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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  1st Timer - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By jakrabits wife - April 17 - 7:03 am

  This is our first Saturn we have owned and it is by far the best vehicle. I love the room it has and the fold away cargo, I get a lot of compliments on our Vue. We have not had any major problems with it. We will definitely buy another Saturn, we are extremely happy.

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  Aura owner - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By ICOLBERT - April 16 - 7:50 am

  I bought my Aura Xe and drove it from York Pa. to Albequerque Nm with out a hitch. Driving 70-80 mph with the cruise control on I got 28.7 mpg. This car is what an American car can and should be. This car is so quiet that you can not hear the windshield wipers working. I owned an SC1 for five years and the only money I put into that car was tires and brake pads. I will always be a Saturn owener because thay have earned my respect by producing a quality product.

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  My Saturn Review - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By andisnyder - April 15 - 10:00 am

  I feel that this vehicle is more of a sporty SUV than a luxury SUV. It would be nice of Saturn could make a smoother riding SUV such as the trailblazer, etc. You can feel every bump and hear every rattle. Road noise is very loud and when the wind blows it does not handle very well.

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  Good Choice - 2002 Saturn VUE
  By JDJR - April 15 - 10:00 am

  Wasnt planning on purchasing vue. Had looked at Escape & Forrester and thought I would eventually pick one of them as I dont really need true 4- wheel drive or a monster truck. Test drove a vue (6 cyl.)and was quite impressed. Perfect vehicle: plenty of room, adequate power, excellent ride. As a previous owner of saturn, I think their service is by far the best!

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  Best dollar for dollar car ever - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Traynor - April 10 - 2:00 am

  Great ride, MP3 player is gread. Centre positioned gagues are easy for everyone to read and allow a lot more front windshield for the driver

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  I just love it! - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By Swthoss2 - April 10 - 2:00 am

  I wanted a larger more reliable car to drive before my husband deployed. We looked into a few and just fell in love with the Vue. The insurance is lower then our previous car due to the safety features it has, and it is as good on gas as a normal car, but yet has the functionality, space and feel of an SUV. We took it on a 3,000 trip right after we bought it and it was great! We have driven many friends in it and they all are just awed by the beauty, feel and luxury of it. I dont think I will ever buy a different car, just newer versions of the Vue.

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  2007 Saturn Hybrid - 2007 Saturn VUE
  By Larry - April 9 - 2:53 pm

  Ive only had my Saturn Hybrid for a couple of weeks, and I am thoroughly satisfied with my purchase. I havent taken time to check out the gas mileage yet, but I can already tell it is better than that of my old Lumina 6cyl. I love my new Saturn VUE.

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  2nd Orange VUE - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By Jay - April 9 - 12:30 pm

  The VUE has some great pick up and go thanks to a 250hp engine mated with a 5 spd auto. Gas milage varies ofcourse with how you drive, but generally not to bad. Descent front and rear leg room. Cargo capacity is descent and with the second row down seems almost endless. I enjoy the new face and jeweled headlamps, that shine bright on a dark night. The new power drivers seat with lumbar is nice and the heated seats feel great, but the higher setting gets pretty warm. I did have the element in one seat replaced within one year of having the VUE. The VUE has an awesome turning radious and a great ride height. No complaints with the steering as some people whine about. Fun to drive, try it.

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  A Fun SUV - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By gt95 - April 9 - 10:00 am

  For my first new vehicle it has been a pleasant experience all around. The people at the dealership have been very helpful. The no haggle on price takes away the adversity. The vehicle is priced right to be a great value. It has the latest inovations including electronic steering. I feel confident that if I keep up on regular maintenance the car will last a long time. The back seat has plenty of room.

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By Anthony LaRusso - April 9 - 2:33 am

  After driving higher-end, foreign vehicles for the past 12 years, I decided to give an American-made car a try. Before I decided on the Saturn Aura, I already tested a Saab 9-3, Mercedes C, Audi A4 and Lexus IS250. The Aura was roomier, quieter, more comfortable and almost as nimble as these much higher priced cars. Its fresh exterior has piqued the interest of many fellow motorists, who have stopped me in parking lots and at the car wash. To a person, folks were very impressed and even more so, when I told them the cost of my XR which is equipped with every available option Saturn offers.My other vehicle is a pricey foreign make yet I get as much a kick from the Aura as I do from it.