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:

• 

  Non start problems - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Unsatisfied - July 7 - 9:56 am

  Why wont Saturn stand behind their vehicles? Only a week after purchasing my vehicle it wont start. Local repair shop said probably starter, decided to do a little research first, omg I cant believe the thousands of complaints on line. Dealers replace ignition switch which is faulty in the first place but they do not acknowledge that. Guess what the switch if you are lucky only lasts a year if that and then you are stuck with the same repair every year.

• 

  GM Rip Off, the worst Suv Ever!!! - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Romans - July 7 - 9:40 am

  Bought it used with a rebuilt transmission and 50,105 which went at 55,020. GM had done anything to fix this issues of thousands of bad VTIs transmissions for 2002-2004 4wd Vues. First and last time I buy American cars. What a shame that we cant rely and support our own products no wonder why people prefer Japanese Engineering those are for sure reliable vehicles.

• 

  ION is the car for the money! - 2006 Saturn ION
  By tspielman - July 6 - 4:40 am

  Ive had my ION for 600 miles now and I love it! The 5 speed shifts smooth and fast. It tells you when to shift too! I got the base model for $13,500. The dashboard is a clever design. Took one day to get used too! I have test driven just about every car in this price range and this car has the best pick up for the price. The 2.2l engine is amazing! The interior is very roomy. Seats are comfy but could use a little more comfortable seats! But for this price cant really ask for a lot! Another downside when you have passengers is either your legs get squished or theirs if your seat is slid all the way back! Theres less then 8" of legroom for the passengers.

• 

  Buyer Beware - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Daniel - July 4 - 3:43 pm

  This car really has problemsÂ….. I had the transmission re-built at 8,000 miles and then replaced at 35,500 miles. Had a binding valve replaced at 10,000 miles because the AWD would kick in for no reason, Saturn replaced something called a rear lateral link assembly at 30,000 miles (I guess this was a recall). The interior is cheap plastic, which seems to bother me when people ride in it because some people even comment on how cheap it looks. I have endless problems with the window sprayers malfunctioning. Overall this car has had way too many problems

• 

  O.K. thus far - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By jeep55 - July 3 - 10:00 am

  have had minivans prior, so comfort is lacking for my 64 frame. Dealership is still in question. Hope all is well for the long term.

• 

  Seems good so far - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Pbaker - July 3 - 10:00 am

  I have only had the car for a month. I have had 2 other saturns and they were great cars. The fuel mileage is not even close, but still pretty good. I guess Ill see how it turns out.

• 

  alshoe review of the VUE - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By alshoe - July 3 - 10:00 am

  Just purchased the VUE a couple of weeks ago. Own a 2002, L300 for a year and love it. Took a 200 mile trip in the VUE and really enjoyed it. Many SUVs ride like a truck. The VUE rides and handles more like a car. The V6, 5 speed auto trans is very responsive and is a quieter and softer ride than the L300. Vehicle is practical for our family needs in hauling people and/or cargo. Have not had the opportunity to test the AWD feature.

• 

  Best Fuel Value in its Class - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By Mr. Styles - July 3 - 6:03 am

  Since I became the owner of my 2005 Vue, I can truly say it has been worth the purchase. I use mid-grade gas and I can get up to 300 miles to a tank. I have also learned how to maximize my horsepower by down shifting to the lower gears. The versatility and roominess have helped me in carrying my sons and my work load. Keeping it clean has been quit easy. The only problem I have truly had so far is keeping the stains off the fabric. Other than that, this car has been a great addition to our family.

• 

  Im sad Saturn is phased out. - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By surtrav3 - July 2 - 3:11 am

  I bought my Vue used with 81,000 miles. Had minor work done on driver side door as it needed to be adjusted to keep the entry lights off. Replaced tie-ends. Very minor stuff. Bumps are a bit noisy but are just an undesired design feature as the mounts are easily loosened. It is not a safety issue at all. I have no problem with wind noise. I have read other reviews stating that the Vue does not handle well in the snow. I disagree with this and chalk it up as driver error. I have had no problems in our North Dakota winters at all. Ive made it out of some pretty deep drifts and severe ice conditions.

• 

  Great Car For The Price - 2006 Saturn ION
  By Mark in Columbus, OH - July 1 - 6:46 pm

  This is my second Saturn, replacing my 97 SL sedan. I am in love. The quality of the materials inside is head and shoulders above the SL. The power from my optional 2.4L engine is amazing. Fuel economy is acceptable, but worse than the SL, but at nearly double the horses its a fine trade off. I took advantage of the end of year and end of model year deals and got out the door $3500 below sticker, tax, title and tags included. I just hope I get as many years (9) and miles (190,000) out this new car that I got out of my beloved SL.