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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  Fun! - 2007 Saturn Sky
  By Adam - July 1 - 11:20 am

  The car is fun to drive and cost less than many of the roadsters out there. Always getting attention, even from Mercedes SL500 owners. Very comfortable even for long drives. Exceptional detail for the price and Saturn.

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  3000 miles on it so far - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By 3000 miles - June 30 - 2:36 pm

  Beautiful car to look at and fun to drive. The 6 speed trans is nice but shifts up and down trying to find the right gear often. Car does wonderful on the highway with lots of power to pass and take on the hills. Car has lots of room in cabin and trunk. Gas milage is not as good as advertised. Visibility is difficult at times, see below. Cup holders seem small, like theyre for kids cups.

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  Speedometer is in the wrong place. - 2007 Saturn ION
  By euorgos - June 29 - 12:00 am

  Owerall, it is a great car for the money, feels and rides like a larger car. I love the plastic door panels since I never get any dings. The only major drawback to this car is the awful dashboard design. There is no reason for the speedometer to be so far away in the middle of the dashboard where it is impossible to see. If it wasnt for this one bad design, it would be the perfect small car.

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  Saturn Ion 3 Qad Coupe 2.4 - 2007 Saturn ION
  By Dave Waldrom - June 28 - 8:33 am

  Comparing this vehicle to my last car, 2001 Ford Focus ZX3. Ion ride is smoother than Focus. Corners better than Focus(less lean). Better acceration than Focus. Easier entry and exit than Focus ZX3. More interior room than Focus ZX3. Gas mileage is about the same, 24-25 mpg vs 24-25 mpg, even though the Ion has 175 HP vs Focus 130 HP. Ion steering has a better road feel. Ion trunk opens and closes easier than Focus. Ion rear seats fold down and back up easier than Focus. Entry to the rear of the Ion is easier with the Ion due to the rear quad coupe doors. Ion center console is almost useless.

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  NUE VUE - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By MzBee - June 27 - 2:00 am

  Smooth engine/trans./ride/handling. Plenty of GO. Roomy, quiet, well-planned interior w/lots of "fun"ctional features, no annoying squeaks/rattles. Exterior fit/finish perfect. Well-done Saturn! Youve exceeded my expectations. (Traded in a 2000 Buick Regal GS for this VUE, and am happy I did.)

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  Great Mini SUV - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By jkedmunds - June 27 - 2:00 am

  Great car, Were from Syracuse, NY so 170" of snow every year is normal. Handles absoulty awesome in the snow!! Went to Boston during the Nor Easter, when they got 32" of snow. We put on 200 miles, in very nasty road conditions, since they cant deal with that much snow, everything preformed better then expected. Since we are from Syr. I was leary about buying a car during the summer, but it all turned out well.

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  Uncomfortable - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By MAJ - June 23 - 6:26 pm

  Purchased my Vue 2.2Liter L4, in April 2007. Though the Vue lives up to its fuel economy, the comfort of this auto is poor. The seats are like sitting on rocks. Saturns fix for this issue is to buy a pillow. If you are a person with long legs or a person of size please take this into consideration when you make your purchase. There is no leg support.

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  Rear suspension problems like crazy! - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By Nancy - June 21 - 4:00 am

  Thats it! Going back to a minivan! I rely on my AWD because of where I live and my VUE reliably fails when winter hits. Had it in for service last February (2004) and they replaced the parts that work the rear wheel AWD. Guess what? We have two feet of snow and I have a front-wheel drive car again! Thats right, its out again. Not only that, but cant get the VUE in for a whole week for service. We were told last time it wasnt too "safe" to drive if the rear suspension was working right. Also, theres been some sort of recall that we were never notified by mail (or otherwise) about that they are fixing next week in the shop. Very disappointed in my VUE. Will be selling soon.

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  Outstanding! - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By DS in TC - June 20 - 5:50 am

  With the 250hp V-6 Honda engine and transmission, this is an outstanding vehicle. I didnt want a huge gas-gussling SUV and this fit the bill. Although its still new [less than 2000 miles], Ive already come to appreciate many of its features. Towing capacity to tow my sailboat, dent-proof side panels, and a smooth, quiet, powerful engine makes this a real value in a crowded market. Get it.. youll love it!

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  Thumbs Up for 2004! - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By Bondavi - June 20 - 2:00 am

  The Honda motor really transforms this car from a disappointment into a class- leader! Superb looks and performance to boot, sips at the pump for a 250-horse SUV!