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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  A very satisfied owner of an ION 3 - 2007 Saturn ION
  By John Huddleston - September 7 - 2:20 pm

  I purchached an ION 3 /enhanced performance package and this car has everything I need. The center mounted console takes some getting used to, but it really looks cool once you get used to it. A+

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  Its not a Honda - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By ch - September 5 - 9:56 pm

  I bought this vehicle thinking I would keep it for 10 years. I agreed to the sale only because it has a Honda engine. Its been 1 and Im going back to a Honda or Toyota, even though Im upside down. Very poor resale, extremely noisy on the road and now 1 year later the brakes are squeaking! USA car - never again

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  One fine SUV - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By David Knight - September 3 - 10:00 am

  After almost 9000 miles my 2004 Saturn VUE (front wheel drive manual 4 cyl) continues to be a pleasure to own and drive. During a 3200 mile trip to New England and back carrying luggage and a bicycle carried inside the vehicle on an interior rack the VUE proved to be extremely comfortable even for my 6 1" frame. The ride is smooth and the four banger powerplant was adequate on the highway. Fuel mileage was in the 26 - 28 mpg range which is not bad foe an SUV.

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  Best darn car ever! - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By Murrieta Turtle - September 3 - 2:03 am

  We have owned several vehicles. When we came across the RedLine, we were in love. It handles great. Lets talk power...there are times I think I am driving my Surburban, which has a 454! The Vue is light weight with heavy weight power. Next in line to our Mercedes, our little VUE rocks. Thank you Saturn!

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  Great car all around - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By Mike - September 1 - 2:43 pm

  I have had my Aura for 3 months now and I am really enjoying it. The ride is quiet, smooth and comfortable. I got the 4 cyl because of the initial lower price and fuel economy, and I am glad I did. The 4 cyl is smooth and quiet, plus the gas mileage is pretty good for a car of this size. I have been in the habit if getting a new car every 2-3 years because I grow tired of them, but I think this car will change that, I can see myself driving it for a lot longer.

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  2005 FWD 6cyl VUE - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By G. Markus - September 1 - 12:03 am

  Great vehicle for running errands close to home and for long trips. Very fun to drive! I have owned several Saturns prior and this seems to be comparable in quality to the others. The Honda 250 hp engine is fantastic with plenty of pickup for passing and hauling. Overall, very good to excellent buy for the price!

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  Saturn has lost its touch - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By n8woods - August 31 - 7:33 am

  Weve owned 3 Saturns (years 1994- 2000), which have all have been very reliable. However, the VUE is definitely not. Gas mileage is decent (avg 25mpg) but mechanically speaking, we have had nothing but problems. The warranty only covers up to 36K miles for a reason: because at 40K miles, everything breaks! The ignition switch and muffler needed replacing at 39K miles and now the clutch and hydraulic well are corroded at 42K miles. Just within the last year, weve had to put nearly $1,000 into this car. With a little research, we found they changed the style in 2004 so most repairs must be done by a Saturn/GM dealership. Sneaky, sneaky! No more Saturns for us.

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  I love my new Ion! - 2003 Saturn ION
  By ilovemysaturn - August 31 - 2:00 am

  Very good car...looks great, drives well. Excellent deal for a young family.

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  VUE = Great ValUE - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By VUE Pilot - August 31 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my VUE for 2 months and have driven almost 7000 already without any problems. Avg fuel economy has been just under 25mpg. On a recent 3500 mile road trip the seats proved comfortable to my 6 foot 200 pound build. Very impressed with the car like ride!!

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  Love my Aura XR - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By drwilsc - August 28 - 10:43 am

  I have had my Aura XR for about 6 weeks. The 3.6L engine is very powerful and provides nice acceleration both off the line and on highways. The TAP-shift auto-manual is neat and fun to play with. The seats are comfortable. It handles crisply, like a German sports sedan. The ride is firm but not harsh. The stereo has a nice sound quality, also has available XM radio. The trunk is adequate.