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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  Sky is right, it is out of this world! - 2007 Saturn Sky
  By dpick - February 1 - 11:53 am

  My wife has had her Sky for three weeks now. It is a blast to drive. It handles well, the automatic is a blast in manual mode. It stops traffic every where we go. People come up in gas stations, restaurants, everywhere!

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  Fantastic value - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By jkelly in PA - February 1 - 9:26 am

  The beauty of the interior is in its utter simplicity. My VUE has proven to be amazingly utilitarian and wonderfully proportioned for its class. The 6 cyl is peppy and smooth, and it handles like a sporty car! The exterior style is just right. Im a little disappointed they made the grille styling so car-like on the new models, but I would buy another one without hesitation!

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  2009 Saturn Vue Hybrid - 2009 Saturn VUE
  By Mike - January 31 - 5:53 pm

  I bought a Saturn Vue Hybrid recently. I only have about 1300 miles on it so far. I like the auto engine stop when the car stops. I like the quick re- start. It happens so smoothly that you hardly know it. I needed an SUV for camping and bad roads, but didnt want the bad mileage of other SUVS. This car has done well no bad roads and also gets good mileage. 28 MPG on the first tank. 29 on the second tank (including some back roads). 30 on the third tank. It is light at about 3,800 pounds. Has a useable area behind the second row of seats. Has a bigger back seat than the Escape or many other small SUVs. Unlike many hybrids, this does well on the freeway. Great car.

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  Love the ion - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Queenbzitch - January 31 - 10:00 am

  I think the Ion is a great car! Being a teenager, I wasnt a little hesitant when I got a Saturn, but I think they have done an excellent job with the Ion. Its sporty, fun, and a great car. I love to be seen in the Ion!

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  Better than I thought - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By KKMC - January 31 - 10:00 am

  The VUE was not my first choice, but with all the incentives and the GM Card points, I had to go for it. The pickup from a dead stop is very good, and the gas mileage runs between 21 and 26. The VUE has a ton of interior room; adults can actually sit comfortably in the back seat. My wife and I are very pleased with this vehicle.

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  No problems - 2006 Saturn ION
  By Rob D - January 31 - 4:23 am

  First off, the engine is a joy to drive once it gets broken in (about 3000 miles). Gas mileage is excellent, and amazingly efficient if you can keep your highway driving under 2500 revs (about 60mph). Most of what has been mentioned in other reviews is accurate, except for those calling the car a lemon. I havent had any problems with the service departments. Im 6 4" and fit comportably - cant say that about Mazdas and Toyotas that Ive sat in.

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  Decent car with some issues - 2006 Saturn ION
  By pippi777 - January 29 - 6:03 pm

  I really love my Ion, but have had some issues with it. The key often got stuck in the ignition & could take a few minutes for it to be released. (Found out it was due to the gear shift not recognizing the car was in park, thereby not releasing the key. This took 5 trips to the dealership to diagnose.) It currently periodically jerks while Im driving & automatically drops down to 15 mph. With the gas floored it wont go any faster. I have to pull over & turn the car off for a couple of minutes, then it starts up fine & I have to go get the check engine light turned off later. (I dont currently know what the cause of this is yet. Im leery of driving it on the highway, though.)

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  My first new car - 2004 Saturn ION
  By Heresy_Fnord - January 29 - 3:40 am

  My last car was an 94 Saturn SL1. What a world of difference has been made in these new models. The Redline is a further improvement in the right direction by Saturn. Ive done quite a bit of looking around, and you just cant beat the performance / price ratio of this car. Even with a 5 year / 60k warranty my car is cheap by comparison. I highly suggest a Saturn Ion Redline.

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  2005 Saturn VUE FWD V6 Value - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By BDub - January 28 - 11:03 pm

  With the employee pricing and cash rebates, the VUE offers a fantastic value for the money. I purchased the V6 FWD model with optional leather seats, head curtain airbags, sunroof, alloy wheels, and MP3 CD player, all for under $25k out the door (including tax and title). The engine is smooth and refined. The Chili Pepper Red has received compliments from friends and pedestrians alike. Saturn has done a good job designing a car that provides the necessary features in a nice little package. I have read others comment about the gas mileage, and I, too, have not been getting the sticker, but then, it is summer in Southern California, and I have the air conditioner blasting!

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  My first SUV - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By Flo - January 27 - 10:33 pm

  This is my 2nd new Saturn. I had my SL2 for 10 years. It still ran great, I just wanted to take advantage of the 72 months of free financing. I love my VUE. Great fun to drive, just the right size for me. The chrome pkg, roof rack and bigger wheels makes for a sporty look.