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 Ion! - 2004 Saturn ION
  By KrazyJax7 - January 17 - 10:00 am

  I am thrilled with my Saturn Ion Coupe. It is comfortable and reliable, and I love the staff at Saturn. They take care of me and my car. If I had a million dollars, I would still buy an Ion all over again.

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  Ion puts the fun in funky - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Arkle - January 17 - 10:00 am

  So far this car has really impressed me. Its sporty and cute, great added on features such as 6 disc cd changer, spoiler, and sunroof. Black detailing on the otherwise tan leather seats is different and cool. I thought it would be difficult to transition from my much beloved Honda Accord, but it has matched up on all features except visibility isnt as good (but it really is hard to beat an accord on that) and the backseat leg room is non existant when the front seats are fully back. But thats alright by me, I never have to sit back there and the drivers seat is very comfy!

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  My Daily Drive - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Bobby W. - January 17 - 10:00 am

  I drive my Ion 3 86 miles round trip to work and back 5 days per week. With a sunroof and 140 horses under the hood it is an awesome drive everyday. A 5 speed auto that performs like a 5 speed manual. The ride and handling work together for optimal comfort and control. Braking is also up to par as well.

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  Proud Mother - 2004 Saturn ION
  By cara13 - January 17 - 10:00 am

  I own the Saturn Ion Coupe who says a mom cant have a sports car. I love my Saturn. Have not had any problems with it. The small steering wheel really allows very good handling and the side suicide doors make it such easy access for my little ones. I love the fact that they can not open the doors from inside. I drive down the street and people stop and stare. For the amount of money paid for the car I feel like I am driving a mercedes for the comments and stares I get while out about town. Can not say enough good things about the car and dealership. Great bunch of people at Saturn. Totally loving my new car.

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  Satisfied Former VW Owner - 2007 Saturn Outlook
  By abp - January 14 - 6:06 am

  After driving a VW Jetta for years (and being only 51" tall), I was apprehensive about driving a large crossover vehicle, but I needed a bigger car. Well, my concerns were unfounded. I am thrilled with my Outlook. It gives a solid, quiet, smooth ride, and drives so much "smaller" than its size (i.e., so much like a car) that I felt totally comfortable driving it from my first test drive. The interior is comfortable and the design is pleasing - sharp, clean lines and lots of storage space. Plus, the third row actually is functional and roomy enough for adults! This car is a minivan in cooler clothes, and I mean that as a compliment - it is a very practical yet stylish family vehicle!

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  Great Buy - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Murph - January 14 - 12:23 am

  I drove many different cars including the Altima and Camry to compare the noise and smoothness of ride. The Camry sport took the corners the easiest, but the Aura rode the smoothest. All in all these three cars handled almost the same so my decision came down to looks and interior. The Aura has by far the nicest dashboard setup and I love the 18 inch wheels. Car is a major head turner, and people are just drawn to the car while walking in parking lots.

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  I love my VUE! - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By chia - January 9 - 12:26 am

  I test drove one for 1 minute before I knew I wanted it. Great SUV, great shopping experience.....Saturn is the best!

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  Its a bullet - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By George Tayeh - January 8 - 3:43 am

  Its not a car, its really a bullet, a rocket. I dont know, all I know is that its very very quick car. Comfortable, well equipped in the interior, too much comfort for the driver and the passenger. The car is really great. If you feel it stiff on the bumpy roads, just check your psi, the tires might be more than 30 psi. Otherwise, the car is great. It has lots of safety features which help you get some discount from your insurance

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  Fun! - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By JacksTaxi - January 8 - 12:23 am

  You can actually see out of this SUV - hence the name Vue. Flat floors and grocery hooks and folk down rear seats, extra plug ins - my friends and I are in heaven on trips.

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  Better than expected - 2008 Saturn Astra
  By leftwingnut - January 5 - 11:33 am

  This quirky little car is fun to drive, and with the manual trans Ive never averaged less than 30 mpg per tank in mixed driving. For the price, its amazing to have rain sensing wipers, automatic headlights, and a trip computer. Only complaint is that it follows any grove in the road like crazy. If youre considering a Mazda3, test drive the Astra too - very compariable is every way but price.