Overview & Reviews

The Saturn Relay was one of General Motors' minivans supposedly styled to have the look of a rough-and-tumble SUV rather than a plain-Jane family shuttle. Marketed as a "crossover sport van," the Relay had a longish nose, more aggressive styling and a roof rack to lend an SUV persona. However, the basic body structure and sliding doors remained true to the minivan segment's guiding principles.

The Saturn Relay was certainly family-friendly, with a folding third-row seat and optional 40GB digital media system that could store and play thousands of MP3 music files or a few dozen movies. Missing in action, though, were popular safety features like three-row side curtain airbags and a back-up camera.

Consumers never warmed to the Relay, however, and after just a few years on the market, Saturn pulled the van in favor of its new large crossover, the Outlook. As a choice for a used minivan, the Relay provides solid family transportation to be sure, and if price is a major issue, it will typically cost less than comparably equipped class leaders. However, more demanding shoppers who don't mind spending the extra cash will likely be happier with one of several other popular rivals.

Most Recent Saturn Relay

The midsize Saturn Relay minivan was produced from 2005-'07. Mechanically, it was related to GM's other vans, the Buick Terraza, Chevrolet Uplander and Pontiac Montana SV6. Originally, there were two trim levels simply named 2 and 3. Standard Relay 2 amenities included power accessories, air-conditioning, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, antilock brakes, first- and second-row side airbags and keyless entry. The Relay 3 added rear air-conditioning, a power driver seat, alloy wheels and upgraded interior storage.

Noteworthy options included the "PhatNoise" portable 40-gig digital media system, dual power-sliding side doors, a navigation system, rear park assist, leather seating, a sport-tuned suspension and a stability control system. For the van's final year, Saturn added a Relay 1 trim level that dropped some features in exchange for a cheaper price. The stability control system also became standard that year.

At first, all Saturn Relays came equipped with an underwhelming 3.5-liter V6 that made 200 horsepower and 220 pound-feet of torque. A four-speed automatic transmission was standard. No other powertrain combinations were available, though buyers could opt for all-wheel drive. For 2006, a 3.9-liter V6 with 240 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque became optional on front-wheel-drive Relay 3 models. For the final year, Saturn made the big engine standard and discontinued all-wheel-drive availability.

The Relay could seat seven, and the folding third-row seat was split 50/50 for added versatility. A pleasing two-tone color treatment with faux wood accents dramatically brightened the cabin and lent an upscale ambience. Folding center trays between the first- and second-row seats were available, and an overhead rail system provided rear-seat access to storage and climate/entertainment controls.

When shopping for a Saturn Relay, we recommend trying to get a model with the 3.9-liter V6. This engine offered commendable performance around town and made quick work of merging and passing on freeways. The Relay's suspension was on the soft side, delivering a smooth ride and average handling for this class. Upgrading to the optional sport suspension provided tighter handling, though maneuverability in tight spaces was still compromised by the van's large turning radius.

User Reviews:

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  Crapola from GM - 2005 Saturn Relay
  By 62Sunbeam - February 4 - 8:56 pm

  Three years on I am still kicking myself for buying this horrible vehicle! I have never in all my life seen a more poorly made vehicle on the road. This includes a mid 80s Sonata. This car has been in the dealer more times than all of my precious cars combined. Faulty ABS system, Bad brakes, bad A/C, bad DVD, bad front wheel bearings, bad side doors, bad suspension, bad parking brake adjuster, bad side trim, and overall horrendous build quality. I would sell it but it has NO replacement value and I foolishly took out a loan to buy it. so it is now worth about 8 grand less than I owe. I tried to have the warranty extended as a courtesy but I was told to take a hike and with 34000 on th

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  Piece of crap - 2006 Saturn Relay
  By cbt - December 18 - 2:23 pm

  MOST RECENT problem: from being PARKED with engine running, car slid into REVERSE, rolled downhill, knocked me over twice and hit my neighbors tree (better than the house)! Add to that problems weve had since we bought it new: both sliding doors sometimes wont close; the dash lights flicker; the a/c goes out and we have to move the knob to heat and back to get cool air again; a/c only blows cool when were actually rolling; "ABS disengaged" light comes on all the time; full brake replacement at 50K miles; radio changes station when braking suddenly; dead spot in accelerating from a stop; gas reads empty on incline even when 1/4 full; back wiper doesnt move; hard to get into 3rd row.

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  Excellent Vehicle - 2005 Saturn Relay
  By KB - December 3 - 7:40 am

  We absolutley love our new Saturn Relay. Working with the Saturn salespeople was great. No hassles and no run-around. The Relay has a sporty drive while still maintaining a smooth car-like ride. This is a wonderful family vehicle and I would recommend it to anyone with small children. I especially like how easy it is to load children into the 2nd or 3rd row seats.

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  Not so happy - 2006 Saturn Relay
  By tee - October 9 - 9:26 pm

  We have owned our Saturn for 9 months now and are not satisfied. We have been in and out of the dealership with so many problems : electrical ( abs and traction tire system needed to be serviced every other 3 weeks) front tires squeal like a 50 year old car. The darn car beeps at you for no reason while driving down the road. The engine light goes on and off and dealership cant find a problem. Lost cruise control while driving on freeway, just cruising along and bang lost speed no warning just shut itself off. So not happy wish we could get rid of it.

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  The Relay is Definitely a Good Choice - 2005 Saturn Relay
  By ian07042003 - July 18 - 12:40 am

  Our last four cars before the Relay have been Saturns. The Saturn reliability, styling, service, and price are very hard to beat. And the new Relay definitely does not disappoint in that regard.

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  Great so far... - 2006 Saturn Relay
  By Debra - July 12 - 9:36 pm

  So far we love our Relay - The sliding door had to be recallibrated and the pinstriping is peeling - but these are minor things that can be fixed... as far as Mini Vans go - It is easy to handle and fun to drive - Our son has plenty of room in the second row loves the DVD! We only hope it gives us the same satifaction our first Saturn did which is still kicking after over 120,000 miles.

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  Love my Van - 2005 Saturn Relay
  By Cynthia - June 10 - 3:16 am

  The sales staff was very accomdating, especially after the purchase. The ride is very smooth and comfortable. I am a previous owner of the Grand Caravan and I like my Saturn so much more. So far I am getting around 27/28 mpg on highway and 24 city. The toybox is a great separation from my young kids (little less fighting). The only problem so far is the door handle frame on my front passenger door handle keeps popping off. When it pops off, we have difficulty open the door from the inside. Very easy to clean, especially since I can lift up the caption chairs to vacuum under them. This is great for those who have young ones that drop fries, M&Ms, gummy bears, etc.

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  What Relay did I Buy?? - 2006 Saturn Relay
  By SpanglishScienceMom - April 15 - 11:46 pm

  Wow! After reading all these great reviews, Im wondering if we are talking about the same vehicle. The mpg has never been over 16.8, and thats w/all freeway driving. In the summer during the hotest days of Aug, the A/C refused to work twice. When usung the A/C mpg tops out at 15.1. Lots of minor molding, door sticking, cup holder derailing issues. Met other Saturn owner at dealership w/ identical issues plus they suffered oil leaks that were not satisfactorily handled. I miss my 91 4-Runner!

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  18 trips to the shop in 2 yrs. - 2005 Saturn Relay
  By J Robinson - April 13 - 10:40 am

  Ive bought 2 relays. My 1st was totaled in an accident so we bought a 2nd. Ive been to the shop 18 times in 2.5 yrs. Ive had my rotors replaced 2x, 5 drive belts in 8 wks., 2 tensioner in 8 wks., new heater system, onstar unit, side panels, wood trim, pwr steering unit. Ive had my computer reset so my headlights dont fail. My pwr doors open when driving, (with my 3 children in the back.) those are just some of the problems weve had. Ive dealt w/ Saturn assistance & they offered me free oil changes to make it right. I will never buy another Saturn again. I may never buy gm b/c of this. I no longer support Saturn in anyway. They do not take care of their customers.

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  Family friendly and easy to buy - 2005 Saturn Relay
  By SaturnMom - April 6 - 5:53 am

  It started with our love for our local Saturn dealer who we bought with before. The company has an easy no-haggle sales policy, so I never had to fear being ripped off or my time being wasted by money games. Also our local dealer has an excellent service department. I first bought the Relay 3 FWD but traded it in during my 30 day trade-in satisfaction guarantee period for the Relay 2 model. I enjoy the toy box and added visibility over the bucket seats in the Relay 2 second row. If you have younger children, these are a practical option. I also value Saturns Bumper to Bumper Extended Warranty program vs. competitors Limited warranties for worry free ownership.