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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  Fun and comfortable - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Wisconsin Driver - October 12 - 5:26 pm

  Black with brown leather looks sharp. 18" machined wheels and low profile tires make it look like a European sport sedan, with a hint of true American muscle. Handling is superb - suspension is stiff, yet very comfortable (feels like a 5 series beemer). XEs engine provides plenty of power for a family car driver, who does not mind get around slower traffic on the highway. Much better value than Camry or Accord, and a whole lot more fun. First 500 miles I am averaging ~30 MPG on the highway and ~25 MPG in mixed 70% highway/30% city driving. Overall, one great car.

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  My 08 VUE XR - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By Adam - October 12 - 6:56 am

  Ive been in the market for a compact SUV for a while and I narrowed it down to either the CR-V or RAV4. I have been waiting for the 08 VUE just to check it out, but didnt have high expectations. I saw an XE 6Cyl sitting in the grass of a local Saturn store on my way to a Honda dealership and decided to walk in and ask to take it for a spin. First time inside the cabin and I was really impressed with the quality of the materials and the seats were super comfy and supportive. It had standard XM satellite and one year free OnStar which was a plus. I drove it on back road and the freeway and was blown away. No windrush and the ride and handling had european characteristics. I was sold!

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  Very happy owner - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By mulebrand - October 11 - 2:16 pm

  Buying from Saturn was a pleasure. I drove several other import sedans as well as small SUVs before buying the Saturn. We got one with most of the extras and dont regret it. The 3.6 V6 is quick (zippy) and quiet. The vehicle looks and feels high quality. Im hooked on the standard satellite radio and the great sound system. Roomy enough for four adults (or three adults and our other daughter the lab). Front seat cushion a little short for tall folks, but still comfortable enough. The cargo net and divider for the cargo area are really handy and easy to use.

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  Absolutely satisfied with ION! - 2005 Saturn ION
  By Dora - October 10 - 4:36 pm

  It is my first new vehicle purchase and I have to say that getting a Saturn ION 3 has been the best choice. From the moment I walked into the dealership I felt extremely comfortable, the sales people where genuinely interested in my best interest rather than the sale of a car. I also did my research prior to buying and I am satisfied with the performance of the ION. Its truly a fun car to drive. I have had my ION for about a month now and so far I have no complaints on the car or the dealership. It is nice to know that I had a great experience on the purchase of my first car. The ION is a reliable car for the price.

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  Lots of plastic - 2004 Saturn ION
  By ElectricBlue - October 7 - 9:26 am

  This is our third Saturn, and weve loved all of them. The ION QC3 is Electric Blue, and the exterior definately has a much more thought-out exterior than the sedan. I also love the interior design; its so nice to see something different, even if its molded in rock-hard plastic. The main reason for this is because the polymer panels are so expensive, they have to cut back somewhere. This car is very fun to drive, and the rear access doors have been known to cause a crowd to gather. The CVT provides a quick boost of power when needed, btu it starts to whine at higher RPMs. Quite literally. The seats dont offer much lateral support under hard cornering, but are comfortable otherwise.

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  What a great SUV!! - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By CEpley - October 6 - 10:00 am

  This is my 3rd Saturn but my 1st SUV. Great handling, good design, solid feel on the road, great visibility, good gas mileage. Solid construction and no cheesy parts. Were very happy. Ive put 1000 miles on it in 3 weeks :)

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  Awesome Car - 2007 Saturn ION
  By Darolds Ion - October 5 - 1:16 am

  My ION has been awesome from day one. Never a bit of trouble and it has been a delight to drive and own. I was rearended in Sep 07 by a SUV, and was hit hard and the ION took it well and thank God it was fixed. I drove a Mazda 6 as a rental and it was fun but I was jonesing for my ION the whole time. Will go with another Saturn again!

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  Brand new to Saturn and very happy - 2007 Saturn Outlook
  By MikeNSteph - October 4 - 6:13 pm

  So far this vehicle has been impressive to me. Id buy another Saturn just based upon this one, and I always thought they were budget vehicles. Youd never guess it was a Saturn. I looked at both the Buick and the GMC, the Saturns prices are better, the cars are all exactly the same to us, with some aesthetic differences but not enough to justify the huge price gap.

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  My Saturn Rocket! - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By JD - October 3 - 7:00 pm

  I purchased my Aura XR (black with tan leather) back in Aug. and have almost 5K miles and zero problems. It is a car with a smooth ride, smooth engine (very little vibration when idling), and I am amazed at how it keeps gliding after you let up on the accelerator. It just does not slow down. Speaking of not slowing down, the car is fast! The paddle shifters are a nice feature to add to the performance fun. I really love the amount of car I got for the money. I still cannot believe is is a Saturn. Even some of my co- workers were surprised. My gas mileage has been improving as well. My average is up around 24 mpg with mostly highway driving.

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  Stunning Aura from Saturn? - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Mark In Chicago - October 2 - 2:06 pm

  I have not purchased an American car in years. I am stunned by the fact that this Bronzed Pewter Saturn Aura XR is such a great car. I traded in a very fast 2004 Peal White Nissan Altima V6 SE which in my estimation is one hell of a car. The Aura in Bronze looks like a full sized Audi, goes like a scalded cat, has 18" wheels, and GM leased it to me with a residual value of 55%. Thats Honda resale territory, and if I were you I would run, do not walk, to your local Saturn dealer. Kudos GM.