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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  My New Saturn Ion - 2003 Saturn ION
  By echofairee - August 3 - 2:00 am

  I absolutely love this car! I wasnt even looking to get a new car but the people at Saturn of Orlando were so wonderful and the payments are so affordable that I couldnt say no! My new car has so many wonderful features and it looks so stylish too! I have never had power everything on a car...and the trunk is huge. I love the way it rides and how funky it looks. Its very unique looking.

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  HP to dollar value - 2006 Saturn ION
  By Big E - August 2 - 4:46 am

  This car must be the greatest well-kept secret on the market ! More features (Recaro seats, OnStar, audio) than Cobalt SS at less money ! Less than Neon or any asian tuner. Do yourself a favor, and check out this car.

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  Love my Vue 170,000 still reliable and dependable - 2009 Saturn VUE
  By bevely - August 1 - 5:39 pm

  The 2009 Vue I own is the best. I recently considered trading it in and realized the service the vehicle has given me. For 5 years my used Saturn has been in the shop only once. I generally get about 300+ miles in the city on one tank of gas. The highway is right at 400. Great vehicle. 170,000 miles and go where I desire to go!

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  Buying American (GM) again - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By bobsays - July 31 - 5:46 pm

  This car exceeded my expectations. It is quiet, smooth, comfortable. I traded a 2007 Camry LE which I came to dislike for several reasons (pitch & bob ride, engine that either hestitated or was too sensitive, really cheap center dash). The test drive convinced me to get the Aura. I also have a 2007 Mercedes S550 and the Aura compares favorably with it, too. GM got this one right. Cars like this will keep me in the GM fold from now on.

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  My Dream!! - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Christie - July 29 - 10:00 am

  My dream was to have a Vue since they came out last year, and I finally have one! The 5sp really zips, and handles the road great!

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  Unmatched - 2007 Saturn Outlook
  By momof5 - July 24 - 11:36 am

  There is nothing on the market like the Outlook. It has a smooth, quiet ride. The engine is powerful, but fuel-efficient. The seats fold flat. The third-row seat is functional. The interior gives you more room than a Sequoia and you get better gas mileage

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  Still lovin it after 4 years - 2004 Saturn ION
  By BeccaHughes - July 23 - 4:16 pm

  This is my second Saturn, first was a 2001 SC2. Have loved them both. Side- body panelling is indeed dent resistant. In fact, I was rear-ended at 10-15 MPH and there was nothing to show for it! My husband bought the 2006 Ion 2 because he liked mine so much, but I still prefer driving mine, even though his has a more powerful engine. Ive only needed one minor repair in 4 years, and it was easily completed during a routine service appointment at the dealership.

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  So Far So Good - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By chuckf - July 23 - 10:00 am

  Very quiet comfortable ride. Roomy. Stereo sounds great. Excellent acceleration and braking. Reasonable handling for an SUV. No problems at all.

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  Skat Kat - Moves With Grace & Power - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By Luke - July 19 - 12:03 am

  Enjoy the Vue for its power and reliability. Great carrying capacity with rear seats down. Really moves when required.

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  The Sky is the Limit - 2007 Saturn Sky
  By DMabus - July 18 - 11:30 pm

  The Sky is the most amazing car that Ive ever seen, drivin, or owned. It looks like a baby Viper minus the heavy price tag. I love it, love it, love it. People are always stopping me to see what it is. This is not the car for you if youre shy. The Sky is the best!