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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  Terrible in Snow & Ice - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Rob - June 7 - 2:36 pm

  Liked my SL1 better! Steering is terrible, never felt right since I bought it! Problem was fixed in 2005 model year. Ride is comfortable, seats stink, not enough support. Economy is okay at 29MPG average. Stereo was replaced 3 times in first year, but no other problems. Car is reliable transportation for short trips, not for long distances. Stay away from snow/ice, traction is poor at best. Excellent on dry pavement. Braking is very good. If you dont mind being thrown sideways when you hit bumps then this car will be satisfactory. If you want a car that handles well, try something else.

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  Exceptional value - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By soccerdad - June 6 - 6:00 am

  We purchased this used car while looking for a used minivan and just could not bring ourselves to admit we were in that stage of our life. So, Saturn Vue to the rescue. We really like this car and with the addition of the best tires we coud get, this car has met all of our needs. It drives great and compares nicely to minivans. The 3.5L V6 is very impressive and does good at the pump for an SUV. 20 to 24 in mixed driving. got 28 once on a long interstate only trip. Hit a deer once and was very happy my famly was in this car. Damage was one headlight to replace. What a relief! Safety and value. Seems to perform better than SUVs and minivans in its price range, without giving up much.

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  Shoulda, woulda, coulda - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Tiffany Burson - June 6 - 2:00 am

  I traded in a Passat on this car so I could take our large dog around more comfortably for him and us. Wow, what a mistake. After German engineering, it is hard to get used to Spring Hill plastic. POOR, POOR quality. I knew that the Saturn was inexpensive, but I assumed it to be of good craftsmanship, if not of high end materials. Was I ever wrong. I want a divorce from the Saturn family.

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  From Van to Crossover - 2007 Saturn Outlook
  By CGuf - June 4 - 1:50 am

  We previously owned a Honda Van and were ready for something else, but still wanted the third row of seating for the kids. We ordered the XR with seven person seating, leather trim, Ocean Mist exterior and dual sunroofs. Our order to delivery took approx. 2 weeks. Good power and smooth ride. Very low noise levels. Not as hard to park as I thought it would be. We constantly get positive comments from bystanders. Fold down seating offers excellent options. Fit and finish are better than our Honda Van. Very pleased with purchased.

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  5th and last Saturn at our house - 2006 Saturn ION
  By Terie - May 31 - 8:10 am

  My beloved 1997 SC2 got wrecked, but we still had the yellow 2001 SC2.There were 2 before those. We liked Saturns. This one is cheaply made. Things are breaking! Window switches, back seat releases, etc. This dealership is nothing like the ones wed used in other states. The car isnt as well built or as easy to drive as a SL2, gas mileage is horrible. Seats arent comfortable after about 30 min of driving. I doubt that a 6th Saturn will be in our future. Customer service at corp level is gone down also. Too bad, they cared at one time about their customers, not now.

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  So Dissappointed - 2008 Saturn Outlook
  By scli1 - May 28 - 6:09 am

  Purchase my 08 Saturn XE 3 yrs ago. The Outlook drove nicely on the open road at highway speeds. (unfortunately thats where I test drove it). On side streets, in stop and go traffic its bulky, non responsive and just not pleasant to drive. Terrible turning and very hard on tires. We get 15.5 mpg in City driving. Ive never gotten near the 24 MPG on the highway. Best on a 450 mile trip was 22.5. Never saw that again. 19 - 21 is about the best I get on the same trip. I have my Saturn serviced by a professional. Always problems. Stalling, hesitation, idiot lites, etc. Always resetting codes. Making repairs. Not reliable. Going back to Ford or Dodge. My Expedition is easier to handle!

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  VUE V6 FWD Red Line - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By dON - May 28 - 12:06 am

  Quick and nimble, great drive train, with all the power the typical owner needs. The Red line rides like a car, not an SUV. Corners very well and the sound system keeps you in the groove while you test the 18 inch tires ability to hold the road.

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  2003 saturn 4cyl vue - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By morrison - May 27 - 10:00 am

  We were pleased and surprised to test- drive all of Saturns line of vehicles before we landed on the Vue. A spacious interior and a well designed exterior were key to our purchase. We would like a better gas mileage on our 4 cylinder but are happy with 22-30 mpg for city and highway driving. Highway miles are smooth and noise free and the cruise control is so convenient. Overall we are content and satisfied with our Vue.

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  Love My Car - 2006 Saturn ION
  By Sue Hutton - May 25 - 12:30 am

  This car has been such a joy to drive. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a great car for the value.

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  Saturn Good but not GM ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE! - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By creativ1 - May 24 - 2:15 am

  I have a sad story. I own a saturn vue 2008 xr and was very happy with it. Recently though...onstar came to give the car a jump because the battery would keep going out every 5 days or so. The man they sent through onstar was called "Wells Automotive Service" The young man crossed the jumpers on my car and messed up $600 on my car and blew out the 30 amp fuse, killed what was left of the batter and blew out the onstar batter for backup. However...roadside assistance did not rent me a car while it was at the dealer since October 16th 2011. They turned it over to the claims department and I got a claim number. The people at the claims office said that they are only paying for $155 worth of da