Overview & Reviews

The Saturn brand, which was part of General Motors, has been discontinued as of the 2009 model year. Though popular in its early years, Saturn suffered from poor sales and was shuttered as part of GM's bankruptcy reorganization.

Despite its sad end, Saturn started with a bright future. After losing market share to Japanese imports during the '80s, General Motors launched Saturn, a new division that began selling small, low-priced cars in 1990. The division promoted itself as "different," with Saturn dealers offering no-haggle pricing and friendly customer service.

Saturn made its debut with the S Series line of vehicles. Available in sedan, coupe and wagon configurations, these Saturns differentiated themselves from other GM products with all-new platforms and flexible plastic panels meant to resist denting. Additionally, the brand was granted its own plant, with all Saturns being built at a dedicated facility in Spring Hill, Tennessee. These first Saturns weren't exactly built to burn rubber; they were powered by engines that offered from 85-124 horsepower. The payoff, though, was that these were among the most fuel-efficient vehicles of their day, offering up to 40 miles per gallon (when equipped with a manual transmission).

Just after the brand's conception, GM boasted that Saturn vehicles would benefit from rapid evolution, but in the early years, this wasn't the case. The brand's vehicles saw only one redesign in their first decade of existence. The revamp took place in the mid-'90s, and for the most part, it was only skin deep. Exteriors were spruced up and interior room saw a slight increase.

The Saturn brand enjoyed some success in its earliest years, fueled by buyers who were in love with its unique approach to customer relations that included "no-haggle" pricing. By the turn of the century, though, the novelty had worn off. With dated platforms and a limited range of products, the marque was neglected by GM, and disappointing sales figures showed that buyers had taken note and chosen to spend their dollars elsewhere.

GM responded by ramping up its commitment to the Saturn brand. In 2000, it rolled out the L Series; sharing a platform and an engine with the Opel Vectra (one of GM's European products) the sedan was the opening salvo in GM's ultimately futile fight to resuscitate the struggling brand. An SUV, the Vue, was unveiled, as was a minivan, the Relay. The S Series was replaced by the lamentable Ion, which was available as a sedan and a coupe. GM also added a hybrid to the lineup, with the introduction of the Saturn Vue Green Line.

Later, Saturn included the sporty Sky roadster, the midsize Aura sedan, the compact second-generation Vue crossover and the full-size Outlook crossover. For a brief period, there was also the European-sourced Astra compact hatchback.

Despite the increase in product quality, however, the Saturn brand effectively collapsed in 2009. As part of GM's bankruptcy proceedings, Saturn was offered up for sale. Initially, it was believed that the Penske Corporation would take over Saturn. But the deal fell through at the last minute, thereby spelling the final end for GM's import-fighting experiment.

User Reviews:

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  Saturn Good but not GM ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE! - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By creativ1 - May 24 - 2:15 am

  I have a sad story. I own a saturn vue 2008 xr and was very happy with it. Recently though...onstar came to give the car a jump because the battery would keep going out every 5 days or so. The man they sent through onstar was called "Wells Automotive Service" The young man crossed the jumpers on my car and messed up $600 on my car and blew out the 30 amp fuse, killed what was left of the batter and blew out the onstar batter for backup. However...roadside assistance did not rent me a car while it was at the dealer since October 16th 2011. They turned it over to the claims department and I got a claim number. The people at the claims office said that they are only paying for $155 worth of da

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  Excellent Bargain - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By Jason - May 23 - 8:40 am

  250 hp Honda Engine. Excellent fuel economy. Excellent styling in and out, truly a standout in its class.

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  Brakes - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By Rachel - May 22 - 8:23 am

  My experience with my Saturn Vue has been pretty good. The only thing that I have noticed is that when I happen to hit a bump on the road or a pothole if I have my foot on the brake I loose my brake. It almost feels as though my foot is bouncing on the pedal. Other then that, I love the SUV. It is perfect for my family.

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  Attractive with room to spare - 2007 Saturn Outlook
  By Jaw2th - May 21 - 8:33 am

  I have had my Outlook for a little over 2 months now and there is a lot to love about this crossover SUV. First, its external beauty. The overall appearance and lines of this vehicle borders on stunning. The interior is well designed, the ride is comfortable and the handling is decent. I have not taken a long trip yet but the city mileage is about as good as the smaller 2001 V6 Tribute I had. Still Im only getting avg.17 miles/gal in the city. Not that great considering the trade-off; a slow responding transmission. The car gets pushed around in heavy crosswinds. There is no help handle on the drivers side. The side door pockets are awkward. Still I love this car. Admiring stares rule!

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  My Vue of 2003 VUE - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By SRW4327 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Since I bought my Vue, I have found that I have a truly excellent vehicle. It handles well, corners great, no top- heavy feel. Loading capacity is 1/3 from back to dashboard-meaning I can pick up lumber when needed. Fold- down 2/3 rear seat gives room for lots of gear & a passenger, too. Styling is top-notch--still getting lots of "looks" when driving around. Breaking is sure and steady with ABS, even in very incliment weather. Leather package makes the heated front seats nice and cozy, great heater & defroster. Great sound system. 6cd changer in-dash & cassette, too. The best, most comfortable all-around vehicle I have ever had.

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  Love My Car! - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Joella Ciukaj - May 17 - 10:56 am

  I love to drive this car. Handles really good. I can really move fast qiuckly and get away from the big trucks. Love the way it looks. Mine is black and it looks good. I get a lot of looks and people tell me they like the way it looks all the time. Leather seats that have warmers inside.Start the car from my window so its all warm when I get in. Moon roof I can open on pretty days. Love the OnStar feature. Send me emails every month on my car performance. Gets 21- 22 mpg in city 24-25 on road. Very satisfied with my Saturn XR Aura.

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  No problems ever - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By bobv11 - May 16 - 9:34 am

  Fifty thousand miles and never a problem. Gets routine maintenance as directed in the manual. My lifetime average for both city and highway driving is 24.5MPG. Great for a SUV!

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  so far, so cool - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By hammy - May 14 - 2:00 am

  have only had for a few days, but can already tell its a great small SUV. Excellent power, excellent brakes, and loaded with safety features. I especially like the onstar system. Heated seats seem silly until you try them on a cold day.

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  The Sky is the Limit - 2007 Saturn Sky
  By SKYROCKET - May 13 - 2:36 am

  I have waited 7 long months to get mine, but is has been worth every month. It is the most beautiful car on the road today. Way to go Saturn. The fit and finsih are top rate and the ride is wonderful, I am going to Napa next weekend.

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  Best vehicle we have ever owned. - 2006 Saturn Relay
  By Muse4FDR - May 12 - 11:56 pm

  Best vehicle we have ever owned. Very sturdy vehicle. Great handling in emergency situations!