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 1481 through 1490 of 3,767.00-
Hard to beat - 2007 Saturn Outlook
By E Louison - May 28 - 9:13 pmAfter 7000 miles, this is the most complete truck I have ever owned. Every feature is well thought out, and the quality is second to none. GM has beaten the worlds best manufacturers in the completeness of this vehicle!
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great - 2003 Saturn VUE
By castff43 - May 27 - 4:10 pmcome on people you get what you pay for its natural cheeper but very dependable SUV every one who cant stand it and has one get at me cause i will be happy to take it off your hands if the price is right
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What a Great Car - 2007 Saturn Aura
By Lee - May 25 - 12:00 amWhat a great car! I purchased a 2006 Nissan Altima in December of 2006 then saw the Aura. It was head and shoulders above my Altima and better than the 07 Altima. The Nissan went good-bye immediately. My Aura is smooth, quiet, and roomy. The styling stands out, even earning a "Cool" from my teen-age son. The build quality is better than the Nissans I looked at as well as Camry, Accord, and Passat, something Im reading in all the reviews Ive seen as well. Saturn has a winner in the Aura. I feel like Im driving a much more expensive car than what I paid for (base with no options for $20,000). Anyone looking for a classy mid-size sedan? Aura is the real deal!
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i love this car - 2006 Saturn ION
By ucantcme0220 - May 16 - 2:10 ami got my saturn about 7 months ago it had 116k miles on it and now its got 127k miles and runs absolutely great.. it gets around 21 on city and 32 on the highway which i get combined 29-30ish which aint bad.. the only thing i had to replace was the powersteering motor.. it had a little leak from the rain once but a lil silicone fixed the problem.. I also put a custom exhaust on it which sounds awesome.. overall this car is great i love this car..
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What a crossover! - 2008 Saturn Outlook
By Mom of 2 - May 15 - 2:13 pmI had been looking for another vehicle for a while, considering both new and used. I pretty much tried every crossover before chosing this one - Nissan Murano (cheap feeling car), the GMC Acadia, the Buick Enclave and last I tried the Outlook. I made the right decision. I love to drive it, it is comfortable and the options are great. The ride is smooth, the view is great from all angles and the storage is almost as much as my full size Yukon Denali I just had.
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Relay 3 - 2005 Saturn Relay
By Matt - May 13 - 9:06 amIn the past two years we have had a Mercedes ML320 and Jaguar X-type.. We have found that our experience with our older 1999 Saturn was far and away superior. Both at the vehicle and dealer levels. We Traded in our Jaguar for the Saturn and have not looked back. We tow our other Saturn behind a motorhome and have had nothing but good luck with it. We hope to have the same with the van. The final decision factors over the Odessey were style and OnStar. The Honda had neither.
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Good enough to pass on to son - 2008 Saturn Astra
By bjie - May 11 - 10:00 amThis Opel reminds me of the VWs I have driven. Small but feels bigger on the road. Not a comfy couch to put you asleep on the road, specially on not- too-straight roads. (I believe the .84 g specs reported.) If gas prices spike up again, the 30mph average (90+% hwy) should soften the blow to my wallet. Had a turn signal relay replaced on warranty but no other issues. I am confident my son will keep this car when I hand it over to him in a couple of years.
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Love my VUE - 2005 Saturn VUE
By Christine Rohrbach - May 9 - 7:10 amThis is the first Saturn I have owned and I love my VUE. I was attracted to the VUEs exterior design and when I discovered it came with a Honda V-6 engine, I was completely hooked. The roomy interior is a real plus too--high ceilings and plenty of room between the front and back seats. The gas mileage isnt outstanding, but its better than most suvs. And, I know I could get more out of each gallon if I didnt take advantage of its get-up-and-go capability so frequently. If your a Mom who needs room for the kids but still wants to feel sporty and drive in the fast lane, the VUEs for you.
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Very Pleased! - 2008 Saturn VUE
By CCR2008 - May 8 - 4:33 pmI love my VUE! I wanted cargo room and good mpg so I went for the 4 cylinder instead of the six. After a grand total of 476.5 miles driven, the combined mpg was 27.09. As others have noted, I also felt the drag with the engine shifting and hill climbing, but I let the engine do itÂ’s thing and didnÂ’t try to compensate during the first 500 miles. After reaching 200+ miles, the transition was noticeably smoother and with very little or no drag. Compared to the other small/midsized SUVs I looked at, the VueÂ’s value, good looks, and competitive fuel economy made my choice easy. The exterior is very attractive with clean, classic lines.
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Drive it, youll buy it - 2007 Saturn Aura
By PDP - May 8 - 7:50 amIf price, performance, and standard features are important to you, you owe it to yourself to drive an Aura. Youd have to spend around $45,000 to get anywhere near what you get as standard equipment on this American made car for around $25,000. I recommend the XR-the XE is around $1500 cheaper but at this price, go for the gold. If you are considering a Toyota, VW, or Honda, check this car before you make a mistake. The Aura puts them to shame. And Ive owned one of each. If you think you can get a 6 cyl. engine,leather interior, sun roof, OnStar,8 speaker sound system,rear seat radio,18" alloy wheels,remote engine start and power everything for less, go for it.
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Saturn Astra 133 Reviews
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Saturn Aura 381 Reviews
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Saturn ION 975 Reviews
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Saturn Outlook 266 Reviews
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Saturn Relay 111 Reviews
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Saturn Sky 171 Reviews
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Saturn VUE 1,730 Reviews