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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  A delightful change - 2004 Saturn VUE
  By umgrad - March 31 - 10:00 am

  We switched from historically buying minivans to the Vue and it is a great vehicle. Driving in the Vue with 2 kids is very comfortable for long trips.

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  Very Happy - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By adamcorey - March 28 - 2:00 am

  I bought my VUE in November 2002 and am very happy with both the car and the buying experience at Saturn. Ive always driven cars (Nissan) and was not really interest in a an SUV until a friend suggested I look at the VUE. My wife and I have taken it on several long trips and driven in very poor weather and was more than impressed with the way it handled (the $600 for ABS and antilock brakes was well worth it). For an inexpensive SUV I dont think you can beat it....I found the Toyota RAV 4 to be small and cramped compared to the VUE, not to mention my dissatifaction with the way I was treated at the Toyot dealership.

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  So Far so good..... - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Dan in Florida - March 28 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my VUE about 4 months ago (4-cyl, auto, AWD). So far I have had no complaints. The car has performed perfectly and has not given me any problems. The dealership also bent over backwards to keep me happy when I purchased it. Also have to say that RAV4Â’s are nice but they look like a girlÂ’s car. : P

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  Red Line is fantastic - 2005 Saturn ION
  By richter - March 26 - 6:50 pm

  Everything about this vehicle screams engineering ingenuity. The engine seemed weak to me on paper, but once you get in that red line and you feel the pull of that supercharger you realize this car is faster than any Saturn should ever be. No dent panels is a plus for us less than talented driveway drivers. Loves to sip the gas but...can accept both regular and premium gas and the car (itself) adjusts to the gas after 3 tanks of it. The pedals seem kind of close but Ive never driven a manual before. The shifts are crisp, the engine is responsive with no lag, and the steering is just fantastic (its assisted electronically). This car screams SLEEPER so catch your Zzzzs

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  Great! But... - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By Trent - March 25 - 6:36 pm

  This car handles surprisingly well off-road, though I when I wrecked the passenger side ball-joint, it was making a standard turn on a paved road. The trim rattles a little while driving, and putting er in first gear or reverse during a Minnesota winter is tough initially, but fine when its warm (heated seats are a huge plus). Overall, a very good purchase, especially during the employee discount period. I do wish I wouldve waited a month for the 06, however.

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  Saturn Sky Red Line = Awesome - 2008 Saturn Sky
  By Cajun - March 25 - 5:16 pm

  This car is meets beyond my expectations. This car turns heads and I find people speeding up to see what it is. I absolutely love this car. I car shopped for 2 months and will be the first to say I never thought about going to a Saturn dealership. With the service and the quality car I got, I will always drive a Saturn.

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  Worst Car I have ever Owned - 2008 Saturn Outlook
  By antcoop - March 21 - 12:30 am

  In the past 4 months I have replaced two engine mounts, bushing, power steering pump and week later the transmission needs to be rebuilt (it is stuck in low gear and wont go in reverse). I have also had to replace the throttle body. Stay away from this car at all cost! It is a giant money pit!

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  Love this car! - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By Wendy - March 19 - 12:13 am

  I have owned this car for a little a month now and have loved every second of it. A lot of car for the buck. Fully loaded for less than any other vehicle in its class that I looked at.

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  Lovin the VUE - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Suzie Q - March 16 - 4:06 pm

  I just bought this car, but I am loving it already. I have the V4 manual, and it is FAR superior to the V6 automatic of the same vintage. Its got a lot more pickup and spunk than its counterpart - so if you are interested in this model/year/make, and know how to drive a stick, buy this one. Its got all the bells and whistles I could want except an MP3 jack and in-dash CD changer, but that is an outside upgrade anyhow. Tons of space and a really nice ride...I highly recommend it!

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  Good Commuter - 2003 Saturn ION
  By smithbr - March 15 - 4:00 am

  My ION has passed 87000 miles and has not given me any problems. The only repair issue has been a faulty oxygen sensor. The engine is decent for power and gets 30 mpg. The transmission does well enough but doesnt impress. The interior is touchy. The center instrument panel takes getting used to. The cup holders are badly placed, the seats are stiff and anything will stain the upholstery. The plastic interior and fans develop squeaking problems that require some mild garage rework to silence. The trunk has lots of space but has a small aperture. This was my first Saturn and the car has been very loyal, but it hasnt sold me on Saturn - the next car will be an open field.