SATURN Vue 2001-2005 Photos, engines & full specs

General Motors tried to offer lower-budget crossover on the U.S. market but didn't want to affect the well-established ones, such as Chevrolet or Pontiac, and chose Saturn.

While the SUV revolution started to pick up speed, the American carmaker tried to find a solution to put more people behind GM-branded cars. One of these was the Saturn Vue. Since it was developed on the same Theta platform used for the European Opel Antara, it was easy to lower the price of the car. Of course, there were some technical limitations, but with a smart design, these were resolved.

The car's exterior sported an unusual design for the front fascia, with rectangular headlights placed high above the bumper. The Vue featured only a lower grille for cooling necessities flanked by two squared fog lamps. Its unibody construction resembled some lines used by its European sibling, with a raked-forward C-pillar. However, unlike the Antara, the Vue featured an almost vertical tailgate with blackened D-pillars that gave the sensation of a surrounding glass area in the back of the vehicle.

Inside, Saturn installed a rounded dashboard with four dials inside the instrument cluster fronting the driver. Atop the center stack, where other automakers placed the audio system, the automaker installed two vents. Customers found the materials' quality a little low, but after all, it was a low-budget vehicle for its class. At the front, the two bucket seats were high mounted, while the rear occupants could share the split-folding bench that extended the trunk space.

Under the hood, the Vue started its career with a choice of two gasoline engines: a 2.2-liter and a 3.0-liter from GM's parts bin. The former was paired with a five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic, while the latter was offered exclusively with an automatic gearbox.