Hi,

I had a chance to test drive the hybrid yesterday and formed these opinions:

1) better than a gas only - once warmed up, the autostop worked fine. However, I was surprised it doesn't kick in during decelleration. You have to be stopped.

2) louder than expected - I'm used to the lower engine noise and vibration of the Prius.

3) throttle delay - trying to put in a small throttle change, there is no response so I put in more and then it jumped forward. This may be due to being used to Prius instantanious response.

4) lots of space - possibly more than the Ford Escape but this was just an impression.

5) separate starter? - the brochure suggests there is a 12 VDC engine starter along with the alternator.

6) lack of mileage instrumentation - something my Mom's Caddy and Buick had, and shouts "fuel efficiency is not important." The charge/discharge meter is no substitute. The nearly useless tachometer takes lot of dash space and has no real purpose in an automatic transmission vehicle.

7) the modified alternator - was not impressive and the vehicle felt, sounded and acted like it was gas-only. The tiny hybrid-battery, suspended in a beam in the middle of a rear space area, makes that space unusable instead of being co-located with other structural parts.

I am not convenced a Saturn hybrid is in our future.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
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