OK, here we go again.
The Saturn Vue official web page says "Saturn Vue XE AWD towing capacity: 3500 pounds" - followed by the always-present asterisk or note. When you drop down to the bottom of the page and read the note, it goes on to say "Maximum trailer ratings are calculated assuming a properly equipped vehicle ... plus driver. The weight of other optional equipment, passengers, and cargo will reduce the maximum trailer weight your vehicle can tow."
OK, so you are going to start out with a trailer that weighs about 3500 pounds, road-ready. And you have a vehicle that is rated (optimistically, as all manufacturer's ratings are optimistic) to tow 3500 pounds. But did you add any factory options to your Vue? Subtract their weight from the 3500 pound rating. Do you plan to travel solo, or will you have one or more passengers in your Vue? Subtract the weight of the passengers from the 3500 pound tow rating. Do you plan to carry any cargo in your Vue? Most people carry anywhere from 200 to 500 pounds of cargo ("camping stuff" etc) in their tow vehicle. If you carry any cargo, you must subtract that weight from the 3500-pound tow rating.
What does all this leave you? In most cases, if you are honest, you will have to subtract about 800 pounds from your tow vehicle's rating. So now, you have a vehicle with a 2700-pound tow rating, trying to manage a 3500 pound trailer. Perhaps you will rationalize this in your own mind as being acceptable. I am unable to do this.
Bear in mind, this is not me talking. This is the manufacturer talking - the same manufacturer who really REALLY wants to sell you his vehicle, rather than having you buy someone else's vehicle.
Now, add in the fact that when the manufacturer specifies a tow rating, he doesn't tell you WHERE this rating applies. You can bet he isn't talking about towing in the Rockies or the high Sierras. He is talking about benign towing in the flatlands, because by doing so, he can quote the highest number possible, and is more likely to sell you a vehicle. But you want to go to the Western US. Do your plans include any mountains? Hmmm ...
And of course, as Rickst29 points out, all of that is just a discussion of horsepower and torque and suspension and tires. Now, what about wheelbase and emergency maneuvers? A too-short vehicle just can't handle them. Maybe you will never get into an emergency situation, so you will never need this particular attribute. But remember, you are betting your life here ...
I don't mean to be a scold, or a bummer (as my kids would say). But I absolutely do not understand why people risk their lives and those of their families with an inadequate tow vehicle.
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