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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  Great car! - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Dee - February 26 - 9:40 pm

  This is a great car! All of my friends think it is a much more expensive car and are shocked when I tell them it is a Saturn. It is loaded with features. I love the XM radio. I would highly recommend the car.

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  Best in Class In My Opinion - 2005 Saturn Relay
  By Bruno - February 24 - 5:40 am

  I took months to test drive all the vehicles in the market for this class. I would like everyone to know that for the buck, the RELAY is the best vehicle I have ever found! Between the Safety and Reliability that Saturn is already known for, I dont think Ill ever buy anthing but a Saturn!

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  Great Vehicle - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By Dee - February 23 - 12:33 pm

  I feel the lines of this car are very nice looking. I have enjoyed this SUV. I have plenty of room for people and packages. Getting into this car is also quite easy. Usually SUVs are so high up you need to climb in and jump down. I love it.

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  Awesome! - 2008 Saturn Sky
  By Diablo Winds - February 19 - 1:30 pm

  I love this car as my daily driver. Traded my Corvette for it so Im down on power but still crusing in style. Im getting around 26MPG so far. Im only on my third tank and expect this this to improve when my spirited driving calms down.

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  Excellent quality love this van - 2005 Saturn Relay
  By CEWCORP - February 18 - 6:46 am

  Have now over 100k miles with no problems. Excellent van that does everything right, everything is still in perfect working order and exterior and interior still looks brand new with no inside garaging. This is my 5th Saturn vehicle and I have had no problems with any of them and I have had all models. Love this car. Stuck in a southern California blizzard once and this car was the only one able to negotiate the freeway safely and did so well I felt like I was driving under normal conditions. Also, really liked the buying experience with Saturn and all the service experiences. This car was very stress free to own

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  Truly, a Good Car - 2008 Saturn Astra
  By Mark S. - February 17 - 10:46 am

  I purchased this car new as a replacement for my 2004 MINI Cooper, and I havent looked back! This car is just a blast to drive, and it behaves almost exactly like my MINI did on the road (the MINI had a bit better steering feel). It handles incredibly well, brakes are powerful, and it has decent fuel economy. Acceleration is a bit lacking, but the 138-horsepower is more than sufficient for capable cruising at highway speeds. Im a big fella (62", 300 lbs) and I am not wanting for space inside. The rear cargo area will swallow a weeks worth of groceries without needing to fold down the rear seats.

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  Best small car, PERIOD!!! - 2003 Saturn ION
  By John in Minnesota - February 16 - 2:00 am

  This car is simply the best small car out there for the money. I have 9,000 miles on my car and I absolutely love it! I drove a Honda Civic, no comparison! To sum it up, great quality, good power, fun to drive! Im not sure why this car has received such poor ratings from professional reviewers, but I am here to say they are wrong!

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  1,000 Mile Update - 2008 Saturn Astra
  By Joseph Astra - February 14 - 3:03 am

  The good - I consistently get 35 to 36 mpg in a mix of city and highway driving. The car is as tight as a car can be. No squeaks, no rattles and a nice kerthunk when you close the doors. When you own an Astra, you are driving a very exclusive car. Not too many on the road as of yet. This car handles like a sports car. Positive comments from everyone who sees it. I like the utility the hatchback provides. The onboard computer is excellent. The rain sensing wipers are great. The leather seats are very comfortable and supportive. The upgraded stereo

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  Love my Vue - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By rgamet - February 11 - 1:03 pm

  This vehicle is very comfortable to drive. Great storage space and fantastic handling. I would recommend a VUE to everyone I know

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  Saturn Astra 4dr Great Car - 2008 Saturn Astra
  By Judicious - February 7 - 12:23 am

  So far I have had the car for 2 years. It works great. No major issues yet. Fuel mileage is good could be better in the city but very nice on the highway. Car feels great while cornering. Suspension is not too soft but yet handles bumps well. The best hatchback GM ever sold in north America and wish they kept bringing them over.