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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  American Cars are Back!! - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By jackflash - May 16 - 3:03 am

  Thank you Saturn for building a car that that finally shows that America is back. As a owner of Japanese cars for the past three years I thought that was the best you can get for a 4 cylinder. The Aura proved me wrong, this car is a quality built vehicle with attention to detail. From the chrome trim rocker panels to the solid closing trunk lid, ambient lighting, trim details, XM radio, smooth shifting, comfortable and supportive seats this car is impressive. The exterior color midnight blue with tan interior and wood trim is awesome for a car in the price category. The paint job is excellent to go, the ride and handling is like the car is on rails, way to go. Plus this car turns heads!!

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  Awesome Car - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By Netray - May 15 - 11:36 pm

  So far so good. I have owned 2005 VUE for the past 2 years and it seem to be cheaply made, the Aura so far from I can tell is a well built car and worth the $21K, I looked at other cars with the same options that were in the $30K range and not as nice to drive, Saturn has a winner with the Aura. The Aura handle nicely and is very comfortable, seems to have a lot of power with good gas mileage, Very quite car when on the highway doing 80 mph, and big bang for the buck.

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  Great Value! - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By Brian - May 15 - 2:40 am

  The Saturn sales process is quite painless. I enjoyed the experience. My new Vue fits my urban neighborhood, and allows us to take our dogs, friends and gear to the mountains, beach, etc. Granted, well never be Off-Road Enthusiasts, but we can get away far enough for our needs. Driveability is excellent with (in my opinion) the best acceleration in its class. I test drove many comparable SUVs, and felt the Vue best suited me.

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  A wonderful surprise. - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By Terry Swiers - May 13 - 8:33 am

  We had originally test drove the Vue to eliminate it from our list of vehicle options, just so we could say that we had actually looked at all of our options within the price range we set for ourselves. But instead of eliminating it, it moved to the top of the list. Of the vehicles that we looked at, the Vue Red Line was the only one that we walked away from the test drive with that "gotta have it" feeling. It had all the power we wanted, looked great, a smooth quiet ride, and it drove like it was on rails. If you are looking for a sporty compact SUV, dont dismiss the Vue Red Line until you have actually driven it.

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  A Saturn? - 2008 Saturn Astra
  By McCloud - May 13 - 4:36 am

  Initial reactions from my friends is usually "This is a Saturn?" This car really impresses with its combination of style, build quality, european flavor, standard equipment, handling, and value. It handles like a dream, sharp and secure. The steering wheel is thick and grippy and the feedback is really excellent. The interior quality excells with soft-touch materials and the seats are well-bolstered. The 5-speed shifter is precise but a bit notchy. The clutch is just about right. The engine is peppy and rev-happy but the car is not a rocket. Overall, this is a practical and economical drivers car with european driving characteristics. Give it a try!!

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  Love My VUE - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By Cheetah - May 11 - 2:00 am

  This is such a quite vehicle. I can hardly wait to get up and go out for a drive. This is my second Saturn. After my first experience, I had decided not to go with another Saturn. I looked at the VUE and was completely sold. The V6 is great. This is my first SUV. Very roomy in the back. Saturn has added extra leg room for back seat passengers. Fun to drive.

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  An Excellent Vehicle - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By Chas - May 8 - 12:40 am

  This vehicle is a surprise considering all of the negative press it has received. The performance is excellent, The gas mileage is excellent for the size of the engine, the interior is attractive, and comfortable, and the steering and handling are very good...even in the recent snow, and ice storms. The build quality of this car is excellent. No rattles, squeaks, or wind noise. Plus a careless door opening, or shopping a cart bump wont require a trip to the body shop.

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  Likin my red v6 Vue - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By Simonov - May 4 - 10:00 am

  Sharp vehicle. Sporty but more of a car than a truck, fun to drive. Very good value. Needs a leather wrapped steering wheel,I put one on. Really enjoying the sun roof and the upgraded CD/Casette stereo system. (not the 180 watt job). Getting 23.5 mpg in mixed driving with the ac on. Mine has the sideair bags and abs. I added the roof rack, looks much cooler,the stiff plastic flaps and the air deflector on the sun roof. 1800 miles and very pleased, engine a little noisy but this is an SUV for under 25K and not a lexus.

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  Love My VUE - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By TKincaid - May 3 - 11:53 pm

  I love my new VUE. I still can not believe how nice it drives, how great it looks, and how many features it has for the money we paid. I just dont think you can beat it. This is the first Saturn I have bought and it will not be the last.

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  Great little car - 2006 Saturn ION
  By jgroovydaisy - May 3 - 4:50 am

  I needed a reliable car and that is what I got. Once I got used to the instrument panel being in the middle, I havent had any problems. I am enjoying my vehicle and looking forward to years of use.