Detroit 2008: 2009 Saturn Vue 2 Mode Hybrid

In 2006, the Saturn Vue Green Line became General Motors’ first production hybrid vehicle when it debuted with the company’s mild hybrid system. In fall 2007, a updated BAS-equipped Green Line version based on the second-generation Vue went into production.

GM has now added the second of three hybrid variants to the Vue lineup with the2009 Saturn Vue Green Line 2 Mode. The 2 Mode Vue is based on the same technology used in the award-winning Tahoe and Yukon full-size SUVs. The Vue has the first transverse mounted front-wheel drive application of the 2 Mode system.

The 2 Mode transmission is paired up in the Vue with GM’s 3.6L twin-cam V6 equipped with direct fuel injection. Like the big SUVs, the engine is equipped with a cylinder deactivation system that allows it to run on three cylinders under light load conditions. The combination of the advanced hybrid system and the V6 helps maintain the V6 Vue’s 3,500 tow rating while still achieving a fifty percent boost in urban fuel economy. There’s more on the 2 Mode Vue over at AutoblogGreen.

Gallery: Detroit 2008: 2009 Saturn Vue 2-Mode Hybrid
DETROIT – The all-new 2009 Saturn Vue Green Line 2 Mode, the first front-wheel-drive compact SUV in the world powered by General Motors’ two-mode hybrid technology, is designed for customers who want the outstanding fuel savings of an advanced hybrid and the full power and towing capability of an SUV. The Vue Green Line 2 Mode was unveiled today at the North American International