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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  Still lovin it after 4 years - 2004 Saturn ION
  By BeccaHughes - July 23 - 4:16 pm

  This is my second Saturn, first was a 2001 SC2. Have loved them both. Side- body panelling is indeed dent resistant. In fact, I was rear-ended at 10-15 MPH and there was nothing to show for it! My husband bought the 2006 Ion 2 because he liked mine so much, but I still prefer driving mine, even though his has a more powerful engine. Ive only needed one minor repair in 4 years, and it was easily completed during a routine service appointment at the dealership.

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  Lots of Problems - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By kjm0181 - July 23 - 10:50 am

  I have owned this vehicle for almost 5 years and have had multiple problems. While under warranty, the windshield washer pumps on the front and back went out. Had them replaced only to go out again within 2 months. Dealer wouldnt replace that time due to the warranty expiring between the two occurrences. Strut assembly has been replaced twice and still makes lots of "crunching" noises. Also had gas cap seating problems and multiple oil leaks. Will be "divorcing" my Vue very shortly.

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  Saturn ION 2 - 2003 Saturn ION
  By aaronstoker - July 23 - 10:00 am

  I have really enjoied the Ion. It is sporty, stabble, smooth,I feel complete control and safe. It has good power and awesome guiding feathers; dash tells when chage oil, your operation of the car. Then intergity of the car seem to be a little noisey already.

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  So Far So Good - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By chuckf - July 23 - 10:00 am

  Very quiet comfortable ride. Roomy. Stereo sounds great. Excellent acceleration and braking. Reasonable handling for an SUV. No problems at all.

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  Skat Kat - Moves With Grace & Power - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By Luke - July 19 - 12:03 am

  Enjoy the Vue for its power and reliability. Great carrying capacity with rear seats down. Really moves when required.

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  The Sky is the Limit - 2007 Saturn Sky
  By DMabus - July 18 - 11:30 pm

  The Sky is the most amazing car that Ive ever seen, drivin, or owned. It looks like a baby Viper minus the heavy price tag. I love it, love it, love it. People are always stopping me to see what it is. This is not the car for you if youre shy. The Sky is the best!

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  the rug pulled over my eyes - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By edblack - July 18 - 12:00 am

  drives great,but tranny is jerky! seats ok but needs side support.i have had reliability problems at 24000 miles,and parts always have to be order!my dearlership takes 2 hours to do oil and filter change.i counld not open my driver side door; it took 10 days for part and all day to fix!the sterio is good but my brother old base camry; 2002 sounds better. at saturn its abanded ship; i look to much at stying;never again!

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  My third Vue - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By Karla - July 17 - 2:36 pm

  I am on my third Vue. (I have had 04,06 and now 08)It has been a very reliable vehicle though without much pizazz until now, the 2008 has really captivated my attention. The interior and exterior are beautiful its very quiet and is very exciting to drive. My other Vues were nice but not stylish. The 08 has more than enough horsepower to leave most vehicle in the dust which is not usual for a small SUV. Definitely worth checking out. the Vue has been very reliable I expect the same from this new version.

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  Nice package, but w/durability issues - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By rmb75 - July 17 - 6:00 am

  I wanted an all-wheel-drive vehicle with a reasonable price, good fuel economy and enough leg and head room to accommodate my 63" frame. The VUE seemed to meet all these desires as well as any vehicle on the market. I still appreciate many of its features - - AWD traction, passing power, passenger room, decent MPG by SUV standards, comfy seats and a smooth ride. But this VUE has presented substantial repair costs since the warranty expired (it now has 66K miles). On my dime, Ive had two wheel bearings, the rear drive module, another bearing and a suspension link replaced. Some small issues were resolved under warranty. All in all, it seems a long list of repairs for a 3-year-old car.

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  Awesome SUV - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By adamsd - July 16 - 2:00 am

  I love my Vue!! I have NEVER been in a mini-SUV that was so spacious. Finally, my knees dont touch the steering column and my head doesnt scrape the roof. Also, I prefer manual transmittion, and all the other SUVs either dont offer it or its a special order. Great feel and a comfortable ride. You wont regret the vehicle. (Powerpack and ABS worth extra cost).