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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  Ion 3 Coupe - 2004 Saturn ION
  By DeeBebe - September 20 - 2:00 am

  My saturn ion is a great vehicle. I have a problem with feeling safe driving certain cars and I do like driving this one. It is reliable and everyone that sees the inside tells me it looks very futuristic and that it seems that Saturn is finally stepping up to the plate.

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  Love my new car - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Barbara O - September 20 - 2:00 am

  This is the first time I downscaled to a compact and the Saturn ION2 fits my lifestyle and needs perfectly. After a month of driving my Ion it has the feel of a larger car and once on a roll it keeps up with the best of them plus is fun to drive. It came equiped with all the extra features to make it not feel like a moderately priced compact car.

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  impresive - 2004 Saturn ION
  By alvaro45 - September 20 - 2:00 am

  very reliable, significant improvement over the old SL2 ,you can feel the increase horse power compare to the old engine.Seats should be redesigned, excelent Stereo and best of all the best brakes in a car this size.

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  Excellent Vehicle - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Bkckb2003 - September 20 - 2:00 am

  Ive only had my ION for a little over a month but I love it. Good gas mileage, atrractive interior/exterior, and some interesting features.

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  Info - 2003 Saturn ION
  By HRC - September 17 - 6:16 pm

  Rides good, nice exterior style. The engine has enough power, big trunk. Ignition switch went bad twice and it seems to be going bad again. The interior panels fall off or come loose easily. The heater core went bad. Lots of rattles and wind noise. Radiator sensor went bad.

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  Get An Attorney - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By Pat R - September 17 - 11:36 am

  I just took the first step and called one. How long am I supposed to put up with this? At 17k miles the car started issuing the battery and engine malfunction warning lights with a few other icons thrown in. Then, engine shut-downs and loss of electrical power in mid-traffic. The eco light often disappears and I get no hybrid fuel economy. I just fill-up at the pump like everyone else. I use the car as a taxi. Imagine what my passengers thought when I had to pump the accelerator (and them) to safety as the engine failed and loss of electric power caused the steering wheel to lock on a local highway. Saturn just wants to keep "repairing" it with different parts. Its been a year, now.

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  The Saturn Sky Redline Rocks! - 2008 Saturn Sky
  By Saffy - September 15 - 1:06 pm

  I love this car. It has fantastic looks, lots of power, great handling, and is comfortable. It gathers a crowd no matter where we go. Like any small 2 seat roadster it has limited trunk space but there is more there than one thinks. And contrary to some reports - putting the manual convertible top down is actually fairly easy and with little to no practice can be a quick one-hand operation. The built-in OnStar and hands-free cell phone are wonderful. The 5-speed manual gets great gas mileage. The only downside is that you may suffer some pain at first from the permanent grin that you will have from driving and owning this car.

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  Great Car - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Nicholas Towne - September 15 - 10:00 am

  Ive always been a big Saab fan, but when I last needed a new car, I went with the Saturn Ion 2, because it seemed to drive and handle more like a Saab than any other car I tested. With a stress free buying experience and with how good the dealer was with me was outstanding. Ever since I bought the car, I have loved driving and drive when I can. The handling is excellent, and I drive on pretty rough roads and the car holds well. Its my first new car Ive ever had, and so far the best car Ive ever had.

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  No Regrets! - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By aircap_aviator - September 15 - 3:55 am

  Bought used over a year ago. Wanted something that got decent gas milage, could haul my big teenage kids and had a manual trans. Vue was about the only thing I could find that fit all three. Gets mid 20s for gas mileage in city / mixed driving. Had 118K when I bought it and at 143K now. Only repairs were new struts in the front right after purchase and two new tires. Overall very happy with the value and what it does for me. Gripes? has new various rattles seemingly every time I get in, interior quality only average, and interior design is very lacking for storage.

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  My VUE - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By bewolfe1 - September 14 - 9:36 am

  Very dependable. Mileage is less than expected. Front seating could be improved for larger senior owners.