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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  Saturn Ion 2003 - 2003 Saturn ION
  By qhsk - February 17 - 10:00 am

  Good start car for a proce range that low

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  03 Vue Review - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By aball - February 17 - 10:00 am

  Enjoying the roomy interior and comfortable highway driving. Recommend the added investment to upgrade to the V6 engine. I like the exterior styling which gives me the opportunity to feel comfortable taking out for a nice dinner or taking camping. Size is just right, not too small and not the heaviness of a big SUV. Large cargo space for midsize SUV. Priced right for what you get.

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  9000 miles and loving it! - 2008 Saturn Astra
  By TMO - February 16 - 9:20 am

  After extensive research I purchased an Astra and absolutely love it! Opel really knows how to build a great small car. The exterior design is sharp and practical. The interior materials quality/fit and finish is on par with Audi but what impresses me the most is the suspension. You get the feeling that it is over built for our roads. It feels stout, connected and very safe around corners, in traffic and at highway speeds. It soaks up bad road with that solid thump you get from premium sedans. Sure, having access to the turbo diesel or the 250 HP turbo motor would have been nice, but the 1.8 is economical (32 mpg) and has plenty zip especially around town. No regrets even with Saturn gone.

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  Nothing compares in this price range - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Ken Bott - February 5 - 7:43 am

  I looked at a lot of cars before choosing the Aura XR. No other car could compare to the XR in this price range. In order to find a comparable car you need to add at least $5,000 to the price tag. This car has awesome performance. Unlike a lot of the competitors products you do not have to be running at redline RPM to feel the power of the car. This car has power to spare at any RPM. The six speed transmission is fantastic and a lot of fun. The transmission is crisp but not jarring. The paddle shifters are a hoot. I have gotten a lot of compliments on the styling of the car. People just can not believe that it is a Saturn. Give the Saturn XR a try. This one is a keeper.

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  Our VUE of the road - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By sterlngcat - February 5 - 2:00 am

  Even though this is our 4th Saturn, the VUE still suprised us. It rides like a car and the new 6-cylinder engine is powerful. It handles and corners nice, and bumps in the road are like nothing. Many people have commented about how our VUE looks like the BMW X5. The interior is comfortable and conveinent. Two car seats fit nicely in the back with enough room for another person. And the back floor is FLAT adding to the comfort. But it needs more storage. The door pockets are small and the console even smaller. Overall, the VUE is a great SUV to own. Homerun for Saturn!

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  4 wheel fun - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Johnz - February 5 - 2:00 am

  It does very well in snow and mud. It does a very nice job of picking up speed, very roomy, and comfortable. Saturns are known for there long lasting reliable vehicles. Did i also mention that there very safe too.

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  Aura - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By dutchman - February 4 - 4:10 pm

  Excellent so far. Tire pressure monitor saved my tire. Good honest 29 mpg on highway.

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  I stunned my Mom - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Erin in NJ - January 30 - 1:33 pm

  My mom has had 4 Saturns and swears by them. I was trading in my 2004 Mazda6 and going to get another one until I saw the Saturn. It was love at first sight. Then I drove it. Then I called my Mother and she could not believe I was buying a Saturn. An American car! Kudos to Saturn! Fab car. I love it and cant wait to drive it everyday.

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  LOVED this car - 2006 Saturn ION
  By Michelle - January 30 - 6:03 am

  I loved my Ion. The only reason I dont have it anymore is because someone ran me off the road and it ended up totaled. Loved driving this car, loved the look of it. Was the perfect car for me, and I miss it terribly! I would have gone and bought another one in a heartbeat if they were still made. Awesome car!

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  take a moment and look at the vue - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By mobrennan - January 29 - 10:00 am

  purchased the vue 4cyl. in june, it is a wonderful suv very roomy. the ride is very smooth. i have leased other suvs before and couldnt wait to return them. the vue is definately worth the money. this is the only suv that i have ever purchased. the 4cyl awd is excellent on gas and acceleration is very smooth. cant wait for snow to see the awd handle