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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  What have I been missing - 2008 Saturn Aura
  By XE 3.5 - August 23 - 3:13 am

  Over the past several years I have owned x2 Acura RL and the Mercedes R Class. I decided to check out what Saturn had to offer. I drove the Aura purchased it within the hour. It ranks in my book with the Acura RL without the high cost. The ride it self puts the R Class Mercedes to shame. What have I been missing? How much I could have saved and still been driving in luxury. However no more!

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  Love it - 2008 Saturn Outlook
  By sjgray8 - August 22 - 7:23 pm

  We needed a car that could carry 6 kids plus stuff and tow a boat and we didnt want a monster SUV. The Outlook is exactly what we needed. It carries all of us and our gear comfortably. Mileage isnt great, but its not a compact and we knew it going in.

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  My Last Saturn - 2005 Saturn ION
  By sfr - August 22 - 6:50 am

  This is my second and last Saturn vehicle. The ignition has been replaced three times in three years and is ready for a fourth replacement. Ive now developed a new problem where the power steering randomly cuts out but comes back if you turn the vehicle off and on again. I liked my first Saturn. The gas mileage is good - but there is a serious design flaw in the steering column architecture.

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  Love my new VUE - 2008 Saturn VUE
  By Steph - August 21 - 1:13 pm

  I love my new VUE. I purchased it to get better gas mileage. I was driving a 03 Explorer that was getting 12mpg and with my VUE I am getting 22-25mpg and with the gas prices going so high I need it. It is a fun car to drive and it is very sharp looking. I love driving it.

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  New Owner - 2005 Saturn ION
  By KenSat - August 20 - 6:26 pm

  I am the new owner of a berry red ION 1. It was purchased as basic transportation-my only option is air condiditoning. So far I love it, it rides well, has more than adequate acceleration, and the chassis feels solid and rattle free. I chose a basic Saturn over more heavily optioned Korean models and I am glad I did...The engine, suspension, and other major mechanical (engine, suspension, body) items more than compensate for extra colors in the plastic on the dash or power windows. The seats are comfortable, if firm. I do wonder about the longevity of the fabric. I even like the center gauges so loathed by auto magazines.

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  Best Value for the Money - 2009 Saturn VUE
  By Grandpa Phillips - August 18 - 10:10 pm

  Plenty of power. Runs like a scalded dog. Have absoulutly no problem getting on the freeway or passing. 1st tank of gas used in city and freeway 23.5 MPG. 2nd tank 24 MPG. Cant wait to see what it will get on a trip. Wife loves the blue tooth, XM radio, premium trim, leather heated power seats. Pleanty of room front and back. Lots of head room too. Looks better than than most other compact SUVs inside and out. Was thinking about buying a Cadillac SRX but MPG wasnt that great. Drove a Toyota CRV but the seats were too hard. Some expert reviews just dont do it justice. Personally I think it beats all other compact SUVs hands down. In fact I may just have buy another one.

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  What a nice VUE - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By John Marshall - August 18 - 1:26 pm

  This little SUV has been great for getting around town and hauling people. The 4 cyl engine gets really good mileage and the stick shift helps me keep the little engine in the power curve above 3000 rpm. Low end torque is limited. Have not had a good experience however with sales and service people at Saturn dealers in Northern New Jersey that is why I bought it in Connecticut.

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  Best Car Ever!! - 2006 Saturn VUE
  By Dave Hardman - August 15 - 1:06 am

  I love this car. It gets great gas mileage, is very quiet and comfortable. I would recommend this car to anyone looking for a cute ute. It outperforms, is bigger, and is less expensive then anything else in the market. Go Saturn!

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  Saturn ION2 - 2006 Saturn ION
  By Sara - August 14 - 2:10 am

  With only 35,000 miles i already had to replace a gas cap and vent and valve because it did not pass emmissions. I cannot believe that I am already putting money into this car. I will make sure not to buy another Saturn again.

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  Saturn Aura XR Homerun! - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By b52ew19 - August 12 - 6:43 pm

  I shopped around, looked at the Accord, Camry, Madza 6, VW GTI, Acura TSX, Lexus, and Mercedes. Nice cars, but the Aura XR was the winner! The Camry came in second, but the price was too high. The Aura drives like a champ, hugs the road like a sports car. OnStar is outstanding, well worth the money, especially the phone option.