Turning Up the Heat in a Growing SegmentOver time, venerable full-size station wagons - such as
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| The Outlook is a different view on the crossover/SUV situation. (Photo: General Motors) |
Buick's Roadmaster and Ford's Country Squire - have been replaced by highly practical minivans and fuel-sucking, four-wheel drive SUVs. With its new Lambda architecture, GM plans to offer an alternative to stigmatic minivan and wasteful SUV ownership in the form of fuel-friendly, full-size SUV / wagon / minivan crossover concoctions capable of comfortably carrying up to eight occupants. The unibody design of the front-wheel drive, or optional all-wheel drive Lambda platform reduces its overall weight by eliminating a hefty truck-like frame and other heavy-duty components needed to tow ponderous loads or endure severe off-road conditions. Less weight requires less horsepower, less horsepower requires fewer cylinders, fewer cylinders require less fuel - or so the science goes.
Both
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| Other GM brands will soon partake on the Lambda chassis, including Buick, with a variant of the Enclave Concept. (Photo: General Motors) |
Chrysler and Ford have already seen the full-size crossover light, supplying us with the Pacifica and Freestyle respectively; now, Pontiac Aztek behind them and Buick Rendezvous about to be, it's GM's turn to illuminate - and why not, the crossover market is a rapidly growing automotive segment that shows no sign of weakening anytime soon. In fact, if my reproductive potential were met, I would look toward such a vehicle to fulfill family transportation needs. Although I don't require the ruggedness of a truck-based, 4WD SUV, I do like the idea of AWD traction to keep me within easy reach of ski hills and other forms of outdoor recreation. And in a climate that exposes motorists to plenty of rain and slick conditions, the added security of AWD is a boon to safety as well. By adding decent fuel economy, thanks in part to six cylinders rather than eight, to its list of attributes, the practicality of a full-size crossover doesn't carry with it the resource-depleting baggage of a true, full-size SUV.
In GM's case, a full-size crossover is expected to round out the lineup
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| Saturn is the first brand to debut the Outlook, proving that this arm of GM is far from dead. (Photo: General Motors) |
in three of its divisions, beginning with Saturn's Outlook, and then followed up with Buick's Enclave and GMC's Acadia. All three vehicles will share the same basic structure while exhibiting brand specific characteristics. First to hit the launch pad will be the Outlook, which was introduced yesterday at the New York International Auto Show; incidentally open to the public from April 14 through 23. Outlook production is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of this year, so we have some time to wait before getting behind the wheel. However, from the information available to date, it appears GM is putting extra effort into ensuring the Outlook and its two cousins are the pride of their automotive families, and leaders within the segment.
By a very small margin, the Outlook will eclipse both the Pacifica
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| Clever 'Smart Slide' seat solves third-row entry and exit woes. (Photo: General Motors) |
and Freestyle in overall length, stretching the tape to 200.7 in; and at 118.9 inches, the Outlook's wheelbase will also exceed that of its two main rivals. In overall height, the 72.8-inch roof-rail equipped Outlook will split the difference between the taller Freestyle and lower Pacifica. The exterior dimensions of the Outlook leave it very "garage-able," while maximizing its commodious interior. When its second and third row seats are folded flat, the Outlook will absorb 117.0 cu ft of cargo, but here's where its length really pays off: behind the third row seat remains a very useable 19.7 cu ft of grocery-hauling space. This means there is less need to constantly drop and raise the third row seat in order to stuff in sundries or alternatively, people. And when it's the alternative filling the Outlook's real estate, those sent rearward will find access to the third row contortion-free thanks to GM's industry-first, Smart Slide feature, standard on all second row configurations. Smart Slide allows the second row seat cushion to flip up as the seatback slides forward, effectively compressing the space occupied by the seat and enlarging the pathway to the third row perch.
