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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  No complaints here! - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Rebecca - September 26 - 7:00 pm

  Ive had this car for just over 2 years and have loved every minute of it. Keep in mind that the car is not dent-PROOF, only dent-RESISTANT, so dont go kicking it or anything, but to this day I dont have a single ding on my car. (The top of the car is not dent-resistant, but that very seldomly poses a problem.) Equally happy with all other features of the vehicle. Great ride, comfortable, decent gas mileage.

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  Great Car Great Price - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Ranger Fan - September 26 - 6:33 pm

  I now have 7,000 miles on my Aura and no problems. This car looks and handles great. Prior to buying this I test drove many cars including Honda and Toyota. I decided on the Aura because it was a no brainer that you get more bang for your buck. It shifts smoothly, is quite and very comfortable. The OnStar is great!

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  Best Little SUV Made - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By pzimmer - September 26 - 4:16 pm

  This is our 3rd Vue. We bought one in 05, 06 and 07 and still own the 06 & 07. We love getting 28 mpg on trips and with a hitch, it pulls our 3000+ lb boat/trailer. The V6 is a Honda engine and has been perfect with lots of snap. It has lots of cargo room and has been our "truck" to carry "everything". Gotta love the plastic sides, dent free. We would buy the same vehicle again, but we cant find anything out there to compare. It has the right combination of features that we wanted. This vehicle was highly under rated. To us, it is the perfect small SUV.

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  Amazing car! - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By capitolcars - September 26 - 3:08 pm

  This was such a great car; I cried when I found out Saturn was shutting down and I wouldnt be able to buy another new one. Bought it brand new for my brand new 50-mile each way commute. Its the perfect marriage of fuel-efficiency and SUV comfort. No problems with it at all, drove it from new till 75K miles before I traded it in for a new car; I wish I hadnt.

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  Wont buy this ever again.... - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By Nicole0429 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  This car has been back in the shop so many times, that i lost count! Ive replaced so many sensors...and the gasket on the intake manifold already let go! Also, i had to replace the windshield fluid sprayers twice!!!! I definately wont be going back to a Saturn!!!

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  A Wonderful Vue - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By May17Vue - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I have had this vehicle less than 2 months and I am very pleased with the gas mileage and the comfortableness in it. I also like the fact that it looks good and that it does not dent like similar vehicles. Also for being one of the cheaper Vues, it is quite loaded and most of the features are standard rather than optional.It is a very fun vehicle to drive and I want to drive it everywhere.

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  Impulse Buy - VUE Red Line - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By Spaceboy - September 26 - 10:00 am

  After shopping the car market for a few months to replace my Saturn L300 I was still looking. That all changed when I took my vehicle into the dealer for an oil change and saw the Electric Lime VUE Red Line in the parking lot. Ive never liked SUVs much, but thought Id take a chance and fell in love instantly. The car-like ride quality and smooth, yet powerful, engine make my long trek to work a pleasure. The Red Line package and bright color also make the VUE stand out; its received compliments from the young and old as I drive around town!

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  my great VUE - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By david cottrell - September 26 - 10:00 am

  most powerful SUV I have every driven.

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  Very good Value in a midsize SUV - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By John W - September 26 - 1:16 am

  We have had our Saturn XE Vue FWD for 11 months now and recently purchased a Toyota Venza which we now can compare it to. The Saturn 4-cyl. is a very good match for this vehicle. The 4 speed auto trans. works very well, but I like the Venza 6-speed better. The Saturn has a very comfortable ride and has a great deal of room inside. The driver sits nice and high and this vehicle has an extra fat steering wheel, which I also like. The as built quality looks to be as good as the Toyota. The price makes the Saturn Vue an excellent value in the market, even as we see GM going through all of this change. I would buy another one without question.

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  Great automobile - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By k796812 - September 25 - 10:08 am

  Bought the car new in 07. Other than routine maintenance I have had almost no problems at 150,000 miles. Surprisingly fast for what it is. I average approximately 25mpg on the highway.