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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  Piece of junk! DO NOT BUY THIS CAR! - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By osuraerae - March 29 - 5:25 pm

  We had the Vue for one week and the moon roof broke...then the transmission went out. We were told only a Saturn dealer could fix it and we took it to the dealer and they said it would cost $7600 to fix it! We traded the piece of junk in...it wasnt worth it! Do not buy this car! You will regret it!

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  Outlook buyers, look out! - 2008 Saturn Outlook
  By LCS - March 9 - 7:45 am

  My car may have been a lemon, but I had issue after issue with my 08 Outlook. GM actually extended our warranty after we filed lemon law paperwork, which at least helped with the numerous costly repairs it needed. Oil leaks, fuel tank replaced, cylinder heads, power steering, A/C repair twice, and more. The XR model was comfy inside, however, and spacious enough for 3 kids and 2 dogs.

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  Underpowered, Uncomfortable, Junk Saturn - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Dave - February 3 - 1:40 am

  This is the worst vehicle Ive ever owned. Around 25,000 miles, the wheel bearings started to go out, at $700 per wheel. By 43,000 miles, the transmission needed rebuilt, which GM did under a recall warranty. I traded the vehicle in shortly afterward. Even before the issues, this vehicle was slow, with a choppy, unrefined engine, and it feels "cheap" on the inside. Squeaky, cheap plastic is the typical choice in this car. I would not recommend it in any way.

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  Do Your Homework - 2005 Saturn Relay
  By Micaela Edwards - January 8 - 2:30 pm

  I loved my first two SaturnÂ’s; a 1992 SL-2 and a 1995 Sc-1. The trouble is, the Relay isnÂ’t a Saturn in the traditional sense since itÂ’s essentially the same as the Chevrolet Uplander, Pontiac Montana SV6 and the Buick Terraza. The ride is rough, handling is poor, and the acceleration is weak. I really wanted to like the Relay but itÂ’s been in the shop twice for warranty repair within the first 2000 miles. The issues were; the Service Theft System warning light is constantly coming on and the engine runs rough, often hesitating. My best advice, do some homework.