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:
Showing 1371 through 1380 of 3,767.00-
Best car for the money and then some - 2005 Saturn ION
By ColoradoGambler - November 24 - 1:16 pmI love this car!! I bought it new and have had no problems with it. It handles extremely well, makes the tightest U-turns Ive ever found, and has plenty of power and acceleration. It has a ton or room in the trunk and in the cockpit, and is capable of seating four full-size adults without complaint. A keg fits nicely behind the front passenger seat and in front of the back seat and the suicide doors make it easy to get big items in and out of the back seat. Would prefer better gas mileage though, but who wouldnt?
-
Good solid transportation - 2005 Saturn ION
By Stephen Plott - November 23 - 12:30 pmThis is my second review now that my ION 2 has 17,000 miles. It is 5 speed manual and Im now getting 37 mpg by upshifting at 2000 rpm and keeping top speed to 70 mph. Really enjoy the smooth ride, relatively quiet engine since 05 have better insulation and great sound system with the extra speakers & amp. Safety is good since we got the side air bags and it already rates high for front impact protection. Only beef was problem with cruise control that did not want to work. They diagnosed (took too long) and is working fine for past year. Front seats are reasonably comfortable for long trips. All in all a very good value.
-
Check this one out! - 2007 Saturn Aura
By dee - November 18 - 11:26 amI cant say enough about this car. I just traded a 2002 Maxima, which I thought I loved, and havent missed it a bit. Dont buy anything until you test this car. I have been slowly discovering hidden treasures in this vehicle, especially the interior lighting. The Aura is giving me an extremely tight, quiet ride that can stand straight on the turns.
-
From Aztek to Outlook - 2007 Saturn Outlook
By gunneytim - November 15 - 10:56 amLove my Outlook so far. Great for family trips and didnt cost a fortune to build to my specs.
-
I love my Outlook - 2007 Saturn Outlook
By jkwood - November 15 - 4:06 amI was on my 2nd Suburban, which I loved, but not the gas mileage. Or the cost to fill it up. I was looking for something with a lot of room and comfort inside with better gas mileage. This is the car. We debated between this and the Acadia. We drove both, but in the end we liked the Saturn better. The ride in this car is its best feature. It also has adjustable middle captains chairs which helps when you have someone tall riding in the middle seats. The back seat is comfortable for kids or short people but no less room than the suburbans 3rd seat. Overall I would say they did a great job combining comfort, room for 7, with economy.
-
Nice - 2003 Saturn VUE
By Bob1234 - November 11 - 10:00 amVery comfortable and a smooth ride. Fit and finish seem to be good. Cant comment on milage yet, as it is not broken in yet. No noises or rattles, and handling is quite good and responsive
-
Best car ever - 2008 Saturn Astra
By Chris - November 10 - 12:20 pmIll start with the buying experience, it was lets just say amazing. From the moment I saw my 5 door Astra I was absoluetly impressed. I mean this is one beautiful vehicle. And the drive is some of the best Ive ever driven. This vehicle not only exceeds the price tag, it demolishes it and the competition.
-
Fun to Drive, truly innovative vehicle. - 2008 Saturn Astra
By Steve - November 10 - 2:03 amI have owned this car for 3 months now and drive it daily to work with is about 1 1/2 hours each way. At first I thought smaller cars would have been uncomfortable, however, this was not the case. The Astra is not only fun to drive but it has alot of luxury features that were in my previous Saab. The lumbar seating is a big bonus for me. The steering is very tight and has a great sport suspension. Car accelarated decently, even at highway speeds. It truly gives you the feel that your driving a sports car. Interior and exterior design are innovative and different from other North American and European cars. I have got many compliments about the interior and exterior so far.
-
My Ion - 2003 Saturn ION
By Marie Ludi - November 7 - 10:00 amAttractive vehicle with terrific ease of handling and manuverability. Saw the vehicle and liked it immediately. Comments about the smaller steering wheel and placement of gauges by other reviewers appear to me to be nit-picking. The reliability, safety and service quality of Saturns made the choice of vehicle easy. I did not want to spend an arm and a leg to purchase a vehicle and this ION3 fit the bill. I truly enjoy this car!
-
excellent - 2003 Saturn ION
By anthonyantshak - November 7 - 10:00 amit it the best of the best man!!!!
-
Saturn Astra 133 Reviews
-
Saturn Aura 381 Reviews
-
Saturn ION 975 Reviews
-
Saturn Outlook 266 Reviews
-
Saturn Relay 111 Reviews
-
Saturn Sky 171 Reviews
-
Saturn VUE 1,730 Reviews