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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  I love my Vue! - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By mary - December 30 - 6:26 am

  This is my favorite of all the vehicles Ive had...it is cute, comfortable and so fun to drive. It has lots of trunk space for all my kids sports equipment. We are a family of 5, and ride comfortably on long trips. We considered the Relay for the seating but this was much more fun to drive for my daily errands. My kids say Im obsessed because I baby it...but I really love it. My previous vehicle was a Plymouth Grand Voyager so I was concerned about the room issue, but it hasnt been a problem (and i can fit the Vue in my garage so much easier!!)

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  JG Loves Her Ion! - 2004 Saturn ION
  By J.G. - December 25 - 10:00 am

  What a great car!! Its peppy, performs well, has exceptional fuel economy and is very roomy. The Saturn Ion is also a great value. You get outstanding performance, comfort, and roominess for a moderate price!

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  Great Vehicle - 2007 Saturn Outlook
  By jrickenbrode - December 25 - 12:33 am

  I bought my Outlook in 2088, it only had 16 miles on it. Today it turned over 111.000 miles. This has been the most reliable vehicle. I do a lot of driving and I have never had to have this in the shop beside for regular maintenance. Love this vehicle!

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  A great hybrid value - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By Love That Hybrid - December 23 - 6:56 pm

  Right off the dealer lot, I got 31.9 MPG. With each tank of gas, the mileage has improved to where I am consistently getting 33 MPG beating the EPA ratings. The key to getting the mileage is adjusting your driving techniques to achieve the recommended hybrid fuel economy. The more the "ECO" light is on the better mileage you get. I love the car and am so glad I bought one!

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  Great Vue - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By Phil - December 22 - 7:53 am

  This vehicle blends performance, style, and great gas mileage. We easily exceed EPA mpg figures with realistic driving patterns. This car is great for long distance trips, and is the most comfortable and enjoyable-to-drive vehicle I have owned to date.

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  Very Pleased - 2009 Saturn VUE
  By Happy So Far - December 20 - 9:10 pm

  For price, feel as though VUE offers fantastic value. Possesses numerous amenities which adds to quality of driving. 4 cylinder has lots of pep and enough power. Been getting 28.5 MPG mostly highway and still breaking in. Stability Track & ABS efficient- did not skid out when I had to jam on brakes. Car very fun to drive, great mover and does not feel light like a tin can . Feel safe when driving. Owned other crossovers, tested competition, and found VUE to offer most gadgets, style, value and performance. Very pleased so far w/ first Saturn. Must say, great experience with dealership and they offer comp car washes and donuts.

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  6 month update by John Korner - 2006 Saturn ION
  By John korner - December 20 - 6:33 am

  Over 6 months and 8700 miles have passed since I bought my car. You actually get the MPG on the sticker Its get more fun with every mile driven. If you dont test drive one you will be sorry. Ive owned 5 hondas over the last 20 years. I believe the Ion is one of the best cars Ive owned period. I bought it because of onstar being standard. Having a disabilty that requires the use of a wheelchair cane or ECV its gives me the extra level of security thats priceless. All of those items fix easly in its over sized trunk. Overall I am more then pleased. a 9.5 on a scale of 10.

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  Good Value - 2006 Saturn ION
  By The Copes - December 19 - 8:10 am

  We purchased our ION 3 seven months ago. With the leather & top tier features we still paid less than $18k. My husband uses it for work, putting more than 100 mi/day on it, and it has yet to give us any problems. In my husbands line of work, hes been in 2 accidents not his fault already being on the road so much. One was a side- swipe that didnt damage anything, another was a rear-ending that was inexpensive to fix the back bumper. Weve also taken it on several trips from San Antonio to El Paso (550 miles) and it does fantastic. The gas mileage is great. With the old trade-in and down payment, were paying less than $300 a month. The car is stylish, drives like a 6 cylinder,

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  Getting to Know It - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By Dick Cole - December 16 - 5:50 am

  Just put the first 1200 miles on the VUE; mostly suburban driving with one short highway trip. Love the car. Easy to handle, easy to park, plenty of power for passing, and nice to look at (I have the "Orange" which is easy to find in the parking lots filled with Silvers, greys, and blacks).

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  Love My VUE! - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Maljan - December 13 - 9:10 pm

  I have been driving my VUE for over 5 years. It has been commuting, shopping, playing taxi, camping, and climbing mountians in Hawaii and now in Europe (were military) and we have never had any reason to complain because we take care of our VUE. In Europe there are no Saturn dealers and we have had zero problems with taking it to the Opal dealer to get it serviced when the struts had to be replaced - it is over 5 years old now some wear is expected. The traction control has saved my can on the wet autobahn a couple of times. The gas mileage is great - about 21 - 24 mpg at 80 mph. I will be buying a hybrid VUE whenever this one is about ten years old. Until then see you on the Zugspitz!