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 Saturn / My piece of junk - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By Lou - January 27 - 8:06 pm

  Ive had problems from day one with my Saturn Vue. Im still trying to get out of my lease. There are parts of the interior that are broken (air vent). I cut myself on the back door edge. It handles very poorly in the rain. The puddles pull it all over the road as if the car is too light. The tires will not keep the correct amount of air pressure on the passenger side.Why!? My model is a 5 speed manual. Its difficult to put into first and second gear. Ive owned three Saturns since 2000. I currently own a Saturn Ion and Saturn Vue.I think the quality and customer service satisfaction has really gone down hill. I will no longer recommend buying Saturns to anyone.

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  So far so good - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By Albert - January 27 - 1:00 am

  I bought my Vue new in 2004 and now have 102,000 miles - almost exclusively highway miles. Overall, I am satisfied with the vehicle. Engine is fantastic - nice power and mileage. I have not had any significant maintenance expenses until recently. My biggest complaint are the brakes - really bad front pulsations that require the rotors to be refinished every 12K miles. Just replaced front stab bar links (very creaky) and right rear wheel bearing/hub assembly - it was producing very loud road noise. I plan on keeping this vehicle as long as I can and so far it has been a nice car. I just wish I knew of a better front brake combination than OEM parts.

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  Great if all options worked! - 2007 Saturn Outlook
  By Jacqui - January 26 - 1:00 am

  My frustrations have been mostly with the DVD system & NAV. After much trouble-the whole system it was replaced by the dealer. It is still not good quality-the DVDs constantly skip & pause with even a slight fingerprint or scratch. I would highly recommend not getting the factory player. Best Buy has models that are far superior in performance and can be leather matched and are still much less expensive. NAV is not close to Garmin quality either. Also, seat memory and mirror position have never worked correctly-but not a huge deal to me. And voice command system doesnt always work or respond. Great car, just dont waste money on these options to avoid major frustration.

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  Good first try at an SUV Saturn - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By lestat4823 - January 25 - 2:00 am

  Very smooth driving 60mph feels more like 30mph. Excells on snow,In fact last year my road was repaved and I had no problem getting to and from my home despite sand/gravel/mud/holes/hills, where other automobiles became hopelessly stuck. AWD works seamlessly. If expecting a Lexus/Mercedes/Volvo you would be let down (but its half the price),remember this SUV was designed to be affordable. I looked at the competition and just had to come back to the Vue because of the well designed roomy interior, alot of thought went into this SUV. The dealership is a joy The VUE is WONDERFUL for the price! The handling is precise the engine is peppy gotta

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  great SUV but weird transmission - 2007 Saturn Outlook
  By azlan - January 24 - 8:50 am

  we bought this car over the CX-9 and Veracruz mainly for space (3 active teenagers and 11 yr-old). Gas mileage was also a consideration. Did homework, tested, and waited for right time to buy. So far, its been two years, we have no regrets. Its the best 7 plus seater weve ever owned. Excellent comfort, took the car all the way to Florida and back from Pittsburgh, no problems. The only minus is transmission. Its a little worse than a turbo-charged car - could complete a laundry cycle before it downshifts. But kinda got used to it by now. Also the gas mileage is not all that it advertises to be. A little advise - buy with fewest accessories as possible then you can avoid pain in malfunction

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  Nice SUV - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By Luv my Vue - January 24 - 7:30 am

  I love my VUE. Plenty of room on the inside. Smooth ride and great power. Only downside is a lot of wind noise and outside noise

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  2007 Saturn ION3 Review - 2007 Saturn ION
  By Danny Heiple - January 24 - 4:06 am

  I purchased this car when my 1991 Dynasty caught fire, I wanted something economical since I was driving 52 miles one way to work, I wanted a moon roof, fog lamps, tilt steering, power windows/locks, cruise, XM radio option and On Star option. This car had it all. It was affordable and came with a reasonable price tag. I have a few minors issues with the alarm system shorting out, Saturn Service Guys are the best.

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  Let the secret out Saturn - 2006 Saturn ION
  By angel - January 23 - 12:36 pm

  It is hard to imagine that Saturn is not advertising this rocket. The day I took delivery and hit the gas my 04 Mustang was a thing of the past. The recaro seats are a must when cornering. I have a long way to go before I break this engine in, and I will love every minute of it. The redline will juice the bloodline. Please do yourself a favor Saturn and tell the public about your car. The car is fast, great lines, and you feel young again.

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  Mixed blessing - 2006 Saturn Relay
  By Scott Nelson - January 22 - 2:46 pm

  Our Saturn Relay has been a great vehicle to drive and carry the crew around in. Good acceleration and handling for a large vehicle. The trim needs a lot of work! Exterior trim is peeling off, door trim and plastic mouldings behind the sliding doors peel off when the door opens. Interior trim around both front doors is broken, and fell off, what a pain.

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  Good, inexpensive SUV - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Zillafire37 - January 21 - 10:00 am

  After comparing SUVs in the 20K range for a while, I settled on buying her the Vue. The interior isnt the best, but it works, is comfortable, and most importantly, is big for the price. The optional CD sound system is terrific. Spirited driving can be rewarded IF and only IF the driver is smooth with imputs to the throttle. The CVT does not respond very well to abrupt throttle changes, but is very acceptable for reasonable driving.