel economy improvement, 30 more HP and only costs $2k more than a base vehicle.
In the interest of full disclosure, I work on the Vue Green Line for Saturn.
I don't suppose you could tell us when the GL will go on sale? And which should we expect first, the Aura Green Line or the Malibu Hybrid? Whichever one comes first is going to replace my Prius, hence my curiousity.
I currently have a 2003 V-6 Vue, and just bought my wife a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid (w/ V-6), so I'm wondering how the 2.4L Ecotech I4 will handle. (I test drove the 2003 4cyl and wasn't impressed with it, and ended up buying the V-6 -- I hope the Green Line's 4cyl has enough power/torque to make handling the smooth.)
Cheers!
I'm not mad at all at Saturn for making the SVH available at a good price.
I just think a real-time MPG meter is really the key tool for really taking your vehicle's MPG to the highest level in the easiest-to-learn fashion.
Maybe the next gen will have one....:)
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I read on Saturn's website: the gas engine will stop when you brake and start again when you take your foot off the brake pedal, well, on a typical stop and go city driving, is that going to increase the wear and tear on the engine and the starter? I wonder about the long term durability of this hybrid system?