Saturn Vue 2-Mode Hybrid--Another Vue of green

Amid the dire predictions for General Motors' future, here's a bright spot: the 2009 Saturn Vue 2-Mode hybrid.
Saturn says that its gasoline-electric hybrid Vue, set to go on sale by March, will be the world's most fuel-efficient V6 sport-utility vehicle. If its claim of a 50 percent fuel-economy gain over a nonhybrid V6 Vue holds true, the 2-Mode Vue will post a figure of nearly 30 mpg combined.
The Vue 2-Mode goes beyond the original (and still available) belt-assisted four-cylinder hybrid Vue, which saved fuel with its engine stop/start capability. The 2-Mode integrates two electric motors into the front-drive transaxle to assist the 3.6-liter V6 engine; it provides electric propulsion in addition to stop/start ability. The combined gasoline-electric output of 308 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque pushes the Vue 2-Mode to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds, just a few tenths off the pace of a non-hybrid Vue, despite carrying 370 extra pounds, mostly in 22 nickel-metal-hydride batteries under the rear cargo floor. Towing is 3,500 pounds, the same as for the nonhybrid V6.
The combined power of the V6 and the twin electric motors ensures that despite a weight gain, the Vue 2-Mode remains a capable and quick ute. In our brief drive in Los Angeles, the vehicle pulled smartly away from standing stops and up to speed on the freeway, while still having power in reserve when needed at higher speeds. The extra weight didn't seem too much of a hindrance, with front and rear spring rates, anti-roll bars and struts and shock absorbers all revised to manage body roll and dive. Overall, the ride and handling were quite similar to those of a normally powered Vue.
Unlike some vehicles with grabby regenerative-braking systems, the Vue is well mannered and doesn't overexert itself. Saturn calls it a "fully blended" system that allows regular friction braking, fully regenerative braking or a combination of the two. Regardless of where the stopping power is coming from, it's seamless.
What's the downside of getting better fuel economy and performance in your Vue? Saturn expects you'll pay about $5,000 more for the 2-Mode compared with a standard V6 Vue, or just a shade less than $33,000.
SPECS
ON SALE: March
BASE PRICE: $32,900 (est)
DRIVETRAIN: 3.6-liter V6, plus two electric motors, combined 308 hp, 295 lb-ft; FWD, four-speed automatic plus two electric ratios
CURB WEIGHT: 4,237 lb
0-60 MPH: 7.3 sec (mfr)
FUEL ECONOMY (EPA): 29 mpg (est).