boblutzfan

Actually this looks more 1990's midsize than compact. The one I saw was sitting across the street from a late 90's Ford Explorer and they looked identical in size. I was shocked at how big the Nitro appears. The compact segment gets bigger all the time - unnesesarily so. If you don't need a third row and want a RWD based SUV - then the Nitro is perfect sized.

Two days ago a neighbor had a silver R/T sitting infront of his house with Michigan Manufacturer plates (I live in San Antonio, TX) and my wife and I stopped to look at it while out on a walk. I have never been fond of the Nitro in pictures - but like many GM vehicles - seeing it in the flesh we were both very impressed. It has excellent proportions, the interior looked very good and the overall size was great. I predict that this will sell well for Dodge - unfortunately it will probably canabalize sales from the Durango.

Haven't heard any numbers about the Aura yet. But sadly - I haven't seen many ads for the Aura either. If they have ramped up production then why are they hard to find on San Antonio Dealer lots? For some reason - it takes GM launch vehicles about six to twelve months to get traction. Even if the Aura has a slow start - I wouldn't count it out until this time next year. When the Outlook launches - I suspect dealer traffic will be higher than ever. Many people may then see the Aura for the first time. Let's hope that the Saturn dealerships have the right mix of vehicles for potential buyers to see and drive.

What Cadillac needs to do is spend the developmental dollars on the STS. The Escalade sales are doing fine - it is the STS that needs help.

Some great adds in there. I have never seen the Saturn Aura and Question Mark adds. GM needs to get these on the air more. They are very well done.

The LED tailights are saved for the Acadia. I doubt that the average Enclave buyer will mind. Obviously the money was spent on the overall styling and the very classy and luxurious interior. This will be Buick's biggest hit in decades.

I just hope GM markets these well enough to impress the masses. I can't wait to see real world pictures of the production ready Acadia and Enclave.

I agree about the color. It should be a Buick Exclusive. Imgaine the dark red on this with the black leather interior. So anyone know when they will officially go on sale? San Antonio has its car show in November - and the Outlook and Acadia are scheduled to be there. I was just hoping to test drive one before the car show. I hope the rumor isn't true that these won't go on sale until January 2008.

Remember that the have not begun production of saleable units yet - so anything we are seeing is still the prepoduction units - the quality of the interior looks fantastic considering we have yet to see the full produciton models. The interior in these pictures looks like it will kill the competition. Compare this to the Pilot, Highlander, Explorer, Pacifica, Freestyle or any other SUV/CUV out there right now or coming in the next 12 months and the Outlook has the best ineterior - hands down. Combine the utillity of the packaging (will hold a 4X8 sheet of plywood - how many others in the class can?), the 3.6L VVT V6, six speed transmission and the expected pricing and you have a winner here. To think that the Outlook will be the cheapest of the three - just imagine how the real world pictures of the Acadia and Enclave will look. When GM puts its mind to something - it really can build class leading product.

Excellent Saturn Aura pictures with the metallic trim - and the door trim matches the dash... http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/SaturnAura/Photos.htm

Check the other photo galleries on the website featuring the Outlook. they have some nice real world pictures of the 2007 SRX. Why do GM pictures suck so much?

Looks great all around. The all black interior looks better than the interiors shows at introduction. My wife really likes the Acadia because it doesn't have wood on the interior. The Black leather in this Outlook makes the wood look much nicer. I will have to show the wife these pictures. Either an Acadia or Outlook will be our next family car.

The Aztek?! It started out ugly!! This is starting out beautifull!!! It is clearly production ready. The only thing I see changing is the rear door windows and the size of the wheels. They will have the small fixed rear window like on the rear doors of the Acadia and Outlook. Everything else about the exterior should remain. Also, I agree - the Enclave (especially on the inside) is much more feminine than the Acadia. The Outlook looks to be more Japanese than the other two. The Acadia will appeal to more men - the Enclave to women and the Outlook to the ToyoHonda crowd - which will probably be equally split between men and women.

One of the best looking CUV's on the market. My wife and I are leaning toward the Acadia SLT - but the Buick is beautiful - no question. I just got a brochure in the mail for the Outlook and it looked much better in the full color glossy prints than anything I have seen so far. It speaks well for the upcoming Lambda CUVs as the Outlook is by far the least attractive. I found myself liking the Outlook. Also, I was recently on the Acadia website and noticed that they claim it will hold a 4X8 sheet of plywood. This is great news. I do a lot of home improvement projects and that is one big drawback of the Highlander, Pacifica and Pilot - not big enough for a sheet of plywood. These Lambda vehicles are going to be a hit.

Yes - you can get a 4-cylinder as the base motor. I just don't want GM/Chevy to cheap out and use the 3.9L OHV V6 as the top motor instead of the 3.6L If they do, they will lose a sale from me. I want a 2008 Malibu LTZ with the 3.6L V6 and the 6-speed automatic.

The advantage of the OHV engines was that a large percentage of the torque was available low in the RPM range. Do you know where the torque numbers match up on these two engines in terms of RPM? BTW - these engines look great.

The new 2008 Malibu looks to have all it needs to be a retail success - provided they give it the 3.6L DOHC engine. GM needs to cut down these rental sales. The current Malibu should be carried over as a classic to allow the next Malibu a chance to be a retail success.

I love the Malibu Man signature...

Next thing you know GM will cut the cost of Onstar again and announce that the call center is now in India like everyone else!!! Give me a navigation system I can control. Let Onstar unlock my car or notify EMS - but not give me directions.

This does nothing to battle the perception that GM does not offer navigation systems in most of their cars. When the average consumer (especially one from Honda, Toyota or Lexus) thinks of navigation systems - they think of well integrated touch screens that lend a very high tech look to their cars...even the Civic. GM offers factory navigation systems (the real deal not Onstar) in the 2007 GMT-900s, Sigma, Lamdba, Theta and G-Body. It is time they offered it as an option in the Delta and Epsilon cars. People want the screens - not the blue button. GM - are you listening?

The rental part might have been your problem. I travel for business frequently and one of my favorite rentals is the new Impala. However, I have been in some that are in horrible shape - just six weeks ago in a 2006 model that was in terrible shape. The power seat didn't work and many trim pieces were loose or out of place. I know that rentals are treated worse than any other car in the industry - people treat them poorly because they "aren't theirs". The Aspen isn't that bad of an example of a luxury SUV. I contend that the only thing the Aspen really has going against it is $3.00/gallon gas. It may not be as good as the GMT-900 in some areas - but it is better in others. The GMT-900s will sell better because of the early market introduction this past winter and their overall control of the segment - but the Aspen will find buyers and isn't the sh!t box many are claiming it to be.

I hope this is the new Pilot... If it is then it will help the sales of the Outlook and Acadia.

I contend that they didn't sell well due to the terrible front end styling (which was fixed for 2007). My uncle has a 2005 Durango SLT with the HEMI and it has been a perfectly trouble free vehicle. He has about 30,000 miles on it. The only thing he hasn't like is the gas mileage. He averages about 13 in combined city highway driving. He bought it for the HEMI and clever interior packaging (folding third row). He has a boat that he tows with it.

You're kidding right? The Bravada is dead. The Trailblazer and Envoy have horrid interiors, ancient four speed automatics and as has been said - look awkward at best in the extended length versions. Only the SAAB got away with an ok interior. But it is a joke as a SAAB. The Durango hasn't been a sales succes because of the styling - which took a nose dive three years ago when they redesigned it. The engine line up is strong (even if it does drink gas) and it has a good five speed automatic. The interior was full of hard plastics - yes - but so were the last generation Tahoe's and Yukons that were just replaced. The Durango and now Aspen are onve of the only solid rear axle SUVs to offer fold flat third row and the size of the truck is a nice compromise. I predict sales will not drop as much as expected with the new facelift. Remember that the Durango and Aspen will get the same dual mode hybrid transmission that the Tahoe and Yukon are slated to get. This will help sales as well. The Aspen has more differntiation than a Denali and Yukon - so I see it as rather hypcritcal to mock DCX for bringing this thing to market. If gas were $2.00/gallon they would sell tons of these things and we would have reason to worry. Right now the GMT-900s better gas mileage is our biggest asset. Difference between Tahoe and Denali: Headlights Grill Tailights Six Speed Auto 6.2L V8 Wheels Interior trim Difference between Durango and Aspen: Headlights Grill Tailights Front and rear quarter panels Hood Wheels No engine differentiation - but Durango already offers top engine while Tahoe does not. Different Dash board All that said, I would still rather have a Denali over the Aspen - but I think much too much mockery is being made of this truck. The Aspen will be cheaper than the Denali and there is a market for Chrysler customer's who want a full size SUV to park next to their Town and Country minivan.

DCX did a better job with their steering wheels than GM did. I hate it that the Tahoe, Yukon, Denali and Escalade all have the same airbag cover with a round button for the specific brand. You notice how the Dodge and Chrysler emblembs are part of the skin and not the same shape. The Suzuki XL-7 got its own GM airbag cover yet the GMT-900s must share. Go figure.