On Wheels by Brooks Peterson

Saturday, July 22, 2000

Evolutionary changes mark Saturn SL2

You may recall that last week we were talking revolutionary: Honda's intriguing if idiosyncratic Insight, a "hybrid" vehicle in which a three-cylinder gasoline engine and a high-tech electric motor work in tandem to deliver entertaining performance and (more to the point) stratospheric EPA mileage ratings.
   That was then. This week, we're talking evolutionary. There was absolutely nothing startling or even particularly novel about the 2000 Saturn SL2 tester that nested with us for seven days. In its own quiet, unassuming way, however, it was a fairly impressive proposition.
   That's certainly the case if you compare this vehicle with the first Saturns that rolled off the line in 1990: They were a novelty back then, with their ding-resistant polymer body panels (which, by the way, are still there) and their mildly kicky lines.
   Reworking the shortcomings
   From the outset, Saturn attracted a cult-like following, largely due to its no-haggle approach to pricing and selling, and its emphasis on cultivating buyer loyalty. The cars, however, while reliable enough, did have a few shortcomings. The most notable was a noisy, thrashy power plant. Energetic though they were, those early Saturn fours let you know they were working for a living.
   And then there were the seats. Some found them satisfactory, or at least endurable. For others, however, they were torture racks. A friend bought one, only to return it because of the havoc it was wreaking with her spinal column. (Saturn's innovative 30-day buy-back grace period for new-car purchasers - still in force - made this possible.)
   Happily, Saturn has over the years been working on these problems and on sundry other quibbles owners raised. It shows up impressively in the latest generation of small Saturns.
   A real selling point
   These cars have not received a lot of ink, largely because of the interest in the new, bigger L-series Saturns (sedan and wagon) - but it could make a big difference to shoppers pondering their options in the small-car marketplace.
   In this regard, there's another consideration that could be a real selling point for the little Saturns, at least in the top-of-the-line SL2 versions we were driving: The marriage between the 1.9 liter, 124-horsepower four and the optional four-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission is a strikingly happy one.
   Even at this late date, such is not always the case in small cars afflicted with - er, make that "equipped with" - automatic boxes. These transmissions sometimes seem to suck all the oomph out of a little engine (though this is not as common as it used to be). Just as irritating, they may display a reluctance to downshift when you need a bit of a boost, as in ascending a steep slope.
   A fairly nimble little car
   Believe it or not, there are even some AT-equipped econocars out there that haven't been able to overcome the buzzing-while-waiting-at-a-stoplight syndrome.
   The Saturn guys have banished all this bad stuff. What you've got in your SL2 is a powertrain that's both reasonably smooth and entertainingly responsive. And the AT's impact on performance is minimal: At 9.6 seconds for the zero-to-60-mph run, it's only six-tenths of a second slower than a manual-equipped SL2. (Saturn's numbers.) Better than respectable. A lot better.
   The fact that the Saturn is a fairly nimble little cuss doesn't hurt a bit, either. The tossability quotient is right up there; and if you go for the optional package that gets you anti-lock braking and traction control, you'll be well armed indeed for the fray, be it waged on the mean streets of the metropolis or the dusty lanes of the boondocks.
   If there was any point on which our tester stumbled, it was to do with the interior d‚cor. It's not that it didn't work, you understand: The seats, unlike those on the early Saturns, were reasonably supportive, and the remodeled instrument panel was handsome and informative. However, the black dash and the dove-gray upholstery and door panels leave you hungering for at least a hint of zaniness. There's a point at which "understated" turns into "blah." Saturn's not there - not quite - but it's time to add some paprika to the mix.
   Bearing the Saturn standard
   One other thing: Does that as-tested price strike you as a shade high? Not to worry; a little restraint on the order form can save you some serious bucks. If you can do without the leather ($700), the sunroof ($725) and the rear spoiler ($255), you can slim down that bottom line substantially. (I would, however, gladly cough up the $695 for the ABS-cum-traction-control package.)
   Unlike the new L-car, which Saturn is (debatably) touting as a "performance sedan," the little Saturns have no pretensions of being anything but sturdy, rational vehicles. The Saturn faithful, whose zeal is truly impressive, will love the latest evolutionary changes: The freshened-up S-series cars bear the standard worthily. Ain't nobody gonna run rings around Saturn.
  
  

---

  © 2000 Corpus Christi Caller Times, a Scripps Howard newspaper. All rights reserved.