Saturn of Spartanburg

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Driving Impressions

To gain interior space, the Outlook uses a long wheelbase with short overhangs as well as a wide track. Pushing the four wheels out to the corners like that results in a better ride and more stability on the road. The overall weight of 4700 pounds contributes to that smooth ride, if not to acceleration (though that weight pales in comparison to that of a 5500-pound Tahoe).

The new 3.6-liter engine handles the weight, with 275 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque. That torque peaks at a conveniently low 3200 rpm, so the acceleration happens early.

The Outlook AWD still gets an EPA-estimated 17/24 mpg City/Highway, numbers which equal those of the new Ford Edge with its similar and comparable V6. But the Edge is smaller and only seats five. In a longer test than we were able to give the Outlook, AutoWeek magazine got 20.7 miles per gallon in mixed use.

This same V6 and six-speed automatic transmission are used in the Saturn Aura sedan, which was voted the 2007 North American Car of the Year by 49 automotive journalists at the Detroit Auto Show. We drove the Outlook for half a day, and never felt the need for more power. The acceleration was always there, and at 80 miles per hour it felt very smooth and extremely quiet.

We didn't have the opportunity to thoroughly test the Outlook's cornering, but from what we could see, the handling is decent for a vehicle this size. There are solid indications that it should be good, including a modern independent suspension and ring-and-pinion steering.

The Aura sedan uses paddles on the steering wheel for its manual operation of the automatic transmission, for sporty driving; but the Outlook uses a button on the side of the shift knob that you flick with your thumb, for more practical manual shifting, for example with changing terrain and load. We shifted a lot, and liked the tight gear changes.

We drove both a front-wheel-drive XE and an all-wheel-drive XR. We didn't get off road, but the AWD system drives 60 percent of the power to the front wheels and 40 percent to the rear on dry pavement, and adjusts that ratio when the sensors detect slipping. That 60-40 split is more balanced than most; some systems are heavily balanced to the front, as much as 95-5.

It's not uncommon to detect a difference in the ride, between a FWD and AWD version of the same vehicle, and it's usually the FWD that's smoother. In this case, we think the front suspension of the AWD felt tighter, and less jouncy. Firmer and more comfortable, at the same time. That contributed to the good handling.

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