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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  Fast and Fun - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By PADriver - November 9 - 1:53 am

  This VUE has some very good acceleration. From the get go it will knock your socks off. Going up the hills and mountains in westren PA are a breeze. Great engine and transmission. Smooth shifting the whole way. Just started the winter season. Took the VUE out in the snow yesterday. Have to get used to the AWD system, it differs from 4x4 slightly. When the wheels slip you seem to need to keep on the gas a little and it grips right out of the spin. The AWD seemed to work just fine, just a little to get used to if youre used to 4x4s. All in all this was a very good vehicle to purchase. Very comfortable on long trips and about town. Im very pleased with the VUE.

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  I Love My Aura - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Granny - November 8 - 7:36 pm

  I love everything about this car. It drives like a dream. The seats are the most comfortable car seats I have ever had. All of the controls are within easy reach of the driver. I have had numerous people say "Thats a Saturn?" in great dis-belief. "Thats a sharp looking car." I have recommended this car to everyone I know that is in the market for a new car.

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  So far, so good! - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By Jo Ann - November 6 - 10:56 pm

  Ive only had it for 4 1/2 months, and so far I love it. It is fun to drive and has a great console and features. If only it had some hidden storage, it would be even better!

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  Bang for the Buck - 2003 Saturn ION
  By jjames - November 6 - 2:00 am

  We just bought a new ION to replace the my daughters SL1. (the SL1 provided 48,000 miles of economical and maintenance free driving). The ION has nice design; the composite panels are the best choice for a vehicle that will be parked streetside; and Saturns economical performance is hard to beat. We were pleasantly surprised with the quiet and smooth ride performance of the ION. At 70 mph is almost comparable to my 2002 A4. The added HP and torque makes the ION a well-rounded vehicle for fun, comfort and economy. I have to question the professional reviews Ive read as being biased and under-rating of the Saturn.

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  Best Buying experience ever - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Bob 253 - November 6 - 2:00 am

  The VUE was the best SUV for the money I could find when looking for a car to use for most of the non hauling chores of our F250. Plenty of room for family,dogs and light hauling. 4 cylinder has surprising power 5spd is easy to shift. The sales dept. made this the easiest and most pleasent buying experience that I have ever had in 30 years of buying new cars.

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  Love my Outlook - 2007 Saturn Outlook
  By tashi - November 3 - 6:13 pm

  Just put 5,000 miles on my new Outlook. Picked it up Tues and by Thurs nite we were on a roadtrip from Houston to Boston. The engineering is superb. Cruising at high speed feels like 50. And the seating is spacious and very comfortable. OnStar and XM are real treats. Absolutely everything works like it is supposed to. The 6 speed transmission and stability control turns this big boat into a responsive sports car. I really pushed it around curves on Skyline Drive in NC and was very impressed. We even slept comfortably at a rest stop. Im 5 7" and fit across the front seat while my kid snoozed in the back. Just put a pillow on the console. The Outlook is a winner.

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  Great for the money - 2008 Saturn Astra
  By Kathy - October 31 - 7:20 am

  We love this car! Well built -- great performance -- good gas mileage -- lots of perks for the money. Have gotten several positive comments on it from coworkers. Were very happy we chose it over some other vehicles we were looking at.

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  My 1st Saturn - 2005 Saturn ION
  By R & E Marin - October 31 - 7:00 am

  I had been researching on-line for a new vehicle to purchase, mostly with saftey and comfort in mind. The night before I purchased my Saturn, I read and compared them for over 2 hours on the net. Almost exactly comparable to the Volvo sedan, in every way! My experience w/ Saturn of Fayetteville was wonderful! Our salesman was very knowledgable about our purchase and they worked with us to give my husband and I the most unreally rate! I have already recomended my Saturn to several people. If you want a safe but fun ride with great gas mileage, I would recomend test driving a Saturn Ion 3.

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  Saturn is now GM - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By Va Gator - October 27 - 10:00 am

  Sorry to say Saturn has finally sold out and is now just GM junk. In the first year in the shop for 3 warranty items. Cracked A/C condensation pan that leaked on carpet. Bad thermostat, and when the dealer fixed they failed to reseal the radiatior hose. Warped disk rotors at 11000 miles!! Most Jiffy Lube can change the oil because they need a special tool only a Saturn dealer has. Very loud road noise and a wind whistle that sounds like a bee in your ear. What a shame, my prior Saturn was super, but I will not be fooled a second time.

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  tons of trouble - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By amber1 - October 27 - 10:00 am

  Way too many problems. Creaking noise, at ear level, from door frames when rubber seal gets warm. Was told to live with the noise by 2 dealers. Fronts struts replaced twice. Heater sheild fixed twice. Handling & steering could be better. Very lould engine noise. Suspension could be better, plus rattles. Gas milage is ok. Muffler knocks. Play in the seats, also seat rod replaced due to noise. Both washer nozzles fell out. The VUE pulls when AWD kicks in. Lots of rattles, squeaks & noises.