Outlook XE ($29,360) comes with cloth upholstery, air conditioning, eight-passenger seating, cruise control, power locks, power windows, keyless entry, OnStar for one year, driver information center, XM Satellite Radio for one year, AM/FM/CD/MP3 with six speakers, 18-inch painted alloy wheels.

Outlook XR ($31,770) upgrades with dual-zone automatic climate control, wood grain interior trim, power driver’s seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, auto-dimming rearview mirror with compass, universal garage door opener, 18-inch machined alloy wheels, foglights. Options include leather-trimmed seats for the first two rows with heated front seats ($1275), and a navigation system ($2145).

Options for both models include a 10-speaker sound system ($880), HID headlamps ($500), captain’s chairs with center console for the second row ($495), Preferred Package ($505) including power adjustable driver’s seat and chrome roof rails, Trailering Package ($425) including heavy-duty engine cooling system, harness and hitch, DVD entertainment system ($1295), sunroof ($1300), 19-inch chrome wheels ($2029), crossbars for the roof rails ($213), remote starter ($235). Also available: a power liftgate and rearview back-up camera.

Safety equipment on both models includes the dual-stage frontal airbags, side-impact airbags in front, full-length side curtain airbags, tire pressure monitor, ABS, and StabiliTrak electronic stability control. The optional rearview camera enhances safety when backing up. All-wheel drive improves safety in wintry conditions. The Outlook has earned a five-star crash rating from NHTSA.

Saturn calls the Outlook a mid-size SUV, but it’s bigger than most mid-size SUVs and just slightly shorter than a Chevy Tahoe full-size SUV.

The Outlook looks sleek and modern, certainly by SUV standards, though it doesn’t have the boldness of the Ford Edge.

The grille with a wide chrome bar and Saturn logo proudly announces itself, and stands out against a black background. The black air dam at the bottom slices a rigid horizontal line across the chin, and its contrast against the body color makes the fascia look like the edge of a cliff. Large trapezoidal openings for the foglamps look like wicked eyes a cartoonist might draw, and above them the similar-shaped headlamps fill the corners of the car; foglamps are unavailable on the XE, leaving big black holes there. A character groove down the center of the hood finishes it all off. In short, the Outlook presents a good-looking face.

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