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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  Try to find another area - 2006 Saturn ION
  By Razer - March 31 - 2:23 pm

  This car is great, I still haven`t driven to it`s maximum, it gets the heart racing especially when down shifting, real smooth, and with those seats, you stay in place

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  New VUE - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By Bill - March 31 - 10:46 am

  I just purchased a 2007 VUE back in October of 06 and have been very pleased with it thus far. I needed something that had a lot of cargo space and still got decent gas mileage. I got all that plus a nice looking, comfortable ride with all the amenities I could have wanted. I do a lot of in-town driving in my job and haul a lot of sizable equipment on a fairly regular basis. The fold down seats are great, I thought Id never use the cargo organizer but now I use it all the time. Gas mileage has been pretty consistent at about 22 mpg with a blend of city and highway driving. Im driving an SUV and filling up once every two weeks! Almost the same frequency as with my 2003 ION 4 cyl automatic

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  My 28th car - 2003 Saturn ION
  By 1st Saturn Buyer - March 30 - 10:00 am

  Een though I have had my Saturn for only 2 weeks, I feel that it rates a review. I rated it as a 10 because it is a great value. You get a lot of car for the money. I traded an Olds Alero for the Saturn. The ION 3 had more standard equipment than most other cars. The only options I have are ABS/TRAC and the Travel Package. For those of you who want more standard features on the ION 1, why didnt you get a 2 or 3? Then, you would have had your goodies as standard.

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  5th Saturn and Still Happy - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By amazingchop - March 30 - 10:00 am

  First thing I did after purchasing the VUE was a 2700 mile cross country trip and she performed exceptionally, even loaded to the max. Actual mileage 25- 27 mpg. Added trim kit to dress up console. Seats are very comfortable for long drives(2700 miles in 3 1/2 days is proof). She looks great,blue is great color. Sunroof noise with the cross rails are a bit noisy at high speeds, recommend the sunroof wind deflector. Turns on a dime, very manuverable in tight spaces. Cargo organizers and compartments are great to keep things from floating around in the back.

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  I love it! - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Quickbeam - March 25 - 10:00 am

  Ive had the car about 3 weeks now and Im still so happy with it. The drivers seat is VERY comfortable, the only complaint I had initially was the size of the center console meant my right leg butted against it but a seat adjustment slightly back straightened my leg and stopped the discomfort. I like the height of the seat, which is adjustable higher or lower. The old Saturn felt like your butt was dragging the ground but the new seat really puts you up there for a more comfortable view.

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  Great Bang for the Buck! - 2003 Saturn ION
  By joet - March 25 - 10:00 am

  I choose the Ion 1 with automatic transmission, air conditioning, compact disc player, and anti-lock brakes with traction control. The total retail price was $11,375 after applying $1,000 owner loyalty money, $1,500 Ion incentive, and $750 college graduate money. The whole buying experience is such a relief. If you havent driven an Ion - do yourself a favor and give it a shot.

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  I Love My Saturn ION 3 Quad Coupe!!!!!!! - 2003 Saturn ION
  By bubba1 - March 25 - 10:00 am

  This is the best designed Saturn yet. It is my third Saturn and Im amazed at how well theyve done on the Quad Coupe. This car is responsive, fun to drive, economical, and handles extremely well. The 16" rim/tire combination is a big plus. The ION 3 easily outhandles most of the sports sedans in the tight curves of the road. Its almost as if the cars been glued to the pavement. The CVT trans is a wonder to drive. Its smooth, responsive and well designed. The "drive by wire" power steering is very responsive and gives just the right amount of feedback to the steering wheel.

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  Third Saturn and Very happy - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By David - March 22 - 10:56 am

  This is my third Saturn and second VUE I have owned. I traded a 2003 VUE in on this one and am very glad I did. The change in engine in 2006 is a nice improvement as is the improved interior design. The 2006 is quite peppy and fun to drive. If it is as reliable as my 2003 (no problems what so ever) I will be thrilled. Selling dealer was very nice and located the car I wanted. Easy place to do business. The Chrome package really adds a lot to the looks of the VUE. The 6-disc CD player is also nice because it plays MP3 CDs as well. Great car for the money!!!!

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  Great Econo Car - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Lou204 - March 18 - 10:00 am

  The car is responsive in every way! I didnt expect to get cabin filtration, two-tone leather, power windows, programmable door locks, auto headlamps, fog lamps, cruise control, speed sensitive wipers, low noise level, low profile tires, premium wheels, spoiler, a large trunk and an auto dimming mirror w/ compass in any vehicle priced under $19,000. The center mounted instrument cluster makes you feel like youre in a European racer. Ive owned my Ion3 for only a month and have driven it over 1600 miles. No matter how I drive, mpg seems to fall between 29.5 and 32.5. Im anxious to see what it will do on a straight highway trip.

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  My Ion - 2003 Saturn ION
  By LD Lope - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Great little Car, excellent gas milage. I love the design