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:

• 

  Aura XE a winner - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Scott L. - June 28 - 10:10 am

  Purchased my Aura in February and so far Im very satisfied. Great styling and performance. Many people have remarked on the great looks and are surprised when they discover its a Saturn. A geat amount of equipment at an affordable price. I think Saturn and GM have a definite winner.

• 

  Kudos to Saturn - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By Art - June 26 - 11:06 am

  We love this car. The Morrocan leather highlights this quiet, taut, responsive This car is a fire breather. Previous cars included Pontiac, VW, Nissan, Toyota, Chevy, and Mercury. Nothing comes close to this marvel. As someone who wouldnt have considered a Saturn in the past, the Aura has changed everything. Most of our driving is freeway and the mpg is surprising and excellent - significantly better than the advertized (28/20)- with the cruise on.

• 

  Great fun car - 2008 Saturn Astra
  By Bryan - June 24 - 11:30 am

  Love it sporty and very different not many on road so make poeple ask what is it.

• 

  New car - 2003 Saturn ION
  By leaura - June 22 - 10:00 am

  This is great car for a great price. I have owned a saturn before and had minimal problems with it. On top of all this the customer service is wonderful, its so nice to be dealt with in a proper manor.

• 

  Love our Vue - 2003 Saturn VUE
  By Duke and Nan - June 22 - 10:00 am

  We went from a Full size GM Pick up truck to this little SUV. Many of the Features are what attracted us like the dent proof panels, gas mileage and the overall looks of the vehicle. Plus when we found out that it was a GM vehicle we were even more pleased. Many people stop and ask us if we like our car and we always have had great things to say.

• 

  Much better than the minivan - 2007 Saturn Outlook
  By Husker - June 20 - 11:00 pm

  We purchased the Outlook XR AWD as a replacement for a Town & Country minivan. The Saturn has been very reliable, is extremely comfortable (even for adults in the 3rd row) and gets good mileage for its size. Were very happy with the purchase.

• 

  Vue red line - 2005 Saturn VUE
  By shageeda - June 17 - 8:40 am

  The red line package has a very sharp look with the chrome & ground effects on the exterior of the vehicle. with a very spacious interior. The comfort package is a plus for the total look of this SUV. The power that this SUV has is more than enough for anyone to enjoy the ride. Overall one of the nicest that I tried before leasing this SUV.

• 

  Great Car - Even in MN winters!!! - 2003 Saturn ION
  By Aweber - June 16 - 2:00 am

  We bought this car after looking at other comparable cars, and nothing compared for the price. Only concern was how well it would drive in snowy MN winters. This has been the snowiest winter in a long time, and I have not had a problem with driving. The anti-lock brakes and traction control have been a great investment as well. Great gas mileage too!!

• 

  Great car - 2007 Saturn Aura
  By rush - June 13 - 2:50 am

  I originally purchased an XE at the beginning of the month. I loved the car so much I wanted more. So, I used Saturns exchange program and got the XR with leather seats. The XE is quiter and shifts smoother. The XR is quicker and sportier. I had cloth seats on the XE. The leather seats on the XR are much more comfortable. If you want a quiet, smooth, luxurious feel, the XE with leather seats is your car. If you want a sportier feel and the ultimate driving experience, go for the XR. I have owned at least a dozen cars. This car is by far the best car Ive have owned for driving experience.

• 

  Good Buy - 2007 Saturn ION
  By citystars136 - June 12 - 6:33 pm

  The car is a great car. Very quick from the factory. Comfortable, and easy to drive. I get looks all the time, and everyone cant believe how good it looks. They are suprised when I say its a Saturn.