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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  Saturn VUE - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By Edward Pietrouski - January 17 - 12:40 pm

  I shopped around for an SUV and after considerable research I purchased a 2007 VUE and have not been disappointed in my decision. This is a fun to drive SUV that delivers plenty of power from its Honda 3.5 six cylinder engine and great gas mileage. I would like to see rear disc breaks and a telescoping steering wheel. The controls are easy to use and the rear seating is comfortable. I would recomend anyone looking for a smaller SUV to test drive a VUE

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  Saturn Vue-2002 - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By Streetman - January 16 - 5:30 pm

  I bought me Vue w/4,000 miles on it. It had been a program car used by an employee of Saturn in TN. I am very satisfied with the performance and ride of this vehicle. It never has failed me. I dont drive that much annually, but I have taken this vehicle out of state each year and it is always comfortable and reliable in 12-14 hour drives. I think Saturn has done an excellent job w/this car and would be interested in buying another one on down the road.

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  NICE PIECE - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By UNCLE RODGER - January 16 - 2:00 am

  I TOOK DELIVERY NEW YEARS EVE ON A BLACK FWD V6 5 AUTO. I HAVE PUT AROUND 1000 MILES ON IT AND ITS BREAKING IN FINE. IM VERY PLEASED SO FAR. THE ENGINE IS POWERFUL BUT NOT THIRSTY, WHICH IS A RARE COMBO IN A SUV.IT RIDES AND DRIVES VERY WELL. THE OVERALL SIZE OF IT SEEMS PERFECT,AND OF COURSE THE SATURN DEALER DEALERSHIPS ARE UNSURPASSED. IT TRULY IS A NICE PIECE.

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  Great Car GM! - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Techman - January 15 - 2:43 pm

  I looked at most of the competitorÂ’s products over a 1 month period and kept coming back to the Aura. I wanted the XR but ended up choosing the XE. I got the XE fully loaded and itÂ’s essentially the XR with a very few exceptions. I couldnt justify the extra $4K for 28 more HP and a 6 speed auto transmission. The XE performs very well in all areas. The build quality is excellent, the styling is eye catching, and the drive is wonderful. Im back in a domestic automobile for the first time in over 10 years. If this is any indication of where GM is heading then its a good sign. Think most fellow import buyers will feel the same if they give it a chance.

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  Great, reliable car - 2004 Saturn ION
  By michaelhipp - January 14 - 7:16 am

  This car has held its quality and style over the past four years and looks and performs just as good or better than all the new cars out there. A definite good investment.

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  Great deal - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Bob - January 13 - 11:33 am

  Ive had my Saturn XE with a 3.5 V6 for a few months now. Highway mileage is well over 30 mpg, maybe 36. Mixed mileage is 28 mpg. Plenty of power, average ride for smoothness. Seats are a little narrow on the bottom and Im not big. Had a few small problems that the dealer promptly fixed. Trunk is a nice size, fits my golf clubs no problem. With power assist seat I wouldnt spend the extra money on full power. Quiet ride. Dealer has no problem finding parts or fixing this car. Warranty is 5 yr 160,000 kilometers on powertrain. So far so good, for the money you wont find anything nicer than a Saturn aura. If you can find one. The Malibu is a better car but too new for my price range.

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  A Different Car - 2003 Saturn ION
  By THX712517 - January 11 - 10:00 am

  Ill make this quick, since I want to get back out in my car and go find some twisty roads. The Ion is wonderful. Smooth and powerful engine, excellent transmission, and great attention to the small details. High content for low price, including dent and rust proof polymer panels, center mounted instrument panel, electric power steering, and a wonderful suspension set-up. Okay, Im off to go blazing through some corners.

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  Saturn got it right with Ion - 2003 Saturn ION
  By piperboy - January 11 - 10:00 am

  Its sportier than the S-series in every way. Fun to drive, more power, responsive and is the direction Saturn has needed to go for some time. The service is legendary and you can expect that to continue. The cars have in the past been a bit noisy with less than striking styling, but that has changed for the better. The Ion is well-built and stylish; add the superb service and we just might see Saturn finally achieving its goal of competing well with the imports. All told, I love this car. Its tight, exciting styling, added power, vastly improved ride and turn radius are a huge boost to a car company that has always aimed to please. This time, they hit the bullseye!

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  Love this SUV - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By silver99 - January 11 - 10:00 am

  This wont be a long exahaustive review as I simply love to drive this vehicle. The gas mileage is great and enough room to haul anything I need.

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  I LOVE this car. IT is GREAT ! ! - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Rdrunr - January 11 - 10:00 am

  The car is fun to drive. I get 26MPG, not babying it either. Handles great in wind, unlike the real high, top heavy SUVs. Very quick pick up; Stable in fast moving situations (i.e. avoiding accidents) Love safety features (door guards, etc.) Love the price too. I have the Orange, everyone loves it. They like the spunky look of it! People have actually came up to me when I get out the car and complimented me on it.