[kenman923]

The Outlook and the Aura are vehicles Saturn should have come out with 10 years ago.

 

[kuns83]

Great review, and i like all those nifty features like the console and rear audio/hvac that comes towards the rear passengers. Looks like GM has a winner with these 3!

 

[uboys]

Great quote from Businessweek. These look to be break out vehicles for GM. There are many people that need true minivan flexibility without the minivan image. I sold a guy on going to test drive an Outlook this past weekend at a Christmas party. At the beginning of the conversation he swore he wouldn't set foot in any GM dealership. By the end of the conversation about the Outlook he was asking for directions to the Saturn dealership. One of the big selling points was the Cadillac CTS/STS sourced 3.6L DOHC VVT V6 engine. Now I realise it is not a direct transplant - but the fact that it was the same high tech DOHC engine from the hot CTS sedan was a big plus for him.

I just emailed him the link to the Edmunds article. I think GM may finally have a vehicle that will sell without discounts.

Way to go, boblutzfan! I wish I had the opportunity to do more conversions myself.
Awesome!
That's the third such story I heard this week!

 

[Nourdmrolnmt1]

Way to go, boblutzfan! I wish I had the opportunity to do more conversions myself.
Awesome!
That's the third such story I heard this week!

I had a family friend looking to get rid of her Sienna (like 150k miles) and wanting a GMT900 truck. i told her to wait and look at the Lambda's, i am figuring i can go with her in a week to look at them more closely... maybe somehow this will get me "in" with her daughter, even though we've known each other for years and have more of a friend relationship. shes drop dead gorgeus though

 

[impala02]

I had a family friend looking to get rid of her Sienna (like 150k miles) and wanting a GMT900 truck. i told her to wait and look at the Lambda's, i am figuring i can go with her in a week to look at them more closely... maybe somehow this will get me "in" with her daughter, even though we've known each other for years and have more of a friend relationship. shes drop dead gorgeus though

Good luck on both accounts!

Great to hear good press about the lambdas.

 

[HUGH JASSv4]

I like it.
Good, if not been-there-before styling, but clean.
Interior looks far better than the Arcadia, which drives me nuts with it's 3 huge top mounted vents that remind me of a slot machine. This is handsome on the inside and that 2nd row seat is trick.

The price scares me off a bit, and what is with that weight?
I seem to recall the GM boys here slammed the Edge for starting out at around 4100lbs...but WOW, this thing is a beast, 3rd row or not.

7.5 of 10

 

[boblutzfan]

I had a family friend looking to get rid of her Sienna (like 150k miles) and wanting a GMT900 truck. i told her to wait and look at the Lambda's, i am figuring i can go with her in a week to look at them more closely... maybe somehow this will get me "in" with her daughter, even though we've known each other for years and have more of a friend relationship. shes drop dead gorgeus though

You are interested in your friends daughter?! So are you old enough to be her father?

Good luck on getting the mom into the dealership.

 

[ScottS]

Cupholders in the doors are hardly innovative, as the Pilot has had them since its inception. What's innovative is the fact that this has projector HID headlamps, available 19" wheels, a power liftgate, navigation with voice recognition, LED gauges, LED ambient lighting, 8 seats, a 6-speed automatic, and more...and it's not even a luxury car!

Heck, our old "s-series" Bravada had cupholders in the door.

 

[boblutzfan]

Heck, our old "s-series" Bravada had cupholders in the door.

I wonder how long it will take junior to slosh that can of Coke in the door and have the original formula Coke getting into the adjacent power windo switch?

This issue isn't isolated with the Lambda's - it seems the rush to get as many cupholders in a vehilce as possible (often more than the total number of seats) has resulted in the placement being questionable. For example - the Lambda cup holder in the door could be dangerous if Jr. forgets his half empty can of coke - gets out and then slams the door shut....

My kids won't be using those cup holders for drinks.

 

[uboys]

I like it.
Good, if not been-there-before styling, but clean.
Interior looks far better than the Arcadia, which drives me nuts with it's 3 huge top mounted vents that remind me of a slot machine. This is handsome on the inside and that 2nd row seat is trick.

The price scares me off a bit, and what is with that weight?
I seem to recall the GM boys here slammed the Edge for starting out at around 4100lbs...but WOW, this thing is a beast, 3rd row or not.

7.5 of 10

It's big?

 

[ChevroletRevived]

Cupholders in the doors are hardly innovative, as the Pilot has had them since its inception. What's innovative is the fact that this has projector HID headlamps, available 19" wheels, a power liftgate, navigation with voice recognition, LED gauges, LED ambient lighting, 8 seats, a 6-speed automatic, and more...and it's not even a luxury car!

Yeah, you're right. I just didn't notice those before. Yeah, it's got a lot of cool features. It's a great family vehicle, without the minivan stigma. :yup:

 

[boblutzfan]

I like it.
Good, if not been-there-before styling, but clean.
Interior looks far better than the Arcadia, which drives me nuts with it's 3 huge top mounted vents that remind me of a slot machine. This is handsome on the inside and that 2nd row seat is trick.

The price scares me off a bit, and what is with that weight?
I seem to recall the GM boys here slammed the Edge for starting out at around 4100lbs...but WOW, this thing is a beast, 3rd row or not.

7.5 of 10

It is Acadia...not Arcadia.

The Lambda trio are the size of a full size LWB minivan. Check the dimensions and weight of the leading LWB minivans and you will see that the Lambda vehicles are spot on. They manage to get competitive if not class leading gas mileage - so the weight isn't an issue.

 

[ChevroletRevived]

Way to go, boblutzfan! I wish I had the opportunity to do more conversions myself.
Awesome!
That's the third such story I heard this week!

Yes, I agree. Thanks for spreading the word, I try to! Freinds, family...

 

[boblutzfan]

Yeah, you're right. I just didn't notice those before. Yeah, it's got a lot of cool features. It's a great family vehicle, without the minivan stigma. :yup:

I think it is the combination of features and size that will grab such a large segment of the minivan shoppers. Currently - no other CUV offers this combination.

 

[ChevroletRevived]

And there are still people doubting GM's future products? I can't believe the reviews we've been reading on the Outlook...some of the best of ANY product from ANY company. It also baffles me that the 3.6L is powering these beasts as well as they seem to, and still managed a 19 MPG with Edmunds. Excellent.

Can you imagine what reviews are going to say with the 2008 CTS?

Yeah, I know! And if they are THIS positive about the non-luxury Lambda (saying it's competitive in higher price classes, for instance), I can't wait to see what they have to say about the Enclave. Truly a product revolution at GM. GM is on a Roll! :yup:

P.S:
Yes, I agree boblutzfan. This really is an amazing product.

 

[yamahr1]

The Outlook and the Aura are vehicles Saturn should have come out with 10 years ago.

I see. So then they would have been 13 years ahead of the market, instead of only 3 years.

 

[yamahr1]

i dont know if you have sat in one, but it isnt "Aura" plush dash material, it is more like "GMT900" material.

Having looked in both over the weekend, I think the Outlook has the nicer interior. The Aura interior, while nice, looks better in pictures than in person, IMO. "Built to a price", comes to mind. The outside of the Aura, though, is a slam dunk.

 

[uboys]

And there are still people doubting GM's future products? I can't believe the reviews we've been reading on the Outlook...some of the best of ANY product from ANY company. It also baffles me that the 3.6L is powering these beasts as well as they seem to, and still managed a 19 MPG with Edmunds. Excellent.

Can you imagine what reviews are going to say with the 2008 CTS?

Stop it! I'm going crazy!

 

[1969CamaroSS350]

Awesome review. They really didn't complain about anything major except for Saturn being "late to the market" but I don't remember any 8-passengers CUV's back in '96.

 

[ZRock]

I like it.
Good, if not been-there-before styling, but clean.
Interior looks far better than the Arcadia, which drives me nuts with it's 3 huge top mounted vents that remind me of a slot machine. This is handsome on the inside and that 2nd row seat is trick.

The price scares me off a bit, and what is with that weight?
I seem to recall the GM boys here slammed the Edge for starting out at around 4100lbs...but WOW, this thing is a beast, 3rd row or not.

7.5 of 10

Don't forget, it's as big as a Tahoe, but actually weighs about 500lbs less.

Here's a post I did a while back with some size comparisons...
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/showthread.php?p=794409#post794409